Hands-on with the rugged Casio Smart Outdoor Watch [VIDEO]

Back at CES, we had the chance to play with the new Casio Smart Outdoor Watch. The Android Wear ecosystem is getting pretty robust, but there haven’t been any devices for the rugged outdoorsy types. The Casio watch fills that void. This is a smartwatch that can take a beating and keep on ticking.

The Casio Outdoor watch is MILK-STD-810 certified. This means it has been tested to be used by all departments of the US military. In other words, it’s as tough as a $2 steak. The Outdoor Watch is the first smartwatch with a built-in microphone to have water resistance up to 50 meters (164 ft). It can withstand shocks from drops, vibrations, and any other type of rugged use.

Casio has thrown in a few tricks with the display. It’s a dual-layer structure featuring a monochrome LCD and a typical color LCD. The monochrome LCD can be used to drastically extend battery life, but it will only show the time and date. Great battery life is critically important for a device that will be used in outdoor situations.

Speaking of the outdoors, the Casio has a number of sensors for tracking conditions. These sensors relay information to what Casio calls “tools.” The list of tools includes a compass, altitude measurement, air pressure, sunrise/sunset times, tide graphs, and activity graphs. On the right side of the device is a dedicated button for launching tools. Activity is another thing that can be tracked. Trekking, cycling, and even things like fishing can be recorded.

The Casio Outdoor Watch will be available in green, orange, black, and red. The design isn’t the most attractive we’ve seen, but it’s fine for a rugged device. It will be available sometime in April for $500. That makes it one of the more expensive Android Wear watches available, but it’s built to last. What do you think of this rugged watch? Do you plan on picking one up this Spring?

It’s official: Android Wear now supports speakers

Well, that didn’t take long. Just hours after spotting a change to the Huawei Watch on the Google Store to show speaker support, Google today announced a new Android Wear update that brings said speaker support.

You’ll be able to make calls directly using the watch through Bluetooth, and you can also listen to voice and video messages from apps like Glide. It’s a pretty big step to making watches even more independent in their abilities than they already are.

As we guessed, both the Huawei Watch and the ASUS ZenWatch 2 are hooked up and ready to go, and you’ll be able to enjoy the speakers as soon as you pull the update down. Google also confirmedCasio’s forthcoming Android Wear watch and the ladies’ variant of the Huawei Watch will also sport speakers once they’re made available.

Here’s a quick look at the other changes coming in this update:
Navigate your watch with new gestures. Scrolling up and down your card stream is as simple as flicking your wrist. Starting today you can also expand a card, bring up your apps, or return home to your watch face with a push, lift or shake. You’ll be able to stay connected to what’s important, while keeping your phone (or other hand) in your pocket.
Send more messages with just your voice. With Android Wear, you’ve always been able to get answers to spoken questions. Now you can also use your voice to send messages from apps likeGoogle Hangouts, Nextplus, Telegram, Viber, WeChat, and WhatsApp. Running late for lunch? Just say “OK Google, Send a WhatsApp message to Nathan: I’ll be right there.”

The updates will roll out in stages over the next few weeks, so sit tight and hope that it won’t take too long to reach your wrist!

Samsung Gear S2 gets a big software update, here’s what’s new

It’s been almost a good 2 months since the Samsung Gear S2 officially launched here in the US. Today, the smartwatch is getting its first big software update. Well, the Korean version anyway. Although an official changelog wasn’t posted, XDA member “supersoulfly” was able to detail some of the new changes you should expect to see when the update — build number R732XXU2BOKF — arrives for your model. Here’s some of what’s new.

Samsung Gear S2 changelog
‘Add Widgets’ label: There’s a new ‘Add Widget’s label under the plus symbol, which makes the action easier to understand.
Auto Open Apps: When you activate this new option, apps open automatically once you stop rotating the bezel on an icon.
Vibrate When Disconnected: Under the connection settings, you can use this option so that the watch vibrates as soon as it gets disconnected with your smartphone.
Screen timeout options: 15 secs, 30 secs, 1 min, or 5 minutes.
New apps: World clock, Starbucks, a navigation app (for South Korean), and Flipboard News Briefing app.
New watchfaces: Nothing new, but the same watchfaces that were showcased during the device announcement.
Notification Indicator: There’s a little orange circle that acts as a notification indicator. It appears only when notifications aren’t set to wake up the screen.
Larger Notification Text: When you double tap on a notification, the text grows bigger so you can easily read the information. Also, when you swipe up from a notification to dismiss it, a trash can symbol appears.
Notification Reply: A smiley symbol has been replaced with a simple and more traditional icon.
Watch Face Template: When you scroll right from the watchface menu, you can use the ‘Add Template’ option to customise the watchface and save it as a template.

Compatible with any Android device (4.4+), the Samsung Gear S2 is yet another solid entry in the world of smartwatches. Although it doesn’t actually run Android (unlike most smartwatches these days), the watch features a good amount of apps and a unique rotating bezel to control some of the UI elements onscreen. The Gear S2 comes in 2 models — both standard with more modern styling, and classic for more traditional tastes. You’ll find the Samsung Gear S2 on sale right now at Best Buy for $250 ($50-off) and Amazon. Links provided below.

Buy the Samsung Gear S2: Best Buy | Amazon

Buy the Samsung Gear S2 Classic: Best Buy | Amazon

Source Phandroid

Android Wear can switch to LTE, works without your smartphone

Your next (or first) Android wearable needs not for Bluetooth or Wifi. Android Wear's cellular support has finally arrived, just as the first compatible watch starts to ship. LG'sWatch Urbane 2nd Edition crams an LTE radio beneath its circular 480 x 480 screen, with models that'll work on AT&T and Verizon — carriers that are both selling the watch in the US this week.


As noted before, these LTE-compatible watches will share phone numbers with your phone, but pack all that's necessary to work even when your phone is far, far away. As long as both watch and phone can connect to your carrier, LTE Android Wear devices will be able to send and receive messages, Google things, and run your favorite apps.

Taking calls is also doable if you like talking at your wrist. Google's own announcement highlights marathons and errand-running as examples where you might leave your phone behind, and as smartphones have expanded in size, for those of us that Must Be Connected At All Times, an LTE wearable might fill the gap nicely. AT&T starts selling the LG watch online today and in-store this Friday, while Verizon subscribers will be able to preorder starting today.

TAG Heuer Introduces Connected, the world's first luxury Android Wear smartwatch (VIDEO)

As scheduled, Swiss watchmaker Tag Heuer launched its first smartwatch at a dedicated event in New York today. Dubbed Connected, the $1,500 Android Wear-powered intelligent timepiece is inspired by the TAG Heuer Carrera, and has been developed in collaboration with Google and Intel.

Specs-wise, the watch is powered by a 1.6GHz dual core processor from Intel, and sports a 1.5-inch fully circular transflective LTPS LCD display (covered by scratch-resistant sapphire crystal) with a 360 x 360 resolution and pixel density of 240ppi. It comes with 1GB RAM and 4GB internal memory, and packs in a 410mAh battery.

In terms of sensors, it includes gyroscope, tilt detection sensor, microphone, and there's also a haptic engine. The connectivity options include Bluetooth BLE 4.1 and Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz 802.11 B/G/N).

Weighing in at 52gms, the watch is 46mm wide and 12.8mm thick, and is compatible with Android 4.3+ / iOS 8.2+. It is equipped with directional wind and weather monitoring, and also offers IP67 water and dust resistance.

"The TAG Heuer Connected includes a beautiful set of digital watch faces with classic TAG Heuer dials," said David Singleton, VP of Engineering, Android Wear, in a blog post. "You’ll be able to personalize what information you want to see: weather, step count, or calories."



Another thing worth mentioning here is that after two years you'll be able to pay an extra $1,500 and trade-in your Connected smartwatch for a more traditional Carrera watch, which carries a price tag of around $3,000.

As for availability, only the black band bracelet option is available for online purchase, while all other band color options are available in store. And as already revealed, the Connected will land in Europe on November 12.

This is what unboxing the Samsung Gear S2 will be like when you pick one up today (VIDEO)

Unless you haven’t read our front page yet, you know the Samsung Gear S2 is available to buy right now. For those who aren’t buying one or can’t wait to get their hands on it, you’re probably wondering how it is to unbox the thing.

Thankfully Samsung gave us a look of their own. The packaging isn’t crazy or futuristic. But it’s sleek, and comes with a lot of bells and whistles. Inside you’ll find alternate watch bands, the charging adapter for the wireless charging pad it ships with as standard, and, of course, the watch itself, which you’ll probably be too eager to play with to read the manuals it’s sure to come with.

Europe not getting the Samsung Gear S2 3G, not yet

Okay, Samsung, what did Europe do to you? First no more laptops, then no Note5 and now no Samsung Gear S2 3G...
That's right, the 3G-enabled version of the Tizen-powered smartwatch will be launching only in the US and South Korea, Europe and other markets are only getting the versions without mobile data.

Samsung points to the e-SIM – an "embedded SIM" format that's available in the US but hasn’t been adopted by EU carriers. It can't be removed from the device, instead carriers can reprogram it to make it their own.

Apple has a similar feature, Apple SIM used in US iPads, and UK carrier EE even supports it. But not the GSMA-standardized e-SIM. The original Gear S used a tiny nanoSIM and avoided such problems.

VP of Samsung Mobile for Samsung UK says that fitness is the driving factor behind smartwatch adoption and for that you need GPS.

GPS is available only on the Gear S2 3G, the plain S2 and Gear S2 classic don't have a receiver. They still have fitness tracking functionality, but runners and bikers will be missing out.

Launch details for the Samsung Gear S2 will be unveiled next week. The VP hinted at a price around £320 for the models to be available in the UK.

A New Look at the Samsung S2 Gear First teaser (VIDEO)

The other day, at the launch of the new Galaxy Note and Galaxy 5 S6 edge +, Samsung is as quick and announced new gear S2 smart clock, which will be officially presented at the IFA in Berlin. Today released the first teaser video, and provides an even better view of the round SmartWatch.

Samsung seems to have everything subordinated opposition to Apple. This is probably the main reason why they rushed this year with the launch of a new Note 5 and Galaxy S6 edge +, in order to instill in the head but also got into the hands of customers before the launch of the new iPhone this fall.

Their new smart owl, Gear S2 so will directly confront Apple Watch, which has in record time become the best-selling smart watch market.

Gear Samsung S2 will unlike last year's models have a round screen and it appears to the rotary ring around it, to be used for navigation and so compete with the crown on the side of Apple Watch.

Today published a teaser video does not reveal much, which is normal because it is a task to attract attention. Exterior design hours will probably have a major role in a future video, and today you will see some of the fitness application, different designs watchface, S Health, stopwatch and circular application launcher.

>>Read more - Samsung Galaxy Note 5 drop test (VIDEO)<<

>>Read more - Galaxy Note 5 and S6 edge + are great on the test battery<<

Android Wear could get watch-to-watch communication with the new update

Reportedly, Google is ready to brings on the Android wear platform a new function: watch-to-watch communication.

It is alleged that the Android Wear this function use to other users able to send doodle, stickers, regular messages and photos. The function is called "Together" and is similar to the Digital Touch function on Apple Watch.

According to the statement, the update will also bring a new, interactive front pages an hour, as well as change the functionality associated with the touch of a screen. Currently, when one pressed the screen, open the menu for different applications, settings and more. With the new update, the pressure on the new interactive website of the screen will allow the switch through the different categories, such as time, weather conditions / forecast and information about sports training. They will be able to be used for the creation of new activities, which will run from the right side of the screen.

Lenovo Magic View Dual Screen SmartWatch Prototype - two displays (VIDEO)

All smart watches resemble each other. But Lenovo has decided to slightly shake the thing, adding another display.

Called the "magical view" smart watch from Lenovo makes a real small revolution in the market of smart devices with the introduction of Android model with principal owns another smaller display located on the bracelet.

Although some critics argue that the additional display is not required on the wrist, the creators of Lenovo's say that two screens simplify the entire form and it will be easier to look out content notifications.

- The second screen (a virtual interactive display) removes the physical limitations of the main display. It uses optical reflection to create virtual images and allows users to see a virtual screen 20 times larger than the actual size. It is as if through a small opening viewing monitor measures 30 inches - the company said. A smaller screen is intended mainly for photos, maps and video footage while the main remains in charge of the basic functions and notification. Still just a concept, it is not known when it will be on sale.