Category: Wearables

Smartwatch, Apple Watch, Moto 360 , Samsung Gear, Gear Fit, Galaxy Gear, watches smart wearables and all the latest news on iGyaan

Apple To Host Apple Watch Event In March, May Launch 4-Inch iPhone

Reports suggest that Apple is planning to host a product launch event in March 2016 where it might announce the Apple Watch and the 4-inch iPhone 6C.

Kevin Wang from IHS has stated that Apple is working on a budget-oriented iPhone 6 handset. This handset will be a smaller version with a 4-inch display and will come with a plastic body similar to the 5c. The scaled down version of the iPhone 6 will indeed come with a few missing features. As the device was pegged as a cheaper iPhone 7 variant rather than a 6, what’s for certain is that the 6c will not come with 3D Touch.

Other reports also suggest that the iPhone 6C could come with a smaller screen, and thereby making it much easier for users to navigate through the device. After iPhone screens becoming larger and larger most people seem to have faced a rather annoying inconvenience to always move their hand to the top of the screen for the menu or back button. So, many are hoping for a drop in the screen size.

About the second device mentioned – the Apple Watch – unfortunately there’s not much to know about it. However, some rumours have suggested that the tech wear gadget could arrive with a FaceTime camera and Wi-Fi connectivity along with health sensors and sleep tracking. As of now Apple has not confirmed anything officially, but let us hope to see these gadgets soon in March.

December 9, 2015
Over 40% Dissatisfied Apple Watch Users Still Willing to Buy the Next Gen Model

A survey conducted by Wristly has revealed Apple Watch users to be largely dissatisfied with their new gadget. The Watch has failed to perform on many fronts and is being touted as a bad choice especially in terms of speed.

A survey of 330 unhappy users of the Apple Watch revealed that 55% of them tried using the device for a fortnight or more to see if they could get a hang of it, but to no avail. The Watch is not only slow, according to the participants, but also hard to use. The constant need to tilt it in order to get the time is another feature that didn’t go down well with the users.

This survey is definitely not winning Apple many customers, especially in India where Motorola launched its Moto 360 2nd Gen today. Looks like customers in the country are likely to give the Apple gizmo a pass now.

Moto 360 2nd Gen

However, having said that, it should be pointed out that about 41% of the survey participants accepted they are likely to buy the 2nd gen variant of the Apple Watch. Reasons behind this can only be speculated as perhaps evaluation of the Watch from a technological point of view, or some sort of brand loyalism Apple is infamous for generating in its customers.

Either way, looks like the market offers tough competition to both the Motorola as well as the Apple smartwatch. Which one would you rather prefer?

December 1, 2015
Unboxing The New Moto 360

Motorola Launched the new Moto 360 In India today. While the previous gen eventually dropped out of stock at a price of Rs. 13,999. The top of the line 46 mm Black with Steel Strap of the Gen 2 Variant has an MRP of 23,999 on the box.

The watch adds a bunch of features over the previous gen, also different case sizes and easily changeable straps.

Check out our unboxing Video Below.

Moto 360 Gen 2

Display?

Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3
Backlit LCD
Mens 42mm and Womens: 1.37” (35mm), 263ppi (360 X 325)
Mens 46mm: 1.56” (40mm), 233ppi (360 X 330)

Watch case dimensions

Mens:
46mm diameter by 11.4mm high
42mm diameter by 11.4mm high

Womens:
42mm diameter by 11.4mm high

Processor

Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 400 with 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU (APQ 8026)
Adreno 305 with 450MHz GPU

Sensors

Accelerometer, Ambient Light Sensor, Gyroscope, Vibration/Haptics engine

Battery

Mens 42mm and Womens: 300mAh – Up to 1.5 days of mixed use with Ambient off. Up to a full day of mixed use with Ambient on.
Mens 46mm: 400mAh – Up to 2 days of mixed use with Ambient off. Up to a full day of mixed use with Ambient on.
Wireless charging with charging dock included

Memory

4GB internal storage + 512MB RAM

Connectivity

Bluetooth® 4.0 Low Energy
Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g

Microphone

Dual digital mics

December 1, 2015
Moto 360 Gen 2 Launches in India Today

Launched earlier this year at IFA Berlin ’15, the Moto 360 Gen 2 has arrived in India today. Find our unboxing video here:

The Moto 360 comes in two different sizes – a 42 mm male and female version, and a male-only 46 mm model. The difference between the male and female version is that the latter attaches itself to a thinner 16 mm strap while the former is compatible with a 20 mm strap only. The 46 mm variant is compatible with a strap that measures up to 22 mm. While the size of the straps differ, all models have a thickness of 11.4 mm.

The bands of the watch can be chosen from metal and leather. Though there is also a silicon option available for the band, it won’t be arriving in India any time soon. This year, Motorola has clearly been very influenced by the fashion world and all the latest trends within the design industry.

Thus it’s come up with two models, two sizes and up to 300 different ways to customize your Moto 360. However there will be only 5 of these variants that will be made available in India and they are: 42 mm with black leather, 42 mm with cognac leather, 42 mm blush rose gold, 42 mm silver metal, 46 mm black metal. Other than the size and range, there have been very subtle changes to the new design from the previous Moto 360, such as – a re-positioning of the button to the 2 o’clock position and one can even customize the finish of the small bezel that surrounds the display. With respect to the processor, Motorola has upgraded its device with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor.

They have also further improved the battery life and say that the 46 mm watch will last up to two days between charges, while the 42 mm watch will be able to last about a day and a half.

The watch is compatible with iOS 8.2 and above and therefore can be coupled with Apple devices. Other important features of the Moto 360 Gen 2 includes customize-able watch ‘faces’. Other than a bunch of options provided by Motorola, users can also use their own pictures as the watch-face.

The Live Dials of Moto 360 Gen 2 give access to summarised information in one glance. Depending on what matters to the user most, the watch will give weather updates from among footsteps count, rate of heart activity and calorie count etc. The Moto Body is a feature that will keep an account of not just footsteps and heart rate, but also sleep patterns and nutrition of the user.

Additionally, the watch is rated at IP67 which means it can be soaked in 1 m (3.3 ft) of water for half an hour. The watch further boasts of voice controls.

With a starting price of Rs. 19,999 ,this device goes on sale at 7:30 PM today on Myntra and Flipkart. To find more details about the Moto 360 Gen 2, click here.

December 1, 2015
Google Glass Patent Hints at Possible New Design

In September 2012, before the Google Glass became the creepy privacy invader that it is seen as today, Google filed a patent for a design unlike what the original Google Glass looked like. This new design depends on the user balancing the wearable on the side of their head rather than having it rest on the nose. The Glass is designed in a snake-like flexible headband that will sit on only one side of the user’s face. This patent was finally awarded to Google on November 24 2015.

The device can be configured to fit around the user’s face keeping the display above one eye. Whether the display is limited to one eye or not is uncertain, though the use of a prism could allow videos to be seen in both eyes. The original Google Glass, as you may know by now, was criticised for privacy invasion and was banned in bars, movie theatres and some restaurants.

Since the failure of the fist Glass, Google has been working on a second prototype that will look to make the Glass a lot less creepy. The patent could just bring the second version of the Google Glass to fruition, though nothing has been confirmed as of now. Google has been keeping the details of the Glass closely guarded.

November 28, 2015
Vines Are Now Only A Swipe Away on the Apple Watch

After being worked upon for the past couple of months, Vine has finally come to the Apple Watch. The app had been under construction since at least this summer when it was first showcased in an on-stage demonstration at an Apple event in June.

The launch of the watchOS app, that took place yesterday on the 24th of November, allows users to run videos on their gadget, while at the same time allows a feature that other than being borderline obsessive also lets you keep track of the number of times your video has been looped.

However despite all of Apple’s efforts, there is a sense of incompetence with various apps on the Watch. It seems like too many iPhone features are being crammed up in a small space of a tiny watch-screen. This new app will shrink down a lot of your favourite Vines on the gadget making them available simply a swipe away. The entire endeavour, however, still seems a little wasted, owing to the size of the screen and the fact that they load at quite a slow speed.

November 25, 2015
Xiaomi Smartwatch Rumored to be Unveiled on 24th November

Xiaomi is holding a big event on Tuesday, November 24 where the company plans on unveiling a few new products that include the Redmi Note 2 Pro and an Android Wear smartwatch. Yes, rumours have pretty much been confirmed that Xiaomi will showcase its very first smartwatch this Tuesday.

Popular Chinese tipster Leaksfly said that Xiaomi will pull the wraps off the Mi smartwatch on 24 November. Although not much is known yet about the internal hardware of the Xiaomi Mi smartwatch, it is all but confirmed that the watch is expected to run on Google’s Android Wear OS. Earlier in the month, Xiaomi launched a new fitness tracker, called the Mi Band 1S series.

Xiaomi Mi Bands

Meanwhile, Xiaomi is also planning to unveil the Redmi Note Pro 2 (which may well be called Note 3 based on a teaser) at said event. The device will sport a metal build and a fingerprint sensor. The specs are similar to the Note 2 with a 5.5-inch screen, 1080×1920 resolution, MediaTek MT6795 chipset and a true octal-core 2GHz CPU. There is 2GB/3GB RAM inside and 16GB of internal storage, a 13MP primary camera and a 5MP front.

We’ll bring you more details on all the devices unveiled at the event on November 24.

November 23, 2015
LG Cancels World-Wide Rollout Of New Smartwatch Due to Technical Glitches

If sources are to be believed, LG has cancelled the rollout of its latest smartwatch, Urbane 2nd Edition, worldwide because of an specified “hardware issues”. AT&T notified customers of a “quality issue” with the gadget and offered them a refund.

Additionally, Android Police received an email from LG, post their review of Urbane, in which LG clearly mentioned that the glitch with the Watch “affects the day-to-day functionality of the device.”

LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition is the first Android Wear device with a 4G LTE support. On the display and resolution front, Urbane is equipped with a 1.38-inch fully circular P-OLED display, and 480 x 480 pixels along with 348 ppi. Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 SoC, 768MB of RAM, and 4GB of built-in memory are some of the other features to be part of the deal.

However, before you get too excited, it should be pointed out that LG has gone ahead to comment that they are unsure when and if the watch will be available for order in the future. According to the company, this can only be decided “at a later time.” Let’s see if Urbane 2nd Edition manages to make its entrance into the tech world, and if it does, how does these hiccups influence audience’s response towards it.

November 20, 2015
Huawei’s Rose Gold Watch Goes Up For Sale at $699

Huawei has released a new version of its first smartwatch, the Huawei Watch. The Chinese company has launched the most premium variant of the Watch which comes equipped with a 22K rose gold plated stainless steel case with “coin-edge top ring”.

The rose gold version of the Huawei Watch is available on the company’s official online US store. Even though right now only one variant of the Watch is available, Huawei promises another with “an alligator pressed brown suture fine-leather strap” soon. The Watch comes in limited quantity and is priced at $699 or about Rs. 50,000.

If you’re willing to scoop out another $100, the Watch will also be made available with a different configuration along with a 22K rose gold plated stainless steel link band, priced at $799 (close to Rs. 57,000). But this variant is yet to be up for sale.

Looks like Apple is not the only company to have left us a little more than surprised with its roof-high pricing of fancy smartwatches, the rose gold variant for a gadget isn’t so new either. Does a Huawei rose gold gadget appeal to you more than an Apple gadget with a similar physical design?

November 20, 2015
Google’s Next Glass Will Not Have Glass

The team of Google Glass, now called Project Aura, is reportedly working on three new prototypes of wearable technology. One of them happens to be a gadget which relies entirely on audio. It is unclear at this point how it will be different from any other pair of headphones or a Bluetooth earpiece. However, it is highly likely to be part of the Project’s work on hands-free computing.

Started in June as the successor to the Google Glass division, Project Aura was initially part of Google X “moonshots” lab. It’s now headed by Tony Fadell, the Nest Labs CEO, along with the reputed designer, Ivy Ross.

When Amazon laid off a bunch of its engineers, many of whom were audio experts, Google gave them refuge. Now they seem to be working on developing the audio-focused gadget for Google.

At the same time, Project Aura won’t get rid of screens altogether. The company is working on two other devices other than this audio-only gadget. The other two gizmos are likely to have screens and are reportedly meant for businesses that require head-mounted display. Let’s see how this Project and its goals pan out. We’ll update you as soon as we have more information.

November 17, 2015
Apple Watch Successor in Works : Confirms Apple Supplier

The Taiwanese company, Quanta Computer, the company which assembles the wearable device for Apple, says that work has already begun on the successor of the Apple Watch. Barry Lam, the chairman of Quanta Computer has confirmed the news.

The comment about the reiteration of the Watch was recently made by Lam at an investor meeting. He affirmed that the device would perform better than its predecessor. Rumours about a launch at the end of Q2 next year are rife.

Rumours about a 2016 launch of the next-gen variant of the Apple Watch have been around for a while now. The gadget is expected to have enhanced features with the same external design and body. The square screen of the Watch is highly likely to stay. This is all from Apple on the Watch front for now. We’ll keep you updated as soon as we have more.

November 14, 2015
Android Wear Now Supports Cellular Connectivity

In today’s wearable news it seems Android has taken a leap forward and has finally made LTE support for its smartwatches a reality. Google has updated its Android Wear OS for smartwatches with cellular service, which means you can now leave your phones at home when you’re on the go. Android wearables will be able to stay connected with a SIM card even when your phone isn’t nearby.

LG’s Watch Urbane 2nd Edition will be the first smartwatch to ship with the SIM feature along with support for cellular connectivity. The watch will be available in the US and South Korea this week. This features puts Android Wear ahead of the Apple’s WatchOS 2 and other platforms out there that don’t support cellular connectivity.

What this feature does is that it allows you to use all the apps on your smartwatch including receiving and sending messages, calls, among other, without having your phone nearby. It will come in handy when you want to go out for a run and leave your phone at home.

While this does put Android Wear ahead of Apple’s WatchOS in terms of functionality, it may not attract too many buyers as cellular connectivity means more strain on your smartwatch’s tiny battery. You may find yourself having to charge your watch frequently. Currently, AT&T and Verizon are selling the watch with cellular connectivity from today.

November 12, 2015
The New York Times Shows the Future of Journalism With its Virtual Reality App

Something happened today. There was a sudden burst of virtual reality news all at once that has people everywhere believing that technology has indeed taken the next step. Today, The New York Times has taken a step towards VR by introducing Google Cardboard with their magazine, YouTube updated their Android app to support virtual reality videos, and finally Samsung plans on launching its Gear VR this month. Take a moment to soak all that in.

So, talking about The New York Times, the American daily newspaper that started in 1851 has now taken a step into the future. It launched the NYT VR app that gives a virtual reality experience of news along with headphones and (optionally) a cardboard viewing device. According to a blog on the NYT website, the goal is “to simulate richly immersive scenes from across the globe.”

The app started with three portraits of children “driven from their homes from war and persecution.” The first is of an 11-year old boy named Oleg from eastern Ukraine, an 12-year old Syrian girl named Hana and a 9-year old South Sudanese boy named Chuol. To watch the 10-minute short film, you’ll have to download the app and thereafter the film can be downloaded. Though the films are promoted for VR headcount, they can still be viewed normally.

Some 30 million children are displaced. Chuol, 9, escaped into a vast swamp in South Sudan when fighters swept into his village.

“This new filmmaking technology enables an uncanny feeling of connection with people whose lives are far from our own,” writes Jake Silverstein, editor of the magazine.

The New York Times has been at the forefront of journalism for 119 years. The NYT VR app is the future of journalism. The stories will provide you an immersive 360-degree video experience. NYT promises to post new stories told in virtual reality every month. The app is available for download on iOS and Android.

November 7, 2015
Apple Watch Finally Launched in India Starting at Rs. 30,900

Apple released its Watch range in April, and 7 months later the Watch makes it to the Indian market. The Apple Watch has been launched in India starting at Rs. 30,900. The launch comes a couple of weeks after the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus launch in India and just ahead of Diwali.

The Apple Watch will be available at Apple retailers across the country. The Watch comes in a variety of colours including gold, Rose Gold, Space Gray, silver anodized aluminium, polished silver or Space Black stainless steel, and 18-Carat Rose Gold or Yellow Gold.

The Watch is among the more fashionable smartwatches in the market and one point of difference is that the Apple Watch provides a lot more apps and features than what is currently available. It comes in 40 combinations and in two display sizes of 38mm and 42mm across three: Apple Watch Sport, Apple Watch Edition and Apple Watch.

The Silver Aluminium Case and White Sport Band are the basic models that are priced at Rs. 30,900 and Rs. 34, 900 for the 38mm and 42mm, respectively. The price goes up with successive models and bands, the most expensive of which is the Apple Watch Edition (made of 18-carat Rose Gold casing) that starts at Rs. 8.2 lakh for the 38mm variant when paired with the cheapest White Sports Band, Rs. 9.9 lakh for the 42mm one, and the most expensive one in the series is priced at Rs. 14.2 lakh.

The Hermes design that was showcased at the Apple event last month has not been launched yet. The Watch comes equipped with the Watch OS 2. The Watch needs to be paired with an iPhone (iPhone 5 or higher) that has the latest iOS. The iPhone will then pair itself to the Watch and you can make calls if your iPhone is within 18-feet of the Watch.

The pricing was always expected to be this high. India is still coming to terms with wearable technology and we’re not sure how well the Watch will do here. The doubts are high since one of the major drawbacks of the Apple Watch is that one will not be able to use features that require internet unless one has an iPhone. This limits potential Watch buyers to mainly those who own an iPhone.

The Watch comes preloaded with 1,300 native apps and a total of 13, 000 apps are available in the Watch App Store. No word yet on when online retailers will begin selling the Apple Watch.

November 6, 2015
Diwali Gift Guide : Smartwatches You Can Buy in India Right Now

Technology has always strived to make lives easier by the year. So much so that it requires you to not move an inch and still get work done. As a result, people are becoming lazier by the day. The only trade-off is that you look cooler. So, there’s that. We have come a long way from landlines, to cordless, to mobile phones, and now smartphones.

You know technology has progressed by how things become smaller and lighter. So your gigantic box of a PC has evolved into a laptop. Your laptop then transformed into a tablet. But it’s really not cool enough until you’re able to wear your tech. So now the world is seeing a move towards wearable technology. Enter the smartwatch.

Granted that smartwatches aren’t new. They’ve been around since the 90s if you think about it. The idea today is to have a watch that is more than something that tells you the time. Smartwatches not only work like a phone, but they also come with fitness features that look to get you into shape. They are here to counter what other techs have turned you into.

The Apple Watch is coming to India in November and the Samsung Gear S2 is likely to follow soon. So if you’re in the mood to get into the wearable tech trend, we have some suggestions for smartwatches currently popular in the Indian market.

Sony Smartwatch 3

Sony’s smartwatches so far have been consistent with design.The Smartwatch 2 came out in 2013 and was popular because it worked with all Android 4.0 devices at the time, whereas Samsung’s Galaxy Gear smartwatch worked only with Samsung own Galaxy devices.

The Sony Smartwatch 3 was unveiled at IFA 2014 and comes with a 1.2GHz Quad-core ARM Cortex A7 processor, 512 MB RAM and 4 GB eMMC. One of the main talking points about the Smartwatch 3 is that it comes with built-in GPS connectivity. The sports styling makes it perfect for daily wear. The square design is similar to the Apple Watch and is not too big for your wrists.

The display is a little dull compared to its competitors, but you do get to wirelessly connect it to a headphone for music on the go. You’ll also get a day of battery life, though Sony promises two days. The Android Wear Smartwatch 3 is available on Amazon and Snapdeal for Rs. 15,900 and Rs. 14,585, respectively.

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Samsung Gear Live

Samsung Gear Live is an Android Wear smartwatch that came out last year. The Gear Live is powered by a 1.2 GHz quad-core CPU with 512 MB RAM and 4 GB storage.The smartwatch has a sleek metal design that makes it one of the more attractive looking devices in the market. And unlike Samsung’s previous smartwatches like the Gear 2, this one works with all Android devices.

You also get features like heart rate monitor, and a 320×320 AMOLED display, which looks crisp and bright indoors. However, there are some cons to the device as well. The charger is hard to use and while Samsung Gear Live has a great display when viewed indoors, the outdoor visibility in the Gear Live is surprisingly quite poor.

Samsung’s Gear Live is priced at Rs. 10,000, which is decent for the features that it provides. You can find the watch on Flipkart.

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Moto 360

The Moto 360 was one of the most anticipated devices of 2014. The 360 is for the circular frame of the watch, though it doesn’t quite give you a complete 360-degree viewing due to a small bar at the bottom of the screen.

The watch is made of metal and is dust and water resistant. The size of the watch is something that has seen polarizing responses. While some feel that the watch is too big for the wrists, other who are used to G-Shock-like watches are satisfied with the 360.

The 360 has a 1.5-inch display with Gorilla Glass 3 and 320×290 resolution, which is not exactly the best in the business. It is an Android Wear 1.0 watch and runs on 1 GHz Cortex A8 processor with 512 MB RAM and 4GB storage. The 360 is a great device, and one one of the better smartwatches to go for if you’re willing to shell out Rs. 14,000. The device gives you everything you need from a smartwatch and the traditional circular design looks great. You can find the Moto 360 on Flipkart.

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Alcatel One Touch

The Alcatel One Touch looks like a poor man’s Moto 360. The circular display, steel casing and flat bottom gives you a Moto 360 feel. The Alcatel, however, is one of the smallest circular smartwatches out there. At 1.2-inches, the watch is very petiit and this may put off some consumers.

Here’s the thing about smartwatches. Big displays can be just as annoying as tiny ones. The problem many brands face is to bring that perfect size to the smartwatch while having all the features and toys intact. Because of its size, the Alcatel loses out on many features, and this in turn brings the price down as well, which makes the watch quite affordable.

The Alcatel One Touch goes for simplicty. This is why the watch runs on the company’s own OS rather than Android Wear. You can work the watch from your iOS or Android device and the companion app is just as simple. You’ll figure out how to work with the watch in less than five minutes. The small watch gives a big battery life that can run for a good 2-3 days based on usage, which is more than any other in this list. The One Touch is priced at Rs. 7,999 on Flipkart.

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October 26, 2015