“Samsung has unveiled a smartwatch with a colour screen that can show alerts, be used for voice calls and run apps,” BBC News reports. “Samsung called it a ‘fashion icon.'”
“However, analysts warned that a decision to limit the watch to working as an accessory to other Galaxy Android devices might limit its appeal… ‘Consumers might be a bit disappointed to find that the smartwatch is a partner device reliant on being paired with a Samsung Android smartphone or tablet, rather than being the completely autonomous device media and communications device many consumers were expecting and hoping for,’ said Chris Green, principal technology analyst at the consultancy Davies Murphy Group,” The Beeb reports. ‘It unveiled the the watch – which will go on sale from 25 September – at the Ifa consumer tech show in Berlin.’ … The Galaxy watch will cost about US$300.”
The Beeb reports, “The Galaxy Gear features a 1.6in (4cm) LED display, a 1.9 megapixel camera, a speaker and microphone, has four gigabytes of internal storage and a non-removable battery. Samsung said the watch could be used as a way to make voice calls without having to take the phone it was linked to out of the owner’s bag or pocket. It comes preloaded with 10 different clock options and there will be about 70 apps available at launch including Evernote’s note-taking software, auction service eBay, the social network Path and several fitness programs.”
The Beeb reports, “‘Samsung is also claiming a day’s battery life with fair usage… it’s like going back to a time you had to wind your watch up every night before going to bed,’ said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at tech advisors Gartner. ‘I don’t think consumers want to do that with a watch or a band. They want to have it on without having to worry about charging it every day.'”
Read more in the full article here.
“The big disappointment for Samsung gadget owners is that the Gear does not work with most of its phones and tablets,” Youkyung Lee reports for The Associated Press. “The Gear needs the Galaxy Note III, a smartphone with a giant 5.7-inch screen and a digital pen, and the Galaxy Tab 10.1, a tablet computer. Both will go on sale later this month. At a later date, it will be compatible with the Galaxy S4, released earlier this year, and the Galaxy Note II, which came out late last year.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: And now Samsung waits with the Sonys of the world to find out how smartwatches are really supposed to be done.
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It’s a big clunky watch that has to be paired to the big clunky Galaxy Note that is in that bag you have to carry everywhere because it won’t fit in your pocket. One thing I think we can be sure of is that Apples will be better looking and a much more elegant solution.
I think a camera on a wrist watch is a bit overkill, kinda like a 5.7″ screen. So now you have a camera on your glasses, wrist and phone. I guess you don’t want to miss anything. Along with that, it has a mic to listen in too. Additionally the amount you can record, etc, is a little lame.
The screws on the face, the designer should look for a new job. What’s the point of screws, never mind, straight or not, on the face of a watch, calculator or anything. Sorry Sammy, you are loosing.
Second, if I am wearing a wrist watch, why would I have to touch it, every time I want to see something on the screen? I mean, it’s on your wrist so you don’t have to use your hands.
Just a short list.
By the first look you desperately see the need for a flexible or curved screen so it will hug the wrist and not be a matchbox.
The video nano two generations back beats this.
Folks, here is Samsungs innovation abilities right here in your face.
They are a third party hardware and software conglomeration without any inventitiveness, any OS, any proprietary processor.
They are 5 years behind Apple at best.
This thing is almost laughable as far as design….expect Apples to be much more streamlined…maybe even two sizes for male/female.
Right now, the older nano and duct tape still wins.
Apple is going to have a lot of fun with this on Sept. 10th.
The low point in the evolution of ‘smartwatches’ was established today by none other than Samsung with their Brick-On-A-Wrist Galaxy Gear watch. We can only go up from here. 😛
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“And now Samsung waits with the Sonys of the world to find out how smartwatches are really supposed to be done.”
That might just be the best thing to come out of all of this.
Apple will (of course) do it differently, and do it better. That will (hopefully) put a nail in the coffin of the “can Apple innovate?” question.