Google unveils Android Wear software platform for smart watches and wearables

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  • Reply 61 of 123
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member

    Originally Posted by jungmark View Post

    Can't wait for the 3-4" watch screen!!

     

    Samsung’s version:

     

    Originally Posted by wakefinance View Post

    I dont really think that video shows you enough of the interface to know whether or not it has any logical structure


     

    Take the video, for example. Why would a swipe from a text take me to a flight time? Why would a swipe from a flight time take me to the score of a sports game? Zero sense.

  • Reply 62 of 123
    this reminds me very much of the iPod then the iPhone and then the iPad. there were heaps of products available at the time that did something similar to these products but none that were game changers. I have complete confidence apple well produce something that will produce something that all of this competition couldn't even conceive due to its "simplicity".
  • Reply 63 of 123
    bloggerblogbloggerblog Posts: 2,465member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wakefinance View Post

     

     

    I don't really think that video shows you enough of the interface to know whether or not it has any logical structure, but it seems to me that most of the interaction will be done by voice unless you're looking through Google Now style information updates.  You have to at least admit that the interface looks good.  It has a clean and modern design that reminds me of an interface Apple would create.

     

    As for your complaint about the time being unreadable, I found only one example where it was an issue (screenshot 2).  The sixth one is also a bit lacking in contrast but I don't have trouble reading it.  A bigger problem seems to be that the system never updates the time! 


    Looking closely at the video, you can see that the watch display at some instances does not move with the hand. The video has been superimposed onto a blue-screen watch face. And the thing is very thick, I think Motorola is trying to seem significant, this thing won't be out for at least a year.

  • Reply 64 of 123
    dewmedewme Posts: 5,376member

    At the current time most of these wearables are solutions in search of a problem. Do we really need a second screen for our smartphones? No. After the first couple of times you and your geek pals ooh and ahh over the geekasity of it all you'll realize that you're now tethered to two devices that need your constant attention, care, and feeding. Regressive.

     

    Now on the other hand, if we look beyond the constant stimulation and entertainment addiction of the geekmass we'll find a ton of possibilities for wearable devices in other application areas like personal health monitoring, children/elderly/pet tracking and telemetry, personal safety (gas and oxygen monitoring for miners, soldiers, tank cleaners, people who work in enclosed spaces, etc.), wearable CO monitors for the deaf, near field communication for firefighters, police, and military, avalanche beacons for skiers, underwater telemetry pingers for divers, connected dosimeters for people who work in hazardous or radioactive enviroments, sleepy driver detectors, concussion detectors, sun exposure / sunburn risk avoidance, a way to see around corners, etc. Less "industrial" uses could include a wearable all-day pass that you use at a theme park that allows you to reserve ride times. 

     

    All I'm saying is don't fall into the trap of backward looking thinking or only seeing wearables as extensions to existing portable devices like smart phones. There are countless categories of real world applications that will emerge because of the capabilities that wearables will deliver - once they get the kinks worked out of them, like dealing with energy storage and energy harvesting. It would be realistic to consider all current uses of wearable technology as being very primitive and short sighted compared to what is possible. It's not a matter of IF, only a matter of WHEN.

  • Reply 65 of 123
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Tallest Skil View Post

     

    Take the video, for example. Why would a swipe from a text take me to a flight time? Why would a swipe from a flight time take me to the score of a sports game? Zero sense.


     

    The watch interface appears to be based around Google Now.  Google Now presents information with no set order, although it does seem to prioritize relevance based on the time of day or your location.  Whenever you see the man swiping up, he is moving from one information card to the next.  Whenever he swipes right to left, he gets more information about the subject of that card.

     

    And when the message comes in, it appears to override the previous screen.  Notice that he doesn't swipe to the message.

     

    I guess I was wrong before when I said that there was no way to determine structure.  Watching the video more closely revealed at least some of the structure.

  • Reply 66 of 123
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by bloggerblog View Post

     

    Looking closely at the video, you can see that the watch display at some instances does not move with the hand. The video has been superimposed onto a blue-screen watch face. And the thing is very thick, I think Motorola is trying to seem significant, this thing won't be out for at least a year.


     

    Yeah there is a disclaimer that screen images are simulated, but that's the case for pretty much any video of electronic devices.  It's hard to make the on-screen image suitable for a high quality demo or advertisement.

  • Reply 67 of 123
    sockrolidsockrolid Posts: 2,789member

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

    Google on Tuesday took the wraps off of Android Wear ...

     

    Samsung's reaction:   < ... -= crickets =- ... >

  • Reply 68 of 123
    ws11ws11 Posts: 159member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by r4d4 View Post

     

    Tallest skil

    So SICK of your personal attacks on people. 

    How 'bout YOU STFU and GO AWAY. No one give a flying CRAP about your opinions. 

    Go toss a salad Tool. 


     

    Agreed.

  • Reply 69 of 123
    Oh My Gosh! - this is the ugliest one I've seen.....
  • Reply 70 of 123
    I will be getting one because it works well with my job. I work as a supervisor at a call center for a wireless carrier and ironically phones are not allowed due to the fear of people taking pictures of customer information. So with this I can keep my phone in my pocket and get my notifications.

    Give them time and they will ban your watch too when the numbers of people using them get to a critical mass. The Samsung watch contains a camera does it not?
  • Reply 71 of 123
    snovasnova Posts: 1,281member

    From Time's magazine's inteview with Jonathan Ive:

     

    http://time.com/jonathan-ive-apple-interview/

     

    "Ive starts a project by imagining what a new kind of product should be and what it should do. Only once he’s answered those questions does he work out what it should look like."

     

    quite the contrast with Motorola's approach, who seems to have forgotten why analog watches are round in the first place.  Form is supposed to follow function; Not the other way around.  

     

    I think the key to successful selling into the wearable space is not to sell a device which gets compared to "watch" or even resembles one.   Responses will likely be:

    1. Its ugly compared to my existing wrist watch. It says geek more than chic.

    or

    2. I don't wear a watch anymore, my smartphone took over that function. Why do I need to put it back on my wrist? I don't need two objects with redundant functions.

     

    or

    3. I don't have to recharge my wristwatch every few days. Its water proof and I don't have to baby it.  This looks like a PITA in comparison.

  • Reply 72 of 123
    metrixmetrix Posts: 256member

    Is it just me or does it look like .....

  • Reply 73 of 123
    snovasnova Posts: 1,281member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by SockRolid View Post

     

    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post

    Google on Tuesday took the wraps off of Android Wear ...

     

    Samsung's reaction:   < ... -= crickets =- ... >


    I was thinking   ".. but ours will sell better because it runs Tizen!!!" :p 

    Did we mention we sold out of our first generation version?  we know smart watches.  ;)

  • Reply 74 of 123
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    snova wrote: »

    3. I don't have to recharge my wristwatch every few days. Its water proof and I don't have to baby it.  This looks like a PITA in comparison.

    I noticed Garmin announced a new fitness watch a few days ago that goes a year or more before a new battery is needed. Wireless syncing, interfaces with a heart monitor and water-resistant too.
    https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/health-fitness/vivofit-/prod143405.html
  • Reply 75 of 123
    snovasnova Posts: 1,281member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Gatorguy View Post

     
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by snova View Post





    3. I don't have to recharge my wristwatch every few days. Its water proof and I don't have to baby it.  This looks like a PITA in comparison.




    I noticed Garmin announced a new fitness watch a few days ago that goes a year or more before a new battery is needed. Wireless syncing, interfaces with a heart monitor and water-resistant too.

    https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/into-sports/health-fitness/vivofit-/prod143405.html

    see point #1,

    also

    its not marketed as a watch, but a fitness band.

  • Reply 76 of 123
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by wakefinance View Post

     

     

    The watch interface appears to be based around Google Now.  Google Now presents information with no set order, although it does seem to prioritize relevance based on the time of day or your location.  Whenever you see the man swiping up, he is moving from one information card to the next.  Whenever he swipes right to left, he gets more information about the subject of that card.

     

    And when the message comes in, it appears to override the previous screen.  Notice that he doesn't swipe to the message.

     

    I guess I was wrong before when I said that there was no way to determine structure.  Watching the video more closely revealed at least some of the structure.


    This article explains it fairly well... http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/03/18/android-wear-developer-site-reveals-more-about-the-user-interface-notifications-and-capabilities/

     

    You're right about the Google Now link up, and it all seems to make pretty good sense to me; the interface is impressively coherent for something with such a small screen.

  • Reply 77 of 123
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    snova wrote: »
    see point #1,
    also
    its not marketed as a watch, but a fitness band.

    I wasn't suggesting you buy one, just noting the product.
  • Reply 78 of 123
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    crowley wrote: »
    This article explains it fairly well... http://www.androidpolice.com/2014/03/18/android-wear-developer-site-reveals-more-about-the-user-interface-notifications-and-capabilities/

    You're right about the Google Now link up, and it all seems to make pretty good sense to me; the interface is impressively coherent for something with such a small screen.

    My guess is Google has much bigger plans for wearables, extending to media and home control. That Nest purchase has a place in all this.
  • Reply 79 of 123
    relicrelic Posts: 4,735member

    I'm back bitches! Well at least 3/4 of me as I am now short a few parts, eeeewwww gross Relic. I'll start a new thread or post in my older one later to bring everyone up to speed, if your interested that is, the last thing I want is anyone to think I was anymore self centered then I already am.

     

    Now though I want to talk about that a-hole comic figure Dick Tracy and his unholy influence that he has had on us. Though I think the technology behind these watches is defiantly interesting and as a gadget freak myself wouldn't mind getting a hold of the Motorola for a day or two. However, outside the circles of cheating High School-er's and people who have a Sky Mall Magazine Platinum Credit Card, are these things actually helpful to the rest of us in our daily struggles, also sometimes called life. To start with, voice commands, I feel embarrassed enough when using it alone and I use this technology everyday, in fact this very post was entered via speech recognition (I'm currently bed ridden and typing makes me nauseated). Anyway, the point being, I don't think I would ever talk to my gadget in public unless I was on LSD and it was talking back. Now as these things become more common in our society I'm sure the social stigma will die down a little but I'm defiantly not going to be that person who changes the minds of the people, so for now If you talk out load and there is no one or phone around to answer, your a wackadoodle. It is also your duty as a sane person to point out these talking into thin air nut jobs to the nearest police official. One last thought, say you wear this watch at all times and then say you were talking unkindly about someone, upon you mentioning that persons name will the watch automatically start composing a message. We’ve all butt dialed only to have your mother in law overhear a conversation about her mustache and horribly ugly, itchy, cat pee smelling sweaters that she knits her self and then gives them away as presents even though she is one of the wealthiest people you know and can afford real gifts, huh, I guess that was only me than. Weather, what is this fascination with always knowing what the weather will be like, the apps that are available today on tablets, phones, this one refrigerator from LG, and now watches have some of the most elaborate meteorological information available, what ever happened to just looking out the window. Messaging, how many more ways of texting do we need until we feel snuggly enough inside, knowing that our friends and family are always reachable. We complain that our government is tracking our every movement but I think the biggest problem we face today is trying to hide from that bitch Linda from down the street who has been trying to reach you for the last 3 days because her ADHD, Ritalin dosed children are selling candy bars that she had to replace twice already because they won't stop stuffing their fat mouths, so they can go to baseball camp but what they really need is to go to fat camp. Unfortunately she has your mobile number, Hangouts, Viber, Facetime, AOL, Yahoo, MSN, Facebook, ooVoo, Skype, Skout, Moco, WhatsApp, Line, NimBuzz, Instagram, Twitter and WeChat user id's as well. Sports scores, who cares about sports, what we really need is celebrity gossip info, I know I can't go a full day without hearing about what Angelina, Brad and their 15 techno colored bastard children are up to, woops, I went to far with that one.

     

    I can go on and on as to why a the Google Watch is a silly device but  as you can now start to see the real reason for me posting was just to say hello and that I missed you guys, I thought simply saying hello would be kind of boring so I wanted to show you guys what I used to bring to the table, nonsensical gibberish with a smile, hahaha, I guess I really am self centered. I’m feeling a little better now, not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot but I now have something I didn’t have before and that’s hope. Like I said above I will sit down and write a proper post of my situation.

     

    So again, hello everyone……..

  • Reply 80 of 123
    jakebjakeb Posts: 562member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by shahhet2 View Post

     

    It says right here that it is releasing in summer 2014.

    http://moto360.motorola.com/


     

    If they've got a functioning watch, I'd love to see it. I'd love to see specs. I'd love to see a price. 

    This is still a concept video. 

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