Gadgetory

this is the LG watch sport and this is the LG watch style their new Android wear watches but that's not really what's important about them the bigger deal is that they were on Android wear 2.0 it's the biggest update to Google SmartWatch software since it launched it's been three years since Google launched Android wear and since then smartwatches have gone from being the next big thing to becoming just another thing and not a thing most people really want but now Android smartwatches can do more on their own even if you use an iPhone so for these two watches the big question is is that enough to make an Android smart watch worth it for more people if you've used Android wear in the past you'll notice that we're 2.0 has a cleaner simpler design it's easier to navigate easier to switch watch races easier to launch apps and easier to see your notifications it also has improved fitness tracking features new ways to reply to incoming messages and the voice controlled Google assistant that's been slowly creeping into Google's entire line of products but the most significant change is how Android wear works when your phone isn't around you can now browse for and install apps right on your watch without having to use your phone looking for and installing apps on a screen the size of a quarter is exactly as tedious and fiddly as it sounds but fortunately you can install apps directly to the watch from the Play stores web interface you can also choose which apps on your phone install to your watch before this any app on your phone that had a wear version would automatically show up on your wrist whether you wanted it to or not Android wears third-party app selection isn't as strong as the Apple watches but it's still better than what's available for the Samsung gear s line and if you're using Android wear 2.0 with an iPhone you can finally install third-party apps and watch faces third-party apps also have more capabilities now with wear 2.0 you can customize your watch face with third-party complications for weather stocks to-do lists and more so when I tap on this Foursquare application the a bloat is a list of interesting places nearby Google is definitely playing catch-up with Apple here but it's certainly a welcome feature but apps still take far too long to load on the watch to be truly convenient even Google's voice controlled assistant is still slower than it should be prompting me to just pull out my phone to send a message when it took too long to respond we're 2.0 also supports watches with LTE connections and that's a big deal because you can leave your phone at home and still access your notifications launch the Google assistant make calls and send text messages track your runs with GPS and even buy things with Android pay so Android wear 2.0 is great to have and it has a lot of useful new features but are these LG watches any good the $349 watch Sport is the flagship of the two and it comes just absolutely packed with features LTE GPS NFC for Android pay a heart rate sensor large circular display and three hardware buttons two of which can be customized it's also a big watch it's thick and it's cumbersome it has a stiff rubber strap that's really not very comfortable to wear and you can't change it if you like the looks of large sport watches the watch sport might be something you're into but if you want something more discreet or professional-looking it doesn't really fit the bill the $249 watch style is everything the watch sport is not smaller lighter thinner more comfortable to wear and has a leather strap that can be easily swapped out for something else it also lacks many of the sports capabilities and it doesn't have most of those Android wear 2.0 features we just talked about it also looks kind of cheap like it's a cheap watch it's trying to look more expensive than it actually is both watches have sharp clear displays that can be read well indoors and out they also both have a rotating crown that can be used to scroll through lists or messages or zoom in and out on a map view yes this is a total rip of Apple's digital crown in both function and form but it works well for navigating the interface both washes are also dust and water resistant but neither can be worn while swimming now I've been able to get through an entire day with a watch style but the watch sport tended to kick the bucket a bit earlier sometimes before o is even ready to go to bed myself it's clear that the sports larger display and extra connectivity options take more of a toll on its battery life the designs of the new watches are polarizing for sure and frankly I'm not really a fan of either of them I want something in the middle one that's not as big and clunky as this model but has more capabilities than this one but if you want the watch that best tells Google's vision for the future of smartwatches and for Android wear the watch sport is the one again in the past three years since we're launched if it's become clear that smartwatches are good for two things tracking Fitness and providing a quick glance at your phone's notifications and for the most part that's what Android wear 2.0 is good at I like the new interface it's easier to navigate them before and I like the rotating crown on the new watches for scrolling through lists or texts when I'm reading I like being able to use my watch to pay for things at the store even if it's slightly awkward for both myself and the cashier ringing me out typing out words by swiping on the tiny keyboard to reply to messages sounds ridiculous but it actually can be useful from time to time if I ever actually go out for a run and I'm wearing the watch sport I can track my run stream music from the cloud to my watch and then to my headphones buy a bottle of water at the convenience store and then text my wife to let her know I'm on my way home all my phone and my wallet are back at home but if you aren't a fitness enthusiast or SmartWatch enthusiast chances are none of those things interest you Android wear 2.0 is better than before and the new watches have lots of new features but they don't really change a conversation about wearables and in a lot of ways Google is simply playing catch-up with what Apple and Samsung we're already doing with their smartwatches if you like the Android wear chances are you like Android wear 2.0 as well it's a more polished version of the thing that's been out for three years if you already own an Android wear watch like the Moto 360 or Huawei watch or any of the fossil models you probably don't need to invest in one of the new ones unless you really want LTE GPS and Android pay because you'll be getting an update to Android wear 2.0 later this year while it may seem like Google's grand vision for the SmartWatch is to make it a more independent device the reality is you're still going to rely on your phone for the vast majority of things you want to do and that means that if you haven't jumped aboard the SmartWatch train yet all of this new stuff probably won't get you to climb aboard okay boom boy good