Following up on my recent post, Wearable tech, Google finally released an iOS-native version of its Android Wear app on Monday, enabling iPhone users to use smartwatches like the Moto 360. Of course, I grabbed the app the instant it became available and my first impressions are basically, “Wow. This is great – I’ve got a functional, stylish smartwatch for less than half the price of the Apple Watch.”
Here are some of my initial thoughts so far…
Things I like
- dictating simple, location-based reminders (“Remind me to take out the trash when I get home”) (1)
- requesting the day’s agenda
- a reliable Bluetooth connection (finally)
Things I don’t like
- the inability to install apps. Now, to be clear: there are VERY few apps that really matter. In my case, I’d like to be able to stop and start my bicycling tracking using Strava (which you can do w/ an Android phone)
- the fact that agenda update seems to be a bit twitchy – new items that appear in my calendar don’t immediately show up on the Moto 360 when I request my agenda
Wish List (in order from “reasonable” to “incredibly unlikely”)
- to be able to dictate responses to incoming SMS messages
- more watch faces, particularly those w/ widget functionality (battery status, weather, etc.)
- Google Fit and/or Moto Body integration w/ Apple Health
- the ability to at least extend the duration of vibration notifications – it’s easy to miss a notification because the watch vibrates very briefly, and not very forcefully
- integration w/ Apple Mail (currently only works with GMail)
Random neat discovery
There’s a translation app on the watch that’s really cool – you dictate, wait for the translation then turn your wrist so the other person can see your screen – the watch is smart enough to both flip the orientation of increase the size of the translation for them to see!
(1) You can specify the location of both home and work in the Android Wear app by going to Settings (cogwheel icon) -> Google Now -> My stuff -> Places.
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