Tag: android wear

Top 5 Useful Apps Made For Android Wear Smartwatches

Android Wear is the darling of wearable technology these days. We can’t wait to put smartwatches around our wrists and find out all their capabilities. Android Wear smartwatches do a good job of delivering notifications and other alerts to your wrist, but the fun really starts when you start downloading apps that add additional functionality.

Although the selection of Android Wear apps is small for now, there are already some pretty useful options in the Google Play store.

We are listing 5 of the these amazing app that you will love to use on your Android smartwatch.

1. IFTTT

IFTTT, acronym for If This Then That, connects events into a simple statement that triggers an action. It performs a set action if an event happens, like firing off a text message to your phone if you receive an email or automatically uploading photos to Dropbox that you post to Instagram. On the wrist IFTTT gives users a big button that triggers some user configurable action. IFTTT is probably the most powerful app available yet on the smartwatch.

2. Binary Watch Face

The Binary Watch Face is a very clean and good looking binary clock for the smartwatch. One thing that does come up with regards to these custom watch faces is that whenever a notification pops up, they end up covering a part of the watch face design, which is something to look out for, especially if there is task with a persistent notification. The companion app installs on your smartphone with the Watch Face allowing you to configure the colors to your liking.

3. Evernote

With this you can dictate voice notes to your watch. The Android Wear extension of Evernote allows users to pull up recent notes on their smartwatch which is more useful than it sounds if you’re travelling and have to book references and other things on your wrist. Dictating new notes without having to pull out a smartphone does make life a lot simpler.

4. Bunting

Bunting is a simple Twitter client for Android Wear with a clean and sleek interface, that allows you to tweet messages directly from your Android Wear smartwatch. The set up is very easy. All you have to do is log into Bunting using your Twitter account, and once that’s done, you can start tweeting by dictating your message directly to the watch. If you tweet on a regular basis and own an Android Wear device, Bunting is a quick and easy way for microbloging on the go.

5. Flopsy Droid

Well you must be wondering how pathetic it would be to play games on your Android wear with its small screen. But Flopsy Droid will amaze you. Created by the makers of Blunting, the game is a clone of Flappy Bird with similar gameplay. The bird is gone and has been replaced with the green Bugdroid we all know and love. But the big difference is the fact that this game is now playable from your smart-watch. If you’re looking to while away some time, Flopsy Bird is great way to do so.

July 21, 2014
Android Wear to Release API For Watch Faces

Smart watches are a buzzing product ecosystem right now. It’s a great new device and almost all major tech companies are trying their hands with this gizmo. Google’s Android Wear OS based devices are particular generating a lot of interest.

With Google providing development opportunities for apps for the Wear devices, there has been a boom in the apps for such smart watches. Android customizability has been its strength from the beginning. Now they are providing API to 3rd party developers to create new watch faces. With the options for square and circle shapes, the options can be endless.

Multiple watch face options will give versatile looks to the watches

Wayne Piekarski, Senior Developer Advocate at Google, announced through a Google+ post that the new API make it easy for developers to make all round watch faces. Think of the convenience of having multiple clock faces in one watch, you can literally have a new watch to flaunt every day.

Earlier, the process of making watch faces was a bit slow as a developer needed to integrate several tweaks for the watch faces but this API will simplify that process. He stated “Customization has helped Android thrive, and the same will be true for Android Wear.”

July 18, 2014
Wear Mini Launcher Makes Android Wear Easy to Flaunt

You finally got your Android wear device and you are proud of it. You’s like to flaunt it but it is taking some time to get used to. You wish there was an easier way of getting around your smart-watch. Well worry no more, the developers have come to your rescue and they will give you the Android experience that you have come to know. So go ahead and install the Wear Mini Launcher.

A developer named Nicolas POMEPUY has introduced the Wear Mini Launcher app on the Google Play Store. The app allows the users to swipe right from the top left side of their smart-watch to display an app drawer, like the one in the phones. With this the user can scroll up and down to access all the apps.

To make the launcher work the first time you can either open the app while the watch is connected or run the app directly on your Android wear.

The app greatly reduces the amount of time spent to find and open an app. This launcher will definitely make your life easier if you own an Android Wear device or will encourage you to get one if you don’t have one already. This is also a good example to state the inclination of the developers interest in developing apps and content for the wearables. We can now be optimistic about the future of wearable tech.

You can download the app from here.

July 14, 2014
Moto 360 Finally Unveiled, While LG G Watch And Samsung Gear Live Are Now For Sale

Exciting new Android Wear was finally showcased at the Google I/O 2014 with announcements of the launches of LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. The only one remaining is the Moto 360 smartwatch, which won’t be available to pre-order until later this summer.

Samsung’s Gear Live and LG’s G Watch, both powered by Android Wear are the first devices to adopt the new Google software specifically designed for wearables. The G Watch is equipped with Google’s voice recognition service and can perform the simplest of tasks including checking email, sending text messages and carrying out an online search at users’ voice command.

The Samsung Gear Live

Both of the devices cannot make phone calls by themselves but can be connected to many of the latest Android-based smartphones. A typical smartwatch allows users to make calls, receive texts and e-mails, take photos and access apps. The G Watch opened Thursday for online pre-order in 12 countries including the United States, France and Japan before it hits stores in 27 more including Brazil and Russia, which is touted for early July. Read our story about the Top 4 Awesome things Google Android Wear can do.

The LG G Watch

Gear Live was also available for online pre-order from Thursday. Samsung introduced its Android-based Galaxy Gear smartwatch last year but it was given a lukewarm reception by consumers. Samsung’s arch rival Apple is believed to readying to launch its own smartwatch soon.

Despite the Moto 360 still being one of the first watches to arrive running Android Wear OS, there is still some time before you can get your hands on the device. Google did, however, demonstrate many of the features that will be available to these devices, including voice commands for sending texts, getting directions, and music playback. With the smartwatch you’ll also be able to receive and dismiss notifications, accept or decline calls, and dictate notes and reminders.

The Moto 360

The looks of the Motorola smartwatch is its best feature. According to the team, the round design is meant to appeal to both genders while ditching the sharp corners that can dig into your wrist. The shape is an improvement over the square designs that we normally see on smartwatches, which makes the Moto 360 look like a regular fashionable watch from a distance.

The launch of Android Wear is fueling the empty smartwatch market. If Android Wear’s market takes of, our domestic lives will be soon be ruled by Android powered smart devices. Unless, Apple surprises us with its contender.

June 26, 2014
Top 4 Awesome Things Google Android Wear Can Do

If Google achieves its goal, Android will be not only on the phone in your pocket, but also wrapped around your wrist soon. As Google pointed out that we check our phones 125 time per day on an average, the new wearable gadget, aptly dubbed as Smartwatch, will take on much of that burden from the hand set.

During an I/O 2014 demo, it showed how smartwatches like LG’s G Watch paired with Android 4.3 or higher phones which will display the most important info to you at any given time. That includes flights, the weather, your commute, appointments, reminders, notes and messages. Here are the list of thing Android Wear can do:

1. Search

One feature that comes handy with Android wear is ‘Google Now’. If you’ve used Google voice search or Google Now on an Android smartphone you’ll know what to expect here. Google Now is built into Google’s search app on both Android and iOS and serves as an answer to Apple’s Siri. A virtual digital assistant, just without the sarcasm and personality that the iPhone’s disembodied voice is known for. Google Now is all about answers—it can answer a wide range of questions, make recommendations and predict what information users need based on what they are doing or where they are at.

You can ask Google Now, what song is playing, for nearby locations, for the latest sports score, and for the weather forecast. Even better Google Now shows search information before users even ask for it—such as flight information popping up when you have to catch the plane. All of this information is presented on white cards that slide up on the watch face and can be tapped or flicked for more info, or swiped away when no longer needed—this too is the familiar Google Now user interface and similar to what Google Glass does, which is also powered by Android.

2. Voice

Google Now is dependent on two types of input; speech and text while we use it on the phone. With Android Wear nobody seems to be typing. Rather, all the input seems to be dependent on voice commands for both search and messaging. Though, it seems that using Android wear in noisy places like concerts or stadiums will be a tough task. But on the other hand, Google does have a reputation for best-in-class voice recognition.

3. Location

Finding location is one of the key features of the Android Wear. Same as Google Now, Android Wear will aim on hands-free and voice navigation. Being a Google product will also send various notification based on the location like possibility of rain, good resturants around, warning about floods in the area etc.

4. Fitness

One more important function is its fitness tracking. Right now, such functions are being handled by devices like the Jawbone’s Up, the Fitbit and the Nike+ FuelBand. With Android Wear, Google clearly wants the only thing on your wrist to be an Android powered watch. One example high at Google I/O is showing the number of steps taken for the day and week. Android Wear devices made with heart rate monitors will also be able to tap into that data for compatible apps.

After showing-off Android Wear, Google announced a number of upcoming devices that will run its new platform. Chief among them was the new Samsung Gear Live, company’s first device to use Google’s wearable platform, along with LG G watch which are now available to preorder from the Google Play store. But those interested in the Moto 360 smartwatch will have to wait, as Google said it won’t be available to pre-order until later this summer.

June 26, 2014
Moto 360 is Motorola’s Android Wear Watch

Its no surprise that Motorola will be the first company to drop in the most interesting piece of hardware in the new ecosystem announced by Google, aka Android Wear.

Called the Moto 360, its possibly the best vision of what a smart watch should be like. Motorola has taken the traditional route with the new Moto 360 keeping the design round and the materials very robust. A generous use of Steel and Leather alongside a tried and tested milled round design make the hardware look very promising.

Thanks to very enticing images, we are now aware that the Moto 360 will show maps as well as updates from Google Now. Motorola may have hit the nail right on the head with the new Moto 360, it is said to be available in the summer in a list of varied styles including a Leather strap or all metal strap.

Its goes on sale in the US in the summer to start with, expected globally soon after.

March 19, 2014
Google Announces Android Wear; Clean Android for Wearables

Looks like Google has been noticing the recent influx of Smart watches and will be extending its love to devices more than just Google Glass. Google has announced Android Wear, a new way for the company to bring Android to wearable technology. Many call it the Nexus of smart watches, its more a clean Android interface the way google wanted it.

The Android Wear project will bring an ever aware, smart watch which is always listening. So just say “okay Google!” and open your garage door.

Android Wear promises to be more than just voice commands and just a user interaction based response system. The Android Wear project promises to bring contextual updates and notifications based on your likes, location and available choices keeping in mind weather conditions and local ambiances.

The new project promises to bring better interaction with your smartphone, alongside better health features and tracking.

If you’re a developer, there’s a new section on developer.android.com/wear focused on wearables. Starting today, you can download a Developer Preview so you can tailor your existing app notifications for watches powered by Android Wear.

Google has gone ahead to announce that Asus, HTC, LG, Motorola and Samsung are working on Android Wear devices; chip makers Broadcom, Imagination, Intel, Mediatek and Qualcomm are helping with the hardware; and fashion brands like the Fossil will bring it to the global consumer.

March 19, 2014