[lamby]

Hey

Looking at buying a smart watch. Just wondered how do they work? Are they bluetoothed from your phone or simply an android device connected to wifi?

Whats the best budget (under £100) smart watch out there?

[alan1302]

They work on both - but generally synch up over BlueTooth.

Don't think there are any under £100 at least new...Moto 360 is one of the best ones,

[Pucky]

I got a Pebble for Christmas last year - was on a Black Friday offer in PC World, half price (£50).
https://www.pebble.com/pebble-smartwatch-features

It's no Apple Watch or Gear S2 but it does have sleep tracking and pedometer apps as well as things like local buses/trains. It syncs via Bluetooth and there's an app to manage the watch.

I get notifications of messages via FB Messenger, FB messages, emails and other stuff such as eBay. As an entry smartwatch I've found it pretty good until I can afford a much more advanced one next year.

[JasonWatkins]

I've got a Pebble Time (the colour model) that I wouldn't give up for the world.

Paid full price for it about 2 years ago I think and it's still going strong, but you can certainly get an entry level original pebble for a lot less - an "A" grade version of the original is at CEX for £40 quid and an "A" grade version of the Time is £92 quid as well.

I could probably do more with mine as far as using the 'smart' aspect of it, but as a notification device and a device to control my music player on my iPhone, i couldn't do without it.

[lamby]

Looking at the Moto 360 2nd Gen.

Any good/bad review?

[alan1302]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamby

Looking at the Moto 360 2nd Gen.

Any good/bad review?

Thought you was looking for a budget one?

Mrs alan1302 has one and found it great. Very comfy, easy to use, intuitive, nice screen, battery life.

[lamby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan1302

Thought you was looking for a budget one?

Mrs alan1302 has one and found it great. Very comfy, easy to use, intuitive, nice screen, battery life.

Haha yes, I have a voucher to use plus it has a heart monitor that I can use at the gym, saves meeting to wear my polar strap.

[wilt]

Sony Smartwatch 3 is currently £95 on Amazon - it runs Android Wear.

[ney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pucky

I got a Pebble for Christmas last year - was on a Black Friday offer in PC World, half price (£50).
https://www.pebble.com/pebble-smartwatch-features

It's no Apple Watch or Gear S2 but it does have sleep tracking and pedometer apps as well as things like local buses/trains. It syncs via Bluetooth and there's an app to manage the watch.

I get notifications of messages via FB Messenger, FB messages, emails and other stuff such as eBay. As an entry smartwatch I've found it pretty good until I can afford a much more advanced one next year.

I got my sister a Pebbie Smartwatch for her Christmas but got it from QVC and she's got it linked to her IPhone and the Smartwatch 80% of the time.
http://www.qvcuk.com/Pebble-Steel-Sm...N-_-2-_-507267
I have been sort of thinking getting one for myself but the slightly cheaper version that dose mostly the same thing but black has been sold out for weeks now and has so far never came back in stock.
http://www.qvcuk.com/Pebble-Classic-...N-_-3-_-507266

Darren

[Everything Goes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pucky

I got a Pebble for Christmas last year - was on a Black Friday offer in PC World, half price (£50).
https://www.pebble.com/pebble-smartwatch-features

It's no Apple Watch or Gear S2 but it does have sleep tracking and pedometer apps as well as things like local buses/trains. It syncs via Bluetooth and there's an app to manage the watch.

I get notifications of messages via FB Messenger, FB messages, emails and other stuff such as eBay. As an entry smartwatch I've found it pretty good until I can afford a much more advanced one next year.

I bought one too. I didn't want to spend a lot of money on something I might not use as I wasn't sure how much use I would get out of it. But I love it. Battery about lasts 9 days. Great basic smart watch and works with Android and iOS.

[JasonWatkins]

The Android apps for Pebble do have slightly more functionality than the iOS ones as well with regards to replying to SMS messages (for one thing).

[ney]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JasonWatkins

The Android apps for Pebble do have slightly more functionality than the iOS ones as well with regards to replying to SMS messages (for one thing).

I see I never really knew that. I moved from a Nexus 4 to an IPhone 5s about 3 weeks or so ago.
My sister seems to like the Pebble watch with her IPhone 6 but she still wears a normal watch 20% of the time.

Darren

[Stuart_h]

I have an lg watch r (which you might now find at the cheaper end) and a huawei watch. The latter is pricey but does feel more premium (and has built in speaker). Android wear gets better and better with every update

[lamby]

Hmm a lot of people say that the round displays are not as good as the square/rectangle.

[Stuart_h]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamby

Hmm a lot of people say that the round displays are not as good as the square/rectangle.

Personally I think round displays look a lot better, and are much better for customisable watch faces. Nothing worse (IMHO) than an oblong watch with a chunky bezel trying to display a tiny round analogue face in the middle. I have a pebble watch (original kick-starter version) too so have experience of both shapes. Most companies seem to be heading down the "round" route so more and more apps will become better suited for round than square.

[lamby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart_h

Personally I think round displays look a lot better, and are much better for customisable watch faces. Nothing worse (IMHO) than an oblong watch with a chunky bezel trying to display a tiny round analogue face in the middle. I have a pebble watch (original kick-starter version) too so have experience of both shapes. Most companies seem to be heading down the "round" route so more and more apps will become better suited for round than square.

Been watching video reviews and i do like the Moto 360 apart from the flat tyre.... i have reserved it at Argos, thinking what to do.

Asus Zenwatch 2 v Moto 360 2nd gen for me atm.

[Stuart_h]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamby

Been watching video reviews and i do like the Moto 360 apart from the flat tyre.... i have reserved it at Argos, thinking what to do.

Asus Zenwatch 2 v Moto 360 2nd gen for me atm.

If you like the moto 360 but not the flat tyre, and if your budget stretches to it, the huawei is an excellent unit. Don't forget that with android wear the software, and even much of the inards, are pretty much the same so a lot is about the look, the build quality/finish and the price. Might be worth keeping an eye on which one have built in speakers though as this has just been enabled in android wear.

[lamby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart_h

If you like the moto 360 but not the flat tyre, and if your budget stretches to it, the huawei is an excellent unit. Don't forget that with android wear the software, and even much of the inards, are pretty much the same so a lot is about the look, the build quality/finish and the price. Might be worth keeping an eye on which one have built in speakers though as this has just been enabled in android wear.

Decided to go for the Asus, it has a speaker..

[alan1302]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lamby

Been watching video reviews and i do like the Moto 360 apart from the flat tyre.... i have reserved it at Argos, thinking what to do.

Asus Zenwatch 2 v Moto 360 2nd gen for me atm.

Before getting the Moto 360 2nd Gen Mrs alan1302 had the Asus Zenwatch 2. Not as good at all. Also don't belive it has a heart rate sensor???

[LostFool]

So far I have dismissed all smartwatches are being too much of a "version 1.0" device and I wasn't tempted to spend £150 or more on a gadget that would be out of date within a few months. Heck, I'd never spend £150 on a normal watch that I'd expect to get 10 years out of.

However... these devices are starting to get to the point where they are starting to look interesting. A lot of people at work have got Fitbits but they seem very limited in functionality to me so I think I'd rather go for a watch type device than a fitness band - though I was looking the the Microsoft Band 2 the other day and that seemed to bridge the gap between the two, though I'd never pay £200 for one.

So, I'm still at the "yet to be convinced" statge. I'm sure I will buy one in the next year but I'm still waiting for an irresistible model to come along.

[lamby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LostFool

So far I have dismissed all smartwatches are being too much of a "version 1.0" device and I wasn't tempted to spend £150 or more on a gadget that would be out of date within a few months. Heck, I'd never spend £150 on a normal watch that I'd expect to get 10 years out of.

However... these devices are starting to get to the point where they are starting to look interesting. A lot of people at work have got Fitbits but they seem very limited in functionality to me so I think I'd rather go for a watch type device than a fitness band - though I was looking the the Microsoft Band 2 the other day and that seemed to bridge the gap between the two, though I'd never pay £200 for one.

So, I'm still at the "yet to be convinced" statge. I'm sure I will buy one in the next year but I'm still waiting for an irresistible model to come along.

I went for the Asus in the end. The Moto in Argos was the smaller version (42mm) at £208!