14 DAY TRIAL // Just as it has been speculated a few hours before the Google I/O event, Samsung’s Android Wear smartwatch, the Gear Live, has been unveiled for the world to see.
Even if Samsung already has a bunch of Tizen-powered smartwatches (including the original Galaxy Gear which it updated to the OS) doesn't mean the Korean tech giant will be staying away from the all the Android Wear goodness.
The tech giant has managed to weasel itself in between Motorola and LG and come out as one of the first companies to actually launch an Android Wear watch.
The device is now available for pre-order from the Google Play Store, selling for a more accessible $199 / €145 with first batches shipping out to customers starting July 8.
The Gear Live takes advantage of a 1.63-inch display and offers 320 x 320 pixel resolution on a Super AMOLED display (making it better than LG’s G Watch with 280 x 280 resolution). Under the hood lies a 1.2GHz processor fitted with the same 512MB of RAM and 4GB of storage (compared to the same LG watch).
Like the LG’s device which has also been made available for purchase today, Samsung has bundled the Gear Live with an accelerometer, gyroscope and compass but is throwing an integrated heart monitor on top too.
Unlike the Gear 2 Neo and Gear 2 Neo, which seem to have been designed exclusively for Samsung lovers, the Gear Live opens up compatibility to all Android devices running the 4.3 version or above.
The watch will be made available with black and red wristband options, which are removable and swappable. Like the LG counterpart, the mini-computer is dust and water resistant, but is equipped with a less impressive 300 mAh battery.
There’s no mention of a camera being bundled, so this makes the Gear Live more akin to the less expensive Tizen-powered Gear 2 Neo.
The most important difference between these two products is in the software department. While we don’t see any noticeable improvements spec-wise, the Gear Live supports specific services like Google Now, Google Maps, Gmail and more.
Android Wear will allow users to get the information they need at the right moment by virtue of just saying “OK Google.” Sure, the Tizen-powered devices were capable of receiving vocal commands but there’s a lot more you can do with Google Now.
Anyway, Samsung has finally granted the wish of those who didn't own one of its smartphones or tablets, but we’re still mulling after one of its smartwatches.
