Samsung announces Galaxy Gear smartwatch
Powered by an 800MHz processor and 512MB of RAM, the touch interface
is sleekly responsive, and the 1.63-inch, 320x320-pixel super AMOLED
screen enormously bright and clear. White text and simple icons pop from
the background colour of your choice, each function sitting in its own
clear, friendly square that you can swipe between to find the one you
want.
The Galaxy Gear has a metal face and -- hang on a minute: simple icons on clear, friendly squares? That sounds familiar...
Yes,
before we go any further, we should address the fact that the interface
of the Android-powered Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch is basically
Windows Phone.
The camera
On the side of the strap is a small 1.9-megapixel camera, bulging
slightly from the strap. Samsung calls it a memographer, emphasising the
capture of moments with low-resolution snaps and bite-size videos
rather than glorious crystal-clear pictures. The camera options are
pretty basic: choose from auto or macro focus, and a couple of different
sizes. Photos can be 1,392x1,392 or 1,280x960 pixels. Videos last 10
seconds, with sound, and can be 720p, 640x640, 640x480, or 480x480
pixels.
To take a picture, swipe up from the home screen and tap on the
screen. I found that the camera took a moment to fire after I'd tapped
the screen, so it could struggle with fast-moving action.
The interface
You control the watch by swiping left and right through a selection of
screens. You can change the order they appear, but out of the box when
you start scrolling to the right you go from the home screen to
notifications, then voice memos, then S Voice commands, then your photo
gallery, the music player, a pedometer, settings, and an apps shortcut.
Scroll to the left and you see your contacts followed by a phone call
log. The screens scroll continually, so when you get all the way to the
end you come back round to the home screen and continue on out the other
side.
Apps
Tap on the Apps screen and you're taken to a submenu of apps installed
on the Gear. Samsung says at launch there'll be around 70 apps optimised
for the Gear's small screen, most of which are basic apps like a
calendar. There are some big names though, including Evernote and
Pinterest, which can record and share your quick snaps; eBay and Path to
keep an eye on your auctions and social networks; and RunKeeper and
MyFitnessPal to follow your latest physical jerks.
Talking to your phone
The Galaxy Gear uses low-power Bluetooth to communicate with your
smartphone -- and by "your smartphone," we mean "only the Galaxy Note
3," at least for now. When you pair the Galaxy Gear smartwatch with the
Note 3, the watch talks to the phone to let you control music or view
notifications without taking the phone out of your pocket. And it works
the other way, too: the Gear Manager companion app installed on your
phone lets you adjust the settings of your watch. Other options include
the Find My Device feature: lose track of your phone, and you can use
your watch to signal the errant blower, which will make a racket until
you locate it. And vice versa: lose your watch, and use the companion
app on your phone to set the watch ringing so you can return it to its
rightful place on your wrist.
