Thoughts on Fire Phone compared to first Moto G - Amazon Fire Phone

I guess it all goes back to only being a $40 offset purchase ($99 for prime) with the recent ebay deal ($140) but man this thing is heavy. Maybe I had higher hopes but I never played with one in an AT$T store before. Compared to my Moto G it's large and in charge. Its pros are the .2'' screen size, more ram, and better camera. The other pro is being able to store the Amazon Prime Video content locally which is nice. As far as I know that can't be done on any other device...legally.
I have yet to root and give it a try with another launcher but I'm mainly talking about a device's physical size. My Moto G is starting to refresh the main screens icons quite often and I only have one calendar widget running. I'm thinking I should sell the Moto G and this phone and just score me the first Moto X or splurge on a Compact Z3.

I had both. Fire Phone beats s**t out of the Moto G. Moto G running 5.0.2 is decent device, but it struggles scrolling Instagram! It loads dialer for more than one second! Believe me, Fire Phone is one of the fastest Androids out there.
My problem with Fire Phone was not related to Amazon services it-s related to crappy notifications and few minor problems at first which over the time become an annoyance.

chalx said:
I had both. Fire Phone beats s**t out of the Moto G. Moto G running 5.0.2 is decent device, but it struggles scrolling Instagram! It loads dialer for more than one second! Believe me, Fire Phone is one of the fastest Androids out there.
My problem with Fire Phone was not related to Amazon services it-s related to crappy notifications and few minor problems at first which over the time become an annoyance.
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Appreciate the response. When you mention notifications i'm assuming that means no LED on the Fire Phone? I read that somewhere and noticed it doesn't have a notification LED. That will annoy me pretty fast. As the hardware does beat the snot (lol) out of the G I will probably keep it until the new USB Type C and DDR4 become the norm in mobile devices. In a bar fight screw brass knuckles when you have a fire phone in your pocket!

lip008 said:
Appreciate the response. When you mention notifications i'm assuming that means no LED on the Fire Phone? I read that somewhere and noticed it doesn't have a notification LED. That will annoy me pretty fast. As the hardware does beat the snot (lol) out of the G I will probably keep it until the new USB Type C and DDR4 become the norm in mobile devices. In a bar fight screw brass knuckles when you have a fire phone in your pocket!
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Exactly, no LED in this phone. Also, the annoying notification problem he's telling you about is that notifications only show once and after that there're 2 ways to know you've missed a notification:
1. If you're using the FireOS stock launcher, a notification bubble will show next to the app icon. The problem is, almost nobody keeps the FireOS stock launcher. It's different from what Android, iOS or Windows Phone users are accustomed to, and many sideload a new launcher (or download it from the Google Play Store, if the user previously sideloaded it).
2. Check the notification every time you have the hunch you're missing a notification.
I hated the FireOS stock launcher from day one, so I sideloaded the Google Play Store and downloaded a launcher. From that day on, I had never longed so much for the Android way of showing the apps that have sent you notifications by putting the icon of the app in the notification bar, or the iPhone/Windows Phone notification bubble next to the app icon. Having to check manually every time or being permanently aware of the notifications you get is really troublesome, especially if you're expecting an important call (happened to me).
(Epilogue: I flashed CM11 and no more notifications missed since then. Happy ending)

I've been lurking over here, since my wife got one of these Fire Phones. I'm using the 1st gen 3G Moto G for my personal phone. She loves her FP. She did have a little learning curve but she loves it now.
You can also swipe down (it's hard for me to do, but she's got it down) from the top and see notifications there.
I doubt that she'd let me put the safe strap recovery and CM11 on since it's not even tried right now.
Sent from my XT1034 using Tapatalk

I had the original moto g, then nexus 4 and now fire. Moto g is good but hampered by lack of ram and needs to be rooted to fulfil its potential with greenify etc. The fire has much better specs. I've kept fire os and use another launcher that shows notifications on the relevant icons. EDIT: on fire, you don't have to swipe you can flick your wrist to open notifications/status.

Yeah, I'm liking the internals of the fire phone, but that's about it. It's honestly one of the worst feeling phones in my hand between its heavy weight for a 4.7" screen, blockiness, and fingerprint prone back. Attention: weight does not equal quality moronic manufacturers.

I have had the Moto G, Nexus 4, Nexus 5, and fire phone. on Fire OS, WORST device I have used in probably 3 years, on CM11, I'd say on par with Nexus 5, or at least much better than moto G and Nexus 4. Just my 2cents. almost exact same size as my iPhone 6.

lolwatpear said:
Yeah, I'm liking the internals of the fire phone, but that's about it. It's honestly one of the worst feeling phones in my hand between its heavy weight for a 4.7" screen, blockiness, and fingerprint prone back. Attention: weight does not equal quality moronic manufacturers.
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Yep, I'm also struggling with the "handfeel" and weight of this device. My husband got a 2014 Moto X a few weeks ago and it fits in my pocket much better and is easier to use one-handed in spite of having a screen .5" larger!

The bezel which accommodates the pretty pointless cameras is massive compared to many other 4.7 phones. It's taken me a while to adapt to the size but overall the fire is much slicker than my nexus 4 so I'm going to get used to it.

I'm still at a toss up with it them. It kicks butt having all of the seasons of Archer, True Blood, and Voltron in my pocket legally! I would miss the FM radio in the Moto G when at the gym because you can tune into the TV's to listen to live sports or whatever is on. Most don't care about that feature. BTW does it have to be rooted to side load the play store for other launchers?

Related

How is it so far?

Hi all, haven't got one yet and still have my n7 (2012). They're are sold out right now at my local store. My question is what the title says. How is it? I haven't got the chance to get one in my hands yet. Is it leaps and bounds better!? I've read reviews and check forums and am still unsure if I want one. Any opinions are appreciated.
Sent from my Lean Mean Jelly Bean Machine.
Just read some of the threads.
There are some issues with the screens right now on some devices. Still worth the risk as it is a huge upgrade to the 2012 Nexus 7. No more lag, unbelievable screen, lighter, and thinner. Definitely worth the money.
Well, I usually do not do reviews of mainstream devices, since that is well covered by the "big boys",
But I was secretly waiting for an opportunity to make some comments:
In short, it is an incredible tablet.
Much nicer to hold than any other tablet I've owned/tried. I really like how thin it is, and the texture of the back.
I handed it to my son, and he loaded one of these games where you control something using the accelerometers. He has a Nook Color (With CM7), so he has a similar device to compare it too. He immediately commented how nice it was to hold and play the game.
The screen is incredible too. Way more resolution than my old eyes need, but even with my glasses things look great.
Web pages look more Desktop-like than any other tablet, including 10 inchers. Page rendering is also desktop fast. (Actually faster than this 10+ year old AMD machine I am typing on now, even with lots of RAM, and Xubuntu 12.04, which I credit with prolonging it's life this long).
WiFi, Works great with solid connections, great speed and lots of (indicated) signal. (As compared to other devices).
An iDM5 combination bluetooth speaker, and keyboard paired over BT with no problem at all. I am also using an Apple magic mouse. All re-connect quickly too.
Works (as one would expect) seemlessly with my Chromecast.
Another big plus for me was Standard USB charging. Pretty much anything charges it with no problem.
Now the complaints:
Yes, it has stereo speakers, but they are not that loud or great sounding. Using the EQ in Google Music does not help. Attempting to add Bass only causes it to sound muffled.
I have a Huawei u9508 with 2 speakers on the back, near the bottom (close together). It gives me more volume, more bass, and more stereo effect (OK, that last one may just be a perception thing).
Take the stereo speakers out of your purchasing decision. As of right now, it effectively does not have any better audio than a (than some) single speaker tablet(s).
To be clear (pun) The sound is by no means bad, it's just disapointing considering all the Fraunhofer hype.
Lack of an SD slot almost made me not buy the Nexus. I really miss it. I have a lot of things that use those cards, and not being able to just slot them in the Nexus is a big hit.
I also wish Google would stop "Apple-izing" things. Android had USB Storage mode for most of it's life. I wish it still did. Yes, there are work-arounds, and perhaps it is "safer" not to have it, but it is a clear case of "Defective by Design", in my opinion.
I miss the standard Android (AOSP) Browser and Music Player. (See these forums for installing the AOSP browser, and recommendations for other audio players.)
I do like the fact that it is (except for the Google Stuff) bloat-ware free. It is a very clean, fast, and good-looking factory ROM (I'm an Android purist.)
Also, you know that the community will support the device for years to come, whether or not Google does.
I have not tried Qi charging or NFC.
Should you buy one?
Well, you should not buy any other 7 inch tablet over this one -- I think that is pretty clear.
It is just a question if you need a (another) 7 inch tablet. In my case, I really needed a new tablet. My Archos 80 G9 was (something I cannot describe here with out getting banned) on the day it was made, and I had dissasembled it many times to fix broken USB connections, etc. Lately it would reboot everytime I squeezed the case a bit too hard.
Alternatives I concidered:
Acer A700 -- Same True HD resolution on a 10" screen -- SD card slot -- Dolby Stereo Speakers -- NVIDIA Tegra 3.
Chinese iFive X2 -- Same True HD resolution on an 8.9" screen -- SD card slot -- Front facing stereo speakers -- USB charging.
Say what you want about Chinese tablets, but the iFive X2 was the only one that really met my requirements (desirements). If you believe the iFive website, and some of the reviews, it actually looks like the build quality is pretty good. I may still buy one.
Awesome, zero complaints. Don't let all the negative threads get you down, mine arrived flawless shipped from New York to Ontario, Canada.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda app-developers app
Linuxslate said:
In short, it is an incredible tablet.
Much nicer to hold than any other tablet I've owned/tried. I really like how thin it is, and the texture of the back.
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So true...
It was the first thing I noticed after opening the box and even after 1 week, I am still amazed by the weight, the texture and how fast everything is... Switching between apps is so fun now
Sent from my Nexus 7 using xda premium
My God is it ever amazing. Such a huge upgrade over last gens model. It is a joy to do everything with this tablet. Feels and looks oh so premium as well. Unbelievable how it costs so little in comparison to other tablets. I don't want to type an extremely long review, but even if I did, words cannot express how happy I am with this tablet.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk HD
Awesome.
I was convinced last year that the original nexus 7 was too small so I got the iPad mini which was great for 6+ months. After I downloaded iOS 7 I thought what a joke ios7 will be and in general for traveling the mini was a major pain(loading movies, documents etc for offline use).
So recently I replaced my mini with a note8 for 2 weeks traveling and thought this is a keeper...then the new nexus 7 came out and I picked it up with the plans to return it after some testing....WOW I ended up returning the note 8 and keeping the N7!
No regrets...love the form factor even with a few hiccups (sometimes screen will just pause for a second and rare crashes).
SO I am using my N7 so much I might sell my Samsung s4 and get something cheaper (I.e. nexus 4) since it just sits when at home.
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4
This is my first tablet ever. And the second android device. The first being HTC Desire, which after OC-ing didn't feel bad.
But I wanted something that could deliver superb performance without the whole process of rooting, unlocking and flashing. So I bought this one, and I can say that this one's the best I've used ever. I have had my hands on those iPads some of my friends have, but they don't sound all that convincing.
There have been no lags at all that I have been able to identify. But still, I'm planning on going through the fun of rooting unlocking and flashing process. Just because I'm a flashaholic.
Regarding the device itself, I have found that the display is more blue-oriented. It has a much colder display than my HTC Desire. But it does look good on it. The data transfer speeds are superb. No performance issues so far. Battery lasts about two days, since I don't actively use it, occasional wifi and browsing, but no more than that. I mainly read books on it, and have successfully devoured 5 books in two weeks (I'm an avid reader , never mind). Others have been facing Wifi issues, but not me. Mine seems adequate. I've got a 3mbps connection in my country, which is the fastest here
There is some dust on the upper left corner, but since there are no dead pixels, I haven't returned mine for the fear of getting a dead-pixels-infected one. I use the tablet without any external peripherals, apart from my custom made earphones, which give a good amount of clear sound with good levels of bass, even without any audio mod.
I don't use the stock things, no... That's right, I've never learned how to use those For music, I have PowerAmp, for movies, MXPlayer, for pictures, QuickPic, for internet, OperaMini, the legendary ES for file browsing, and upcoming root mode
So far, all these apps have been superb in performance at least compared to my HTC Desire.
I should probably be saluting Asus and Google, for this combined effort to hand us quadcore Snapdragon 1.5 GHz, HD display equipped, nice tablet for under 30k in my country.
Thanks for the in depth answers. Went and got one at office max Friday. Last one with too plus a 20% discount from my boys at drippler.. App. Haven't even opened it yet Lol waiting on my screen protector n case from amazon. Now what to do with the old one?
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app

Moto 360 2 Inbound?

So I noticed in this article about Motorola's upcoming announcement on the 28th the verge makes this comment:
It's about time for some new Motorola smartphones... The Moto 360 is also about due for a refresh, so it's possible that we'll see that as well. http://www.theverge.com/2015/7/16/8977091/motorola-event-july-28
But of course they disabled their comments so people can't say they're wrong or biased, and while they claim the 360 needs a refresh I'm wondering if people are thinking the same thing. I mean since it was released on Sep. 5, 2014 it's not even a year old yet!
Personally the watch does everything I want since the 5.1 upgrade, and I don't need GPS, so really the only reasons to upgrade would be if it was thinner, lighter, and no flat-tire screen. I think I would probably keep the first 360, unless the 360 2 was <$300 and thinner, lighter, and had an HD screen with no flat-tire
Would you upgrade?
Same feel as you. But a large battery or better battery life would be a nice upgrade.
Sent from my D5833 using XDA Free mobile app
The 360 is ancient and outdated so I'm ready to switch. I'm just hoping the new one has larger battery, oled screen, better styling (proper lugs) and a better performance/power efficient processor. Either way I'm upgrading.
Love my moto but would upgrade if new version is water resistant.
i'd upgrade as well
the current iteration has laggy and sometimes unresponsive GUI (compared to the apple watch) and the battery life sucks (compared to the pebble)
i want the best of all worlds
Just because New gen device is coming out doesn't mean that the current gen will function magically less than what we've had on day one.
I don't care if they release every month or new moto square watch every other month.
my moto 36o Will function just as well as I got it on day one.
That being said I don't think I'll get the second gen moto 360.
Sent from my LG-H811 using XDA Free mobile app
I will be rockin my first gen 360 as well,for 150.00 this watch does everything i need. Only way I would upgrade is if the new gen watch had expandable memory slot,or maybe a micro usb for better PC interface
Unless the new Moto 360/2 lasts at least 4-5 days on one charge I can't see a reason to upgrade.
There are only two things I can see that would make me look at the 360/2. It would be stand alone GPS so that when I run I don't have to take my phone with me and a speaker on the watch so it had sound, so if paired with with the phone it could handle a phone conversation.
Needless to say I highly doubt that both of those happen so I will be more than happy with my $140 purchase of this watch a few months ago.
Nocturnal86 said:
The 360 is ancient
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LOL ancient.
lifeisfun said:
Love my moto but would upgrade if new version is water resistant.
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The current version is IP67 good for 3ft deep for 30min, and people say they shower with it!
rnsxl666 said:
...Only way I would upgrade is if the new gen watch had expandable memory slot, or maybe a micro usb for better PC interface
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kxhaz said:
...and a speaker on the watch so it had sound, so if paired with with the phone it could handle a phone conversation.
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Those would be great to have too!
v3ngence said:
The current version is IP67 good for 3ft deep for 30min, and people say they shower with it!
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Yeah, that doesn't cut it if you jump in the pool.
lifeisfun said:
Yeah, that doesn't cut it if you jump in the pool.
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I swim with my LG G Watch. I dont dunk it but waterproof is a must.
I cant see upgrading from my G Watch until these guys have a built in speaker for calls.
Happy with my Moto 360 at a $85 price point. (thank you CL) , once I got it home and updated it to the latest version it seems pretty solid. Battery drain is my only concern so a new model with much better battery life would be the only reason I would upgrade... and I will even wait then until I can pick up the Gen 2 on CL for $85...
Also, did you see that leak of the photo of the Gen 2? It still shows the "flat tire"!
SirDigitalKnight said:
Happy with my Moto 360 at a $85 price point. (thank you CL) , once I got it home and updated it to the latest version it seems pretty solid. Battery drain is my only concern so a new model with much better battery life would be the only reason I would upgrade... and I will even wait then until I can pick up the Gen 2 on CL for $85...
Also, did you see that leak of the photo of the Gen 2? It still shows the "flat tire"!
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What is ''CL''
Craigslist....
Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
The ugly flat tire is back!!!!
I'll only upgrade if the new Moto 360 has an OLED display, larger battery, faster processor, speakers for voice calls and if they fix their flat tire design.

should I STILL get a 360 this late in the game?

I'm eventually going to make the plunge in getting a smartwatch, and always liked the 360, but with the 360 2 so close to being announced, is it even worth getting the 360 now?
I love modding and stretching the limits of a device. When the 360 came out, i wanted it, but couldn't afford it. Recently I saw someone running youtube videos on the 360 and it sold me. Then i noticed the huge price drop and it started really pushing me toward a purchase.
What are the current limits of the device? I know running youtube on a watch is considered impracticable by most people (small screen, batt life), but it's right up my alley. Can you remote a pc or phone with the 360? I'm always streaming youtube to listen to music in my car, screen off, and I never know what i want to listen to next. I love the freedom of being able to pull up any track that strikes me in the moment, without having to store thousands and thousands of mp3s on a device. If video running directly on the watch isnt very efficient, can the watch remote the phone to change youtube videos without interacting with the phone?
Also, if you were me, would you get the 360?
wait for the 360 2?
or is there another device out there that is even more capable of outside-of-the-box kind of applications??
Any input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!
Hi there!
I recommend reading this thread, it's about a similar topic and it should at least answer some of your questions: http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-360/help/wait-model-buy-t3146347
Pyvesb said:
Hi there!
I recommend reading this thread, it's about a similar topic and it should at least answer some of your questions: http://forum.xda-developers.com/moto-360/help/wait-model-buy-t3146347
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I'll probably pull the trigger at this price point just to get in.. then resell once the 2 comes out..
any differences between the best buy, google store, and amazon versions of the watch?
I know sometimes phones will have different hardware specs with different vendors
also, the free 'youtube app' that allows you to watch youtube on the watch itself also claims to be able to google cast the video to another device, ie: chromecast tv. Is it also capable of sending the video to a phone? My theory is, I can pull up the app on the watch, say what i want to listen to with the voice search, and beam it to my phone which is still holstered and wired to my car stereo. Think that would work? Anyone with a moto360 want to try it out?
I was pretty much in the same boat but I made the plunge (arr, matey).
I never had much money to spare for a smartwatch but I knew one day I would get one. I finally bought one last week, not even second hand how I usually buy things, because the price was finally acceptable for me (and a 14-day free return policy at the store was a great way to test the device - I'll probably keep it). I wasn't even considering the potential successor of the Moto 360, two reasons:
1. It would be way too expensive. I'd have to wait another year after its release until the price would finally be right for me.
2. There isn't much to improve with Android Wear smartwatches, as my only disappointment is battery life (though I love how easily and quickly it charges wirelessly to make up for it).
I'd say if you're like me, you don't have much money for a smartwatch, then the Moto 360 is currently still an awesome device. Especially since it received this huge update very recently which enabled Wi-Fi. This device is much more capable than the limited number of apps in the Play Store would suggest. I'll see if I can make any useful apps myself :fingers-crossed:
Hermantje said:
I was pretty much in the same boat but I made the plunge (arr, matey).
I never had much money to spare for a smartwatch but I knew one day I would get one. I finally bought one last week, not even second hand how I usually buy things, because the price was finally acceptable for me (and a 14-day free return policy at the store was a great way to test the device - I'll probably keep it). I wasn't even considering the potential successor of the Moto 360, two reasons:
1. It would be way too expensive. I'd have to wait another year after its release until the price would finally be right for me.
2. There isn't much to improve with Android Wear smartwatches, as my only disappointment is battery life (though I love how easily and quickly it charges wirelessly to make up for it).
I'd say if you're like me, you don't have much money for a smartwatch, then the Moto 360 is currently still an awesome device. Especially since it received this huge update very recently which enabled Wi-Fi. This device is much more capable than the limited number of apps in the Play Store would suggest. I'll see if I can make any useful apps myself :fingers-crossed:
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Agree, there is not much difference between all the available smartwatches besides design and hardware. The software is the same on all of them (almost).
I can't see how people can complain about battery life. It's not a phone or a computer for that matter. The screen should not be on all the time. I normally charge mine before bed, sleep with it and wake up with around 85-90% left and then around 50% left when day is over, 20-30% if ambient screen.
It's a watch and you should only use it to check the clock, notifications and weather (or other features) not play games and such on it. In the first few weeks, mine died after a day use too. The battery began to stabilize + you begin to see it as a watch + notification thing only. I barely look at it all day. Only read the message I get and then decide if I should answer on phone or not.
So the Moto 360 will be almost the same as the Moto 360 V2 besides some new design and maybe some new hardware features, like GPS.
Honestly I can't wait for V2 of the Moto360. Granted, price will be much higher than the current sale, and or permanent retail price of the first... But im excited about losing the "flat tire" look. I just bought my Moto360 about a week ago now, and don't get me wrong, I love everything about it and the flat tire doesn't really bother me at all. Aside from speed improvements, possibly better battery, sharper display, and over all improvement of a V2 ( all assuming those come to pass in the new one) the OG Moto360 is still amazing and does its job, and imo, does it well. I will be passing this one on to my wife when V2 hits the scene anyway so it will have a long life ahead of it.
At the price its set at right now, this is def a great smartwatch to own, especially for someone who has never owned a smartwatch before.
So (even tho I've obviously stated I have already) absolutely I would buy it. (again)?
I think it's still a nice smartwatch. I've owned the Pebble Steel, 360, Zenwatch, and G Watch R, and I've come back to the 360... out of all of them, it was my favourite. It also helped I scored an open-box 23mm SS one for $130 tax in, lol.
I have a pebble time and a motor 360 I also have the first pebble and I take most of the time the old pebble. First battery life is so good last me all week and also water proof. Which the time is too but the pebble feels more durable than the 360 and so on. Also a reminder when you wanna sell the 360 one day you only can sell it to someone with an android phone.
But the 360 is pretty good.
Sent from my SM-G920W8 using XDA Free mobile app
I was waiting for the Moto 360 2 but after it wasn't announced with the new Moto X and G I finally got bored and decided to purchase one, especially as I'd seen it for a great price £120 ($180). First impressions are I love the watch and it looks really stylish, it actually does more than I thought it would, which is a bonus.
Plus when the Moto 360 2 does get announced I'll sell this on.
Maybe I should have waited another few weeks and I would have seen the Moto 360 2 starting to be teased. Oh well you live and learn, lol.
Zammo76 said:
Maybe I should have waited another few weeks and I would have seen the Moto 360 2 starting to be teased. Oh well you live and learn, lol.
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I waited all summer for the 360 v2 to come out. I waited through MWC, through Google and Motorola events that we thought might be a 360 v2 announcement, and even after all that we still have no release date. The newly "leaked" images of the new Moto 360 v2 are not terribly impressive.
Since Moto has given us ZERO real info on the new version, I decided to get a 360 this week (it's also pretty cheap on Amazon). Today is my first day with it and I like how it looks and functions, but I am disappointed in the vibration strength. I have a Sony Smartwatch 3 and I can easily feel the vibration patterns on it. The 360 has a much weaker vibration motor and I am just going to have to get used to missing some notifications. That being said, the display is MUCH better on the 360 and it looks really good on the wrist.
The new 360 is not at all likely going to be worth the money they will ask for it. We also really have no idea when it will come out. Motorola really screwed up with their launch of the v2. By the time it comes out there will likely be other players out there, and the holiday season is just over 2 months away. I'll enjoy my 360 v1 until then and see what's available in December.
Still love my 360 v1. Looks great on the wrist, but since the infamous Apple Watch has been released I always get questions if its the Apple Watch. Replaced my grey leather band with a mesh metal band and its made the watch look even better. So I would still buy if you can snag a deal from Amazon, eBay etc...
mrhumble1 said:
I waited all summer for the 360 v2 to come out. I waited through MWC, through Google and Motorola events that we thought might be a 360 v2 announcement, and even after all that we still have no release date. The newly "leaked" images of the new Moto 360 v2 are not terribly impressive.
Since Moto has given us ZERO real info on the new version, I decided to get a 360 this week (it's also pretty cheap on Amazon). Today is my first day with it and I like how it looks and functions, but I am disappointed in the vibration strength. I have a Sony Smartwatch 3 and I can easily feel the vibration patterns on it. The 360 has a much weaker vibration motor and I am just going to have to get used to missing some notifications. That being said, the display is MUCH better on the 360 and it looks really good on the wrist.
The new 360 is not at all likely going to be worth the money they will ask for it. We also really have no idea when it will come out. Motorola really screwed up with their launch of the v2. By the time it comes out there will likely be other players out there, and the holiday season is just over 2 months away. I'll enjoy my 360 v1 until then and see what's available in December.
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I just got the 360 last week to try. I'm going to return it after a couple weeks unless things magically get better all the sudden. Coming from the lg g watch the battery on this 360 is terrible in comparison and ui lags more often then I'm used to in the g watch also. If price is a major concern then the og 360 is still good enough if the battery is good enough for your use. It isn't for mine. I don't want to disable everything to make it barely last a day.
The battery on mine was draining pretty fast the first few days of use. Not sure if it was a bedding in issue or it was just me fiddling with it every few minutes. It seems to have stabilized now and I can get through a day and its on around 15-20% when I stick it on charge at 11pm. I have my brightness on 1 and flick to wake up on.
I've just got one and love it. Didn't want to wait for the 360 2 or pay the higher price for it, as it would probably cost a bit more, maybe?
Battery life for me is good. Only had it a few days, but got me through a full day (08:00 - 22:30) with 3% left. That was with a bit of playing and for some of the time ambient mode turned on. I now have ambient mode turned off, flick to wake on and auto brightness on. It was at 59% when I put it on this morning at 08:00. It's now 13:38 and it's on 36%.
I waited for the v2 teasers and immediately went and purchased a v1 360. I am not seeing much in design or spec that make me want to pay more for the v2.
And both have the flat tire!
I already have an LG G Watch R, which I intend to continue using as my daily driver. The v1, will be for business and formal type affairs. It just looks very nice to me.
---------- Post added at 07:48 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:52 PM ----------
And it looks like when you click the Moto Maker button for the 360 on Motorola's site it no longer works. Got in just under the wire!
http://moofi.woot.com/offers/motorola-moto-360-smart-watch-1 $150 for metal band
best buy still has it for $150 if you want it faster thank woot
after going through warranty service with motorola i would say dont ever buy anything from this company.

Am I missing something?

So I chose the pixel xl as my Note 7 replacement and although it's not a bad phone, honestly it's not nearly as good as the s7 edge or even the note 5 ( I haven't owned only Samsung phones those are just my last two).
I thought Google assistant (the main reason I chose this phone) was supposed to be a big deal but is there really any major difference than using "OK Google" on any other android phone? Also, no wireless charging or microsd slot? Seriously, what makes this phone worth the sticker price?
I know this sounds like just a rant but after reading all of the positive reviews about this phone, I feel really let down after actually using it and I honestly feel like I'm missing something major here. Anyone else?
JarkMackson said:
So I chose the pixel xl as my Note 7 replacement and although it's not a bad phone, honestly it's not nearly as good as the s7 edge or even the note 5 ( I haven't owned only Samsung phones those are just my last two).
I thought Google assistant (the main reason I chose this phone) was supposed to be a big deal but is there really any major difference than using "OK Google" on any other android phone? Also, no wireless charging or microsd slot? Seriously, what makes this phone worth the sticker price?
I know this sounds like just a rant but after reading all of the positive reviews about this phone, I feel really let down after actually using it and I honestly feel like I'm missing something major here. Anyone else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think your perspective is right on. If your coming from a 3 year old phone, this phone is mind blowing. If your coming from a premium Samsung or iPhone, its meh at best. I upgrade every year and to me its just a small iteration. My Nexus 6 is still my favorite phone. The Pixel is a $500 phone.
My thoughts exactly. No micro SD slot (just to get user to store everything on googles cloud) no wireless chrging(though I give them credit for the 15 minute plug in giving 7 hours of use. The phone is efficient. I've gotten almost 5 hours of screen time with heavy use. The call quality seems to be better than Samsung. HD calls on verizon sound really good on my end and others have stated this is the clearest I've sounded to them in a while(maybe the design using glass at the top of the back for better antenna reception really does matter). I like googles launcher. But this phone starves for faetures like "Hidden folder" on the note 7, good lock thru galaxy apps, notification light blinks so slow i can unlock the phone before the light flashes. No always on screen. From the front the phone feels like i'm holding a galaxy S4. The chin is huge for no reason. 5.5 in screen is no longer "XL". Should make a 6 inch screen for the XL. CAmera is great. No numbered notifications(a little number in a bubble showing how many new texts or calls) no batter percentage option. Finger print sensor on the back is easier to use and it's fast. I guess all the fuss is about google assistant. To me it's not qite a flagship but lets remember. Google(like all other phone companies) need to you to give this 1 up when the next one drops. So guarantee the next one has wireless charging and or a SD slot. Just my opinion.
Golf c said:
I think your perspective is right on. If your coming from a 3 year old phone, this phone is mind blowing. If your coming from a premium Samsung or iPhone, its meh at best. I upgrade every year and to me its just a small iteration. My Nexus 6 is still my favorite phone. The Pixel is a $500 phone.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thank you! I really don't think it's a bad phone but the price and the hype is just crazy! It seriously feels cheap to me. I know it's all metal but because of the different textures on the back it feels like plastic unless it's cold. It's not even water resistant and the top and bottom bezels are way too big to look like a phone that costs this much.
If Samsung or apple came out with this phone they'd be in serious trouble but Google does it and it's some kind of revolution? The assistant isn't going to be even close to useful until it's available in the Play store for everyone. It's just missing so much that phones released 6 months ago costing $100-$200 less already have.
I was really excited for this phone after the note 7 thing and I'm just really disappointed. I'm keeping my note 7, fire hazard or not.
Google's phones will never, ever, ever include an SD card slot, ever again. This will always be a choice you have to make with Google, because they religiously believe in the cloud. I just tell people to get a Moto if they want a Nexus-like with SD card support. However, the unlimited photos and videos at full quality for free offered with the Pixel is amazing.
As for wireless charging, now that I have quick chargers everywhere I stopped using wireless charging with my Nexus 6 months ago. It's just sooooo sssllllooowwwwww. And the Pixel charges quite quickly, even on non-QC chargers. For instance, it seems to be sinking quite a bit of current from my powered hub, which just supplies 5V but can source about 3A per port. It can basically max out any charger that's not that stupid OnePlus proprietary one. Not a big deal.
I even like the bezels, because they give you a place to put your hands when holding it in landscape.
I find the suggestion that they should have released another 6" behemoth interesting, because I remember when the N6 was launched there was a lot of grousing that there were no small flagships left. The common refrain was 2 models, one 5.5" and one 5". As someone who loved the Nexus 6 in basically every respect, it's just a tiny bit too big. I am a 6' tall person with normal hands for that height, and I can't reach nearly the whole screen with one hand. It's not a one handed device, at all. The Pixel, on the other hand, seems to be a perfect size, in addition to being better in every respect compared to the at-the-time brilliant Nexus 6.
Also, you can totally get battery percentage with System UI Tuner. Just hold down the settings icon in the notification shade.
well, if you like the look and style of an IPhone, the Pixel XL is a good choice for you; yeah, no stereo speakers is a drag, but I like the Assistant, and it is the fastest phone I have ever used.
the hype is excessive, but thats what we get with everything now a days..
dtreth said:
Google's phones will never, ever, ever include an SD card slot, ever again. This will always be a choice you have to make with Google, because they religiously believe in the cloud. I just tell people to get a Moto if they want a Nexus-like with SD card support. However, the unlimited photos and videos at full quality for free offered with the Pixel is amazing.
As for wireless charging, now that I have quick chargers everywhere I stopped using wireless charging with my Nexus 6 months ago. It's just sooooo sssllllooowwwwww. And the Pixel charges quite quickly, even on non-QC chargers. For instance, it seems to be sinking quite a bit of current from my powered hub, which just supplies 5V but can source about 3A per port. It can basically max out any charger that's not that stupid OnePlus proprietary one. Not a big deal.
I even like the bezels, because they give you a place to put your hands when holding it in landscape.
I find the suggestion that they should have released another 6" behemoth interesting, because I remember when the N6 was launched there was a lot of grousing that there were no small flagships left. The common refrain was 2 models, one 5.5" and one 5". As someone who loved the Nexus 6 in basically every respect, it's just a tiny bit too big. I am a 6' tall person with normal hands for that height, and I can't reach nearly the whole screen with one hand. It's not a one handed device, at all. The Pixel, on the other hand, seems to be a perfect size, in addition to being better in every respect compared to the at-the-time brilliant Nexus 6.
Also, you can totally get battery percentage with System UI Tuner. Just hold down the settings icon in the notification shade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I've held down settings in the notification shade but nothing happens. I'm trying to get battery percentage but it does nothing.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
wase4711 said:
well, if you like the look and style of an IPhone, the Pixel XL is a good choice for you; yeah, no stereo speakers is a drag, but I like the Assistant, and it is the fastest phone I have ever used.
the hype is excessive, but thats what we get with everything now a days..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Do you mind if I ask what you like so much about assistant? I really feel like I'm missing something but I can't find anything that makes it better than Google now.
eighty1 said:
I've held down settings in the notification shade but nothing happens. I'm trying to get battery percentage but it does nothing.
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does your settings gear now have a dim wrench next to it? If so open settings and scroll down to the bottom. You should see "System UI Tuner". Or, you know, you can google it yourself since I gave you all of the relevant information.
dtreth said:
Google's phones will never, ever, ever include an SD card slot, ever again. This will always be a choice you have to make with Google, because they religiously believe in the cloud. I just tell people to get a Moto if they want a Nexus-like with SD card support. However, the unlimited photos and videos at full quality for free offered with the Pixel is amazing.
As for wireless charging, now that I have quick chargers everywhere I stopped using wireless charging with my Nexus 6 months ago. It's just sooooo sssllllooowwwwww. And the Pixel charges quite quickly, even on non-QC chargers. For instance, it seems to be sinking quite a bit of current from my powered hub, which just supplies 5V but can source about 3A per port. It can basically max out any charger that's not that stupid OnePlus proprietary one. Not a big deal.
I even like the bezels, because they give you a place to put your hands when holding it in landscape.
I find the suggestion that they should have released another 6" behemoth interesting, because I remember when the N6 was launched there was a lot of grousing that there were no small flagships left. The common refrain was 2 models, one 5.5" and one 5". As someone who loved the Nexus 6 in basically every respect, it's just a tiny bit too big. I am a 6' tall person with normal hands for that height, and I can't reach nearly the whole screen with one hand. It's not a one handed device, at all. The Pixel, on the other hand, seems to be a perfect size, in addition to being better in every respect compared to the at-the-time brilliant Nexus 6.
Also, you can totally get battery percentage with System UI Tuner. Just hold down the settings icon in the notification shade.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Now see here. This is a perfect example. It's all a matter of taste and perspective. The previous google phone users seem to love the Pixel/XL . I come from a long line of Sammy Note phones. Honestly I thought the Note edge was a great phone but with a case on it ..it was a bit to wide for me. actually to me the S6 edge plus was the perfect phone size wise and aesthetically. the 5.7 inch screen and the glass back were perfect. I also have the moto Z force just for the mods. When I think about it, with no bezels and a shortened chin the 5.7 inch screen of the S6 edge+ was basically perfect for me. As far as "wireless" charging I did have to have "fast wireless charging". It's not as fast as a cord with rapid charge but sometimes you just want to sit the phone down and get a quick boost. Not that I'm back to plugging in I do miss fast wireless. Again the assistant is cool, the camera is really decent. anyway.. to each his own. On edit.. thanks for the SUI heads up.. I like it. However,, that mini number in the battery is virtually unreadable.
JarkMackson said:
Thank you! I really don't think it's a bad phone but the price and the hype is just crazy! It seriously feels cheap to me. I know it's all metal but because of the different textures on the back it feels like plastic unless it's cold. It's not even water resistant and the top and bottom bezels are way too big to look like a phone that costs this much.
If Samsung or apple came out with this phone they'd be in serious trouble but Google does it and it's some kind of revolution? The assistant isn't going to be even close to useful until it's available in the Play store for everyone. It's just missing so much that phones released 6 months ago costing $100-$200 less already have.
I was really excited for this phone after the note 7 thing and I'm just really disappointed. I'm keeping my note 7, fire hazard or not.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The one thing I noticed straigh away was the crazy fast response everything on the pixel has compared to the note 7, there would be so many times that the Note 7 would visibly stutter even just a second here and there. Things like opening up and typing on the keybaord instantly would create this minute lag in the interface. I am very picky when it comes to that so I noticed straight away the Pixel is just fast, it doesn't stutter or lag like the note 7 did. Also small things like the speaker is FAR better than the Note 7, it's louder and fully than the 6p even. I hate edge screens too, I couldn't stand the note 7 in that regard, felt uncomfortable to hold compared to the pixel. I'm just so happy that I got a phone that just works ALL THE TIME. That's why I paid the extra $100 over the note 7 for the pixel. And I'm also betting on Google assistant (AI) becoming FAR more integrated and more powerful. All other phones will be missing out I think. Hardware can only go so far, software on the other hand....
Man who needs an SD card now?? I can finally video tape everything in 4k and not worry about memory or ever loosing the footage because it'll always be on the cloud! I legit video tape everything I can now!
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
OnlinePredator said:
The one thing I noticed straigh away was the crazy fast response everything on the pixel has compared to the note 7, there would be so many times that the Note 7 would visibly stutter even just a second here and there. Things like opening up and typing on the keybaord instantly would create this minute lag in the interface. I am very picky when it comes to that so I noticed straight away the Pixel is just fast, it doesn't stutter or lag like the note 7 did. Also small things like the speaker is FAR better than the Note 7, it's louder and fully than the 6p even. I hate edge screens too, I couldn't stand the note 7 in that regard, felt uncomfortable to hold compared to the pixel. I'm just so happy that I got a phone that just works ALL THE TIME. That's why I paid the extra $100 over the note 7 for the pixel. And I'm also betting on Google assistant (AI) becoming FAR more integrated and more powerful. All other phones will be missing out I think. Hardware can only go so far, software on the other hand....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I agree on the speed, the note did stutter on me from time to time any this phone doesn't at all really (although I have had a few force closes, possibly the apps fault). The assistant has promise but let's be honest, it's no better than Google now at the moment and by the time it is better, it'll be available on every android phone.
The phone itself to me is just last year's Cadillac with this year's Mercedes price tag.
evobyte said:
Man who needs an SD card now?? I can finally video tape everything in 4k and not worry about memory or ever loosing the footage because it'll always be on the cloud! I legit video tape everything I can now!
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A lot of people do. Really why drain your battery to access files on line rather than an sd card using less battery power and files on your sd card are a lot safer than the hackable cloud. And there is the extra data you use to access files on line. Sd cards use absolutely no data to access your files and do not eat up battery power so.
1. Sd card files safer than cloud.
2. Sd card uses no data to access your files, so does not eat up your data plan = saves you $$$$
3. Sd card files use less battery power than accessing files on the cloud.
I get that, I'm blessed with unlimited with Verizon but I always only upload to cloud while charging. If anyone is interested in true unlimited data with Verizon, I have an extra line available. I'll only charge 80 a month
Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
Get over it. SD cards are going away.
That's the great thing about Android! Choice. Different strokes for different folks. There will be a phone out there that suits you. Find it and embrace it! ?
Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
JarkMackson said:
I agree on the speed, the note did stutter on me from time to time any this phone doesn't at all really (although I have had a few force closes, possibly the apps fault). The assistant has promise but let's be honest, it's no better than Google now at the moment and by the time it is better, it'll be available on every android phone.
The phone itself to me is just last year's Cadillac with this year's Mercedes price tag.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well hard to say, as it has cpu that is newer than last years phone, also has better cameras than phones from last year, and software you can't compare to those phones either. And when compares to phones this year, it's kinda the same. I agree it is overpriced, but they are doing it because they can. If you want the best android experience available, there is only one phone. If you don't want to pay that much then there are great alternatives.
Waterproof - Owned S7 and Note, never seemed to EVER need it unless I was showing someone
Wireless charging - have a stand and still use the cable 90% of the time since it's faster
SD Card - I could see this one as a big point, but most people I know never fill up their phones and the ones who do could easily clear up half of it and improve performance by deleting unused apps and cleaning up the gallery, plus with 120 gigs + unlimited cloud I'm goooood
Gimmicks have made people wanting stuff they use maybe once every 4 months. "I can't have it therefore I need it"
IMO Software performance / day to day use > everything else .
Note 7 is a beast phone but I could honestly say at least once a day I get caught in huge lag spikes when trying open snapchat for a quick photo or even the camera app.
Sacrificing gimmicks for day to day use is worth it 100%
meccadon123 said:
Now see here. This is a perfect example. It's all a matter of taste and perspective. The previous google phone users seem to love the Pixel/XL . I come from a long line of Sammy Note phones. Honestly I thought the Note edge was a great phone but with a case on it ..it was a bit to wide for me. actually to me the S6 edge plus was the perfect phone size wise and aesthetically. the 5.7 inch screen and the glass back were perfect. I also have the moto Z force just for the mods. When I think about it, with no bezels and a shortened chin the 5.7 inch screen of the S6 edge+ was basically perfect for me. As far as "wireless" charging I did have to have "fast wireless charging". It's not as fast as a cord with rapid charge but sometimes you just want to sit the phone down and get a quick boost. Not that I'm back to plugging in I do miss fast wireless. Again the assistant is cool, the camera is really decent. anyway.. to each his own. On edit.. thanks for the SUI heads up.. I like it. However,, that mini number in the battery is virtually unreadable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I gave you what you want, sorry. Make the whole display bigger, maybe that will work. Or just open the shade if you need a specific percentage.

Question What do you all think about the Pixel Watch?

Does it look good? I think it does!
Want to see some hand's on detailed reports for for a 1st generation smartwatch....
And how it compares to 5th generation Samsung Galaxy Watch 5!
It looks nice, even though I'm not too sure about these bezels and super rounded screen (scratches anyone?).
Got it for free through the 7 Pro pre-order though so we'll see.
I'm curious if it's going to work with Spotify. It shows that it will work with YouTube Music. When I purchased my Fitbit Ionic, they said it would work with Spotify but it doesn't. Being able to use Spotify without my phone is a must for me to purchase this watch. Does anyone know for sure if Spotify will work? I'd like to preorder.
The price is not helping it.
Some spec comparisons:
Pixel Watch Vs Galaxy Watch 5/5 Pro: Is Google Too Late?
Google has finally launched the Pixel watch, but how does it fare with the Galaxy Watch 5? Here's Pixel Watch Vs Galaxy Watch 5.
fossbytes.com
QueenVanderveen said:
I'm curious if it's going to work with Spotify. It shows that it will work with YouTube Music. When I purchased my Fitbit Ionic, they said it would work with Spotify but it doesn't. Being able to use Spotify without my phone is a must for me to purchase this watch. Does anyone know for sure if Spotify will work? I'd like to preorder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Spotify is mentioned here: https://support.google.com/googlepixelwatch/answer/12662429
I'm getting one (as is my wife) but only as they are coming free with our Pixel 7 pro's. I've had many smart watches along the way but the only one I've settled with really was the withings. I'll give this a go though. I do worry it looks small (diameter). Not convinced I will like the daily charging again. I wonder how many will actually buy at full price rather than own them from similar deals.
We don't have any good deals in the US. No free watch with 7 pro purchase. I do feel like the diameter is too small
My opinion may not be the most representative because this is the first smart watch I own, but after having it for ~24 hours, I think it's pretty good! Probably a bit overpriced, the battery is a little bit on the low side, but I had no problem with fluidity or anything like that, I originally thought the screen would be too small, but it's fine honestly, the watch's UI is pretty well optimised to work with this screen, overall a good watch in my opinion, I just don't really know about the durability, seems fragile..
Views so far on the pixel watch, coming from a galaxy watch 4 classic 46mm. only had it just over 24 hours
Like it so far, fluid design, comfortable on the wrist, personally i would of preferred it to be slightly bigger but it doesn't bother me too much its small.
Spotify does work on it
cant get ecg working in the uk, investigating further
battery life has been just as much as the galaxy watch 4
assistant works well
step counts seems a bit too high
vibrations are much better than the galaxy watch
love the scroll wheel on the side compared to the bezel scroll on the galaxy
Watch bands come on and off very easily (reviews seemed to have issues with it but i didn't at all)
would i pay the asking price, not a chance its way over priced, £379 for the LTE, it should be 279 and i then i would consider it.
Anyone want me to try something go ahead and ask
QueenVanderveen said:
I'm curious if it's going to work with Spotify. It shows that it will work with YouTube Music. When I purchased my Fitbit Ionic, they said it would work with Spotify but it doesn't. Being able to use Spotify without my phone is a must for me to purchase this watch. Does anyone know for sure if Spotify will work? I'd like to preorder.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It works fine with Spotify, but it won't play any music directly from the watch. I find the latter part a little odd considering it has a speaker for taking calls.
Corvida said:
It works fine with Spotify, but it won't play any music directly from the watch. I find the latter part a little odd considering it has a speaker for taking calls.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ugh, then I won't purchase the watch! I had to download Deezer with my Ionic which was fine, however then I had to pay another subscription to another music program. Thanks for answering this question!
I like it so far! Only tinkered with it to set it up but it looks nice, everything is fluid. The stock band seems to be comfortable too.
I think it looks a little small on my wrist compared to the OG Huawei Watch and I don't have big wrists!
It came for free with the Pixel 7 Pro, I don't think I would buy it otherwise. It's too expensive. It should have been 250 euros for the Wi-Fi model and 299 for LTE.
Will post more impressions when my P7P is set up and running.
Phil750123 said:
Views so far on the pixel watch, coming from a galaxy watch 4 classic 46mm. only had it just over 24 hours
Like it so far, fluid design, comfortable on the wrist, personally i would of preferred it to be slightly bigger but it doesn't bother me too much its small.
Spotify does work on it
cant get ecg working in the uk, investigating further
battery life has been just as much as the galaxy watch 4
assistant works well
step counts seems a bit too high
vibrations are much better than the galaxy watch
love the scroll wheel on the side compared to the bezel scroll on the galaxy
Watch bands come on and off very easily (reviews seemed to have issues with it but i didn't at all)
would i pay the asking price, not a chance its way over priced, £379 for the LTE, it should be 279 and i then i would consider it.
Anyone want me to try something go ahead and ask
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ECG app kept telling me to update the app - but the app said it was up to date. on the phone uninstall the Fitbit app and the Fitbit ECG app and then it will give you the option to update them.
Oh .... and unlike my withings they dont mean put fingers on top of the screen they definitely mean the crown on this watch. missed that a few times just by being presumptuous!
So far, I'm really liking it. Wish band availability was a bit better. Would love to have a fabric band but I can wait. Setting up the various parts seems a little convoluted. Trying to figure out which apps you need to get to make everything function and what you can actually set and what is just done automagically. Getting my main credit card onto the watch was a bit of an adventure that I finally solved.
The last puzzle piece was trying to figure out the camera remote app working between the watch and my phone. (Pixel 6 Pro) I kept getting connection errors. Finally this morning, I was able to get it to connect. Seems that when I'm on a wifi network for my phone and watch, they don't know how to detach from the network in order to talk to each other. Which makes me wonder what fiasco I'm in for when both disconnect from each other and attempt to reattach to the wifi network.
Overall, I'm not sure I'd really want it much bigger. FitBit integration has been nice to have again. (My work place ties our health insurance discount to a "health" app that's just one giant gamification. FitBit is well known for inflating step counts. Making it easier to hit point levels.) The weather app not being permanently broken like it was on my Fossil is great. And MyRadar showing radar on my watch..... amazing!
I got mine through T-Mobile. They do half off when you add a line for the watch. Unfortunately, I have two apps that keep me from completely ditching my phone at this point. (Signal and Google Voice)
I don't see any more recent reviews or opinions and I'm looking for feedback from users or those who have decided it is not for them. I posted on another forum but will also ask here.
So, what are the on-going feelings about this watch? Happy, okay, disappointed?
I've got a dying Samsung Gear S3 (battery lasts about two hours). I've been quite happy with the Gear S3 for a number of years.
I see Amazon now has a return window through Jan for the Holiday shopping season. I suspect that while still new it may go on sale sometime in the next few months. I am concerned about its "bezel-less" face and hitting it into things.
So looking for opinions now that you've had it for a month or so.
Oh, I do have the Pixel 6 Pro phone on Google Fi.
Thanks in advance.
Ok Got Mine (LTE Version)
I can't make any comparisons to other watches since this is my first...
But I'll tell you my experience so far.
1 - Face is small but manageable. Nearly impossible to type on however which I suspect os common with most watches. Expect to use Voice for the most part.
2 - I expected to find a lot more App support than I did. a whole load of Fitness monitoring crap but not much else. Expect to use the many tools found here on XDA to sideload stuff the watch should have but doesn't. Most work well, some will not.
3 - While I went for the LTE I have yet to see any benefit to it as most things merely send you to the phone for the most part.
4 - Battery life is quite good.
5 - My main uses are to control Spotify, Google Assistant and read notifications while the phone is charging.
6 - DOES NOT SUPPORT NEST DOORBELL!!!! WHY? Have to look at the phone to see who is at the door.
7 - Comes with a Qi Charger pad but no AC plug to plug it into. Thankfully I have an Anchor 3 port quick charger. The Qi Charger is magnetic but any jostling or vibration of the table will make it stop then ding when it reseats.
8 - The Watch App (on Phone) is great toa point but is limited in options. A good Watch Face Editor is needed here.
9 - While you can set Tiles, Open Apps should also show up as tiles. (this maybe my lack of how to use this device perhaps there is away to see opened apps another way)
10 -All in allI love it,but as I said there may be much better options out there for the price and better app support.
Since I had the Unlimited Plus Data plan from Google Fi for my Phone it didn't cost a penny to add the Watch to the Service.
Hope that helps someone....
Asphyx said:
Ok Got Mine (LTE Version)
I can't make any comparisons to other watches since this is my first...
But I'll tell you my experience so far.
1 - Face is small but manageable. Nearly impossible to type on however which I suspect os common with most watches. Expect to use Voice for the most part.
2 - I expected to find a lot more App support than I did. a whole load of Fitness monitoring crap but not much else. Expect to use the many tools found here on XDA to sideload stuff the watch should have but doesn't. Most work well, some will not.
3 - While I went for the LTE I have yet to see any benefit to it as most things merely send you to the phone for the most part.
4 - Battery life is quite good.
5 - My main uses are to control Spotify, Google Assistant and read notifications while the phone is charging.
6 - DOES NOT SUPPORT NEST DOORBELL!!!! WHY? Have to look at the phone to see who is at the door.
7 - Comes with a Qi Charger pad but no AC plug to plug it into. Thankfully I have an Anchor 3 port quick charger. The Qi Charger is magnetic but any jostling or vibration of the table will make it stop then ding when it reseats.
8 - The Watch App (on Phone) is great toa point but is limited in options. A good Watch Face Editor is needed here.
9 - While you can set Tiles, Open Apps should also show up as tiles. (this maybe my lack of how to use this device perhaps there is away to see opened apps another way)
10 -All in allI love it,but as I said there may be much better options out there for the price and better app support.
Since I had the Unlimited Plus Data plan from Google Fi for my Phone it didn't cost a penny to add the Watch to the Service.
Hope that helps someone....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@Asphyx
Thanks for a pretty thorough review of attributes and limitations. I think I can also add it to my Fi account although, not the unlimited. I've not had LTE support before but the Samsung also sends me to the phone for more info or detail. And typing on the watch face is a real challenge there, too.
Any apps that you'd recommend? From here or Google store? I understand that its charger is proprietary and that other Qi charging stations do not work which is too bad.
Again, thanks.
Been using the watch for a few days now and it's nice. I still wish it were a little bigger. Battery life is OK, I actually used mine for 2 and a half days (not including nights) with light use.
I'm glad I got it for free with my P7P. Would I buy it at full price? No because I'm not big on smartwatches (or watches in general for that matter).

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