First smart watch reccomendation

Robert ninja

I'm not a phone person. All I want to do is make and answer calls via a wireless headset, check the time and temprature/weather.

I'm thinking a smart watch may be the way to go but I don't know anything about them. How do they perform? Are they good for pairing with wireless headsets and what is a good set of the two? I'm not looking for anything fancy so I'm fine with budget-tier as long as the battery life isn't bad, screen is clear and offers support for wireless headsets. SIM card support too obviously since this is supposed to replace my phone.

ThisRegard

Most, if not all, current smart watches supplement your phone, not replace it. I don't think there's such a device in existence that meets your requirements.

Flaccus

Check out the Samsung Gear S. It works with your smart phone but it also has it's own sim tray so has the ability to make and receive calls and texts.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Gear-Smart-Watch-Black/dp/B00NWTQDUM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1448321749&sr=8-3&keywords=samsung+gear+s

It runs Samsung's Tizen OS, so you will probably need a supported Samsung phone to get the most out of it since it's not Android Wear compatible.

You could also wait for the LG Urbane 2 but it looks like this is cancelled indefinitely
http://www.idigitaltimes.com/lg-urbane-2-cancelled-hardware-problems-cause-first-lte-android-wear-smartwatch-be-492155

Samsung also has the Gear S2 3G with an integrated sim (known as an e sim) but no carriers in Ireland or the UK support it yet.

Gear S is probably your only choice for now and as that is last years model it's unknown if Samsung will support it for much longer.

ThisRegard

I didn't realise the original Gear S could make calls, I read a recent review of the S2 and one of the bad points listed was that it can't make calls.

Tom Dunne

Robert ninja wrote: »

I'm not a phone person. All I want to do is make and answer calls via a wireless headset, check the time and temprature/weather.

I'm thinking a smart watch may be the way to go but I don't know anything about them. How do they perform? Are they good for pairing with wireless headsets and what is a good set of the two? I'm not looking for anything fancy so I'm fine with budget-tier as long as the battery life isn't bad, screen is clear and offers support for wireless headsets. SIM card support too obviously since this is supposed to replace my phone.

I'm not so sure a smartwatch is what you need.

I'm playing around with one for the past few months (Samsung Gear 2) and to be honest, it's really a gadget/toy. I spent 30 minutes this morning putting Christmas watch faces on it. Just because I could.

I think a basic smartphone is what you want.

Although, here's a random one for you - the Samsung S5 (and others since) have a feature called Ultra Power Saver mode. In this mode, all the "smartphone" features are disabled, so all it can do is literally send texts and receive phonecalls (and perhaps one or two other basic features). The bonus is that the battery life lasts over a week.

Might be worth considering.

Robert ninja

ThisRegard wrote: »

Most, if not all, current smart watches supplement your phone, not replace it. I don't think there's such a device in existence that meets your requirements.

That's extremely disappointing that the mobile consumer electronics industry has come up with nothing but rectangles for crappy apps. I'd have thought by now I could answer calls minimalistically on the go but I guess not. I really just don't like phone interfaces or using touch screens a whole lot. Having a phone in my pocket always buttdials people even when I'm sure I've put the screen lock on. In my inner jacket pockets it gets in the way of my wallet. In front trouser pocket it rattles around and I read it's not good to have devices like that so close to teh gonads all day. And in cafes/wherever I always got to make sure I didn't leave it behind because I just have to put it on the table to get it off me for a while. I know it sounds whiny and super first world problem but it's just a thing I'm particular about.

Tap of a button on a watch to patch through to headset would be heaven to me... I'm surprised that I feel like the only person in the world to have a desire for such a product.

Flaccus wrote: »

Check out the Samsung Gear S. It works with your smart phone but it also has it's own sim tray so has the ability to make and receive calls and texts.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Gear-Smart-Watch-Black/dp/B00NWTQDUM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1448321749&sr=8-3&keywords=samsung+gear+s

It runs Samsung's Tizen OS, so you will probably need a supported Samsung phone to get the most out of it since it's not Android Wear compatible.

You could also wait for the LG Urbane 2 but it looks like this is cancelled indefinitely
http://www.idigitaltimes.com/lg-urbane-2-cancelled-hardware-problems-cause-first-lte-android-wear-smartwatch-be-492155

Samsung also has the Gear S2 3G with an integrated sim (known as an e sim) but no carriers in Ireland or the UK support it yet.

Gear S is probably your only choice for now and as that is last years model it's unknown if Samsung will support it for much longer.

Thanks. Out of my budget, though.

Tom Dunne wrote: »

I'm not so sure a smartwatch is what you need.

I'm playing around with one for the past few months (Samsung Gear 2) and to be honest, it's really a gadget/toy. I spent 30 minutes this morning putting Christmas watch faces on it. Just because I could.

I think a basic smartphone is what you want.

I have a basic smartphone. It's slow and to answer calls I have to press down on a touch screen and drag it to the right. There's a delay in when I press and even lag when I drag to cursor to the answer button. Sometimes it's a second too long and I miss the call. Never had a good experience with modern phones. Liked old ones where there was a clear green button to answer the damn thing and wasn't handled software-side as much. I'm sure those really high end phones probably have a much smoother experience but I don't want to pay that kind of money for something I don't even like.

Just give me a feckin' Star Trek communicator :pac:

JoyPad

What you need is a Pebble and a good Bluetooth headset. You connect both of them to your android phone, then keep the phone in whatever pocket is most comfortable.

When you get a call, your watch vibrates and displays the caller information. You can then accept or reject the call from the watch or from your headset.

No need to see the phone!


Note: for this type of use, the Pebble battery lasts 10 days or more.

Tom Dunne

The simple fact of the matter is that you won't get a small form-factor device that sits on your wrist and allows you to make phonecalls on a budget.

Think about it - you are asking for cutting-edge technology that can shrink a lot of the functionality of a full-size phone into something you strap to your wrist.

For all technologies small=expensive. Just look at laptops.

A smartwatch is not what you need.

ThisRegard

JoyPad wrote: »

No need to see the phone!

That's sorta the point, there is the need for a phone in the case of a pebble, which the OP doesn't want.

Flaccus

I could sell you my old motorola startac. It still works just fine.

http://indefinitelywild.gizmodo.com/spock-and-the-motorola-startac-1688496340

On a serious note, I believe Samsung are going to be releasing some clamshell phones onto the european market next year.
Just launched in China.
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/mobiles/news/samsung-w2016-dual-display-android-flip-phone-with-3gb-ram-launched-768476

Can't ask for simpler than that. Flip the case open and it answers you call. No butt dialing allowed either.

Robert ninja

Thanks for the help lads. I guess I'll just wait for the tech to advance on this one.

Tom Dunne wrote: »

Think about it - you are asking for cutting-edge technology that can shrink a lot of the functionality of a full-size phone into something you strap to your wrist.

I believe I made myself clear that I don't like phones, their apps or most of the superfluous 'features' that phones bloat themsevles with so why assume I'd want that in a smart watch? I don't think recieving phone calls and checking the time is cutting-edge.

ongarite

You will be waiting a long time IMO.
Battery tech is what is holding back small form factor devices like you desire.
If a smartwatch with tiny 400mAh battery had to basically be a phone device with with SIM card, antenna and extra SoC to go with that; the battery would barely last a few hours.

Current smartwatches like Peebble, Moto 360 and iWatch are all 2nd screen devices to assist the user without taking phone out of pocket, jacket or purse.

mckar

Ok so my dad loves his gadgets and I don't have a breeze about them so I want to get him a smartwatch. These look great price wise.

https://www.droidstar.com/product-category/smart-watches/

Any recommendations would be great I don't really know the difference between them. I left it to late to order online so I need somewhere I can go to get it. Don't want to be panicing waiting for it to come before xmas.