Smartwatch Review: LG G Watch R Review
The chances are that not everyone owns a smartwatch, yet. However, if you asked anyone on the street, they will probably have an opinion on what having one would be like. Some people will moan constantly about how useless they are if you only want to use them to tell the time, while others will sing their praises as the next step in smart wearable technology.
A few months earlier we saw the release of the eagerly awaited LG G Watch. Its square design and somewhat dull appearance put a lot of people off and made them somewhat cynical about this new technology. LG’s latest offering however, has actually been mistaken for a real (Analogue) wristwatch, based on its appearance.
One of the biggest gripes people currently have with smartwatches is that a square screen is preferred for typing on, but people prefer, or are more used to, a rounded clock face, even if this design does waste some real estate on the screen. The redeeming feature about this watch, and potentially one of many fixes for the issue, is the rather rounded large face which weighs a total of 62g. This sizeable piece of hardware will either delight or repel the average consumer, although gadget freaks may be willing to try it, even if they never usually wear one either.
This watch is currently only compatible with Android smartphones running 4.3 or later, due to the watch’s operating system which is currently deemed ‘Android Wear’. So those of you with iPhones are out of luck so far. However there’s nothing to stop LG making it compatible with potentially all smartphones in the future. Of course iPhone or any other type of users can use the watch on its own, you just won’t have the ability to route your calls, emails, and texts through it at the moment, so it is a hard sell to those of you without Android 4.3 or later on your phones.
The screen measures a 1.3 inches across its diameter, with a resolution of 320×320 pixels. Those of you wearing a watch at the moment should fetch a tape measure and compare. The P-OLED display is very sharp, but the sensitivity of the screen can be a little sketchy at times, which leaves you tapping the screen several times to get to the screen you want. The watch currently comes with a leather strap, with a range of alternative straps if prefer to change. The watch comes with a choice of 12 different faces when you first turn the watch one, which gives you a big variety whch should cater for everyone’s taste.
The commands from you are triggered by scrolling through a series of ‘cards’, or by swiping upwards from the bottom of the screen and using Google’s quite reliable voice search. The results can be sent back to your phone if want more of a larger screen to read from.
A pedometer is also included, which is extremely accurate, while being able to change music tracks via the watch too, makes it a must buy for people who go out running of a morning.
The battery life, which is a point of contention for most purchasers, is said to be able to run for 3 days between charges, if the ‘Always On’ screen mode is disabled. Having to charge your watch, as well as your phone, is going to be a pain for most people, although this applies to portable technology as a whole rather than just the watches, though watch can reach a full charge within the hour.
This watch is the most aesthetically pleasing smartwatch to be seen so far in the market, though the price is set pretty high, but half the problem is solved when smartwatches look as good as this one.
For more watch reviews visit http://www.eveswatch.com/