Platform Android Wear was announced in March 2014 and June 25, 2014, at the conference Google I / O introduced the first smart watch on Android Wear: Samsung Gear Live and LG G Watch.

Rumors about the update Android Wear 1.3 walked for a long time, and it is not surprising, since the current version of the operating system, there are some aspects that can be improved. The main feature of this update is the interactive dials for devices running Android Wear, which in turn leads to greater information content on the screens of hours. Now the user will be able to bring to dial any interesting information or a label on the desired application. For example, the dial that shows the current weather conditions, when you open the details.

In our today’s article, we look at how to change the platform, as well as consider new applications and functions that include an update.

We have written this review after two weeks of using Android Wear 1.3 (Build LCA44B) on smart watches Moto 360 (2014) paired with Samsung Galaxy S6 EDGE. At the time of this writing, the update Android Wear 1.3 is available for 10 different hours from different manufacturers.

Initial Setup Android Wear

Platform Android Wear 1.3 is designed so that it relies on a connection and receive instructions from your smartphone. This does not mean that the device on Android Wear 100% of the time must be connected to the smartphone, but most of the information is transmitted to the wearing device when connecting to the smartphone. For the connection usually used Bluetooth, but you can also use Wi-Fi.

To connect a wearable device with Android Wear 1.3 your smartphone, you do not need a long time to dig into the settings. All you need to do – just install and run the application on Android Wear 1.3 your smartphone. The application including Bluetooth, and try to find a portable device running Android Wear 1.3, which fall within the range of Bluetooth. For the connection of portable devices to your phone, you will need to enter the code interface.

Operating System Android Wear 1.3 check for updates, and if they are upgraded to the latest version. Then you can choose which applications you want to install on your watch and synchronize them. Synchronization can take from 1 to 15 minutes.

After synchronization is complete, the wearing device will show you how to navigate the interface. As part of the training is complete, you will have access to all the applications and features that have been added to your clock with your smartphone.

Overall, this is a fairly simple process. Application Android Wear 1.3 is now much better informs the user, explaining in detail how and what to do. Therefore, if you carefully read the instructions, you are unlikely to have questions on the use of Android Wear 1.3.

Compared with the previous version of Android Wear, Google made it so that the user easily to explore the operating system, even if he never had the experience of using it.

Navigating the interface of Android Wear 1.3

Interface Android Wear 1.3 comprises five main parts – the face, the application section, a list of contacts, voice commands, and settings. By default, when downloading is always displayed face. Dial interactive and on him you will receive information from your smartphone and will be able to interact with it. This includes Google Now, incoming calls, battery status information and other notices.

Any notification, which support clock on Android Wear, can be displayed directly on the home screen and portable devices with the same screen you can interact with them. These interactions can be as simple (for example, marking the incoming e-mail as read) or complex (eg, a response to the message by voice). This greatly simplifies the work of your smartphone, and you will not have to get every time your machine, unlock it and include exactly what the application in which it was notified.

Alert that you are not interested, you can close using swipe or unlock your smartphone and remove it without downloading to watch.

All of your applications that can be synchronized with the clock arranged in alphabetical order down the left side. For those users who have installed on your phone a very large number of applications, this list may seem very long. If you are tired of flipping back and forth between multiple applications, the last three applications you chose to appear at the top of the list. Some of the applications are ordered according to the manufacturer (eg, Motorola has its own applications for fitness and heart rate monitor).

Under Settings, you can change the font, see the remaining amount of the battery, reboot your watch, if something went wrong or view information about the system. Once you once everything is set up, it is unlikely you will go to this section frequently.

Contact section looks quite interesting. All your contacts are arranged in alphabetical order, it is also possible to write a text message or a call to the number that is not in the list.

Voice commands and access to the service Google Now can be accessed from any partition hours. To activate Google Now, you just need to say: «OK, Google». If you do not want to completely dictate the name of the team, you can scroll through the commands and options to choose from them right. However, after this, you will still need to use your voice, because the clock is not the keyboard. Many will say, “why not set the clock keyboard” … The answer is simple – use it will disastrously uncomfortable, so the only option through the clock input is voice commands.

Gestures wrist Android Wear

One of the most frustrating things in the previous version of Android Wear was that even simple management functions of hours needed a second hand. In order to, for example, browse incoming notification to be done is a second hand. The Android Wear 1.3 Google has found a solution to this problem by adding the function of gestures wrist.

Now, instead of having to scroll through your notice to the other hand, you can do it with the help of gestures. For example, if you shake the clock away, you will be notified from one to another, and shaking the clock in the opposite direction, back to the list of notifications. This allows you to quickly view the notice, without being distracted, for example, from driving when you hold the steering wheel with both hands.

Having experienced this method of controlling the clock with the help of gestures, you will quickly get used to it, and training you will need to spend quite a bit of time.

Application Android Wear

The first thing you will notice that the updated application for smartphones Android Wear 1.3 changed the icon. The image that you can see below is an improved version that is better matched to the style of Material Design.

Another interesting feature, for which say “thank you” to the developers, it is an opportunity to select a device in debug mode.

A new feature «Together» and new dials are perhaps the main feature of the updated Android Wear. Thanks «Together» owners of “smart” watches will be able to “connect” their dials messaging, reminders, events, smiles, and various media content.

In addition, interactive dials allow you to change the default behavior when you click on them, thereby providing a new way to interact with the device. For example, you can quickly change the background color or the hours to begin training.

As for new applications in the Android Wear, they presented “weather” and “translator”. “Weather” from a simple Google Now cards in the previous version has turned into an interesting application with which you can learn the forecast for the next four days, as well as more detailed weather information.

The feature of “translator” is that in it the ability to use voice recognition in the form of, “Okay, Google. Translate …”.

Notifications Android Wear

If you use your smartphone for “anything”, and get a lot during the day the notification of all applications installed on it, you will certainly be annoying constant notifications on your watch. The Android Wear 1.3 is there a way to remove the display notifications on the clock by using the “never show me notice of this application.”

You can configure notifications from any application to be displayed on the clock, and from none, adding and removing them from the blocked section. You can, for example, to turn off all notifications that come with your application Facebook or disable only the specific types of notifications.

Once you have selected an application, notice of which you want to disable all notifications from it immediately cease to come. If later you decide to take, they made a mistake, you need to go back to the settings and to remove the application from the list.

Fitness Tracker in Android Wear

Despite the wealth of changes in Android Wear 1.3 over the last year, at the moment only one clock can act as a fitness tracker particularly well, and this Sony SmartWatch 3. The functionality of “smart” watches of previous generations as a fitness tracker, including the Moto 360 limited heart rate monitor and usually inaccurate meter steps. In the second generation of hours, the situation has improved slightly, but the lack of GPS in most cases does not give the opportunity to get accurate results.

What the devices on Android Wear 1.3 lacking in a hardware point of view, they are trying to catch up with the help of software. Integration with Google Fit is a key part of the Android Wear. The application is able to gather all the usual statistics for these products, as well as work with the objectives which the user can specify. Google Fit distinguishes between walking, running and cycling, said of overcoming distance, pace, calories burned, and even gives you recommendations based on your achievements. You can also set themselves specific goals for yourself, such as the duration of employment or the number of steps you want to go. After that, Google Fit will create a graphical visualization for easy tracking of a particular job. You can also link to any third-party application fitness trackers, services and applications for more precise tracking of physical activity.

If you – happy owner of a smart watch on Android Wear 1.3, the Google Fit is already installed.

Verdict Android Wear 1.3

Operating System Android Wear 1.3 has improved significantly over the last year. The developers were able to not only remove all errors and defects but also to make the interface more friendly to newcomers so that even users without experience with this platform is easy to learn throughout.

Many people ask, “Should I buy a smart watch Android Wear 1.3?” The answer: “Definitely worth it!”. The reasons for this are many. First, smart watches will help you to get less out of pocket your smartphone due to the fact that it came to any notice. Secondly, they will relieve you of unnecessary movements when you’re behind the wheel, because if you get any notice, You will need only to look at your watch, without taking the stand or smartphone with bags. And in the end, the smart watch – a stylish accessory with which you will always look modern because we live in a century of innovation and endless progress.

Source: androidcentral

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Corbin Davenport is a famous person on the network. Over the past few months, 16-year-old enthusiast made a lot of feats. He became famous for his transfer to the “smart” watches a variety of things. Let’s look at one of his inventions.

He was able to run on Samsung Gear Live Windows 95. Also cult-classic shooter Doom and mobile hit Flappy Bird.

Now, the guy decided to turn the gadget on the basis of Android Wear in “apple” PC. Namely – Apple Macintosh II. Let’s see how he did it work out.

Converting Samsung Gear Live to Macintosh II

As he got to say? Due to the old operating system Macintosh System 6, released in 1991. This OS with difficulty, but “made friends” with the South Korean chronometer.

The secret, however, is simple. Davenport took emulator Mini vMac II from Google Play. Everyone (with due madness) can repeat the experiment.

It looks funny because it happens not on Apple Watch. Unfortunately, management is poor. Tiny touchscreen Gear Live is clearly not enough. For System 6 need a keyboard, mouse and screen more.

Conclusion

Interesting conversion Samsung Gear Live to Macintosh II. Let’s wait for the next fun changes to our smart devices.

Source: Phandroid

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