There are so many watches out there my head is spinning. I'm looking for something that will give me text and email messages. Be nice if the batter lasted at least 3 days. Doesn't have to be stylish but not ugly either. HR and fitness stuff not a necessity, but wouldn't mind having it. Any ideas? If anyone has one for sale too let me know.
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Best sub $150 smartwatch
- Thread starter boneycat
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dvsman
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I was just thinking about getting a new smartwatch myself. I was talking to a co-worker this morning who just got an Apple Watch and he was telling me about all the things it could do (all for just +$10/month on AT&T!). As the resident office geek, I can't allow myself to be outgeeked so I started looking to see what was out there :-D
Right now I'm using a Pebble Time and a Pebble Steel and both are starting to show their age since Pebble went out of business ... so TTT and hopefully this thread will get some feedback from other [H]'ers
Right now I'm using a Pebble Time and a Pebble Steel and both are starting to show their age since Pebble went out of business ... so TTT and hopefully this thread will get some feedback from other [H]'ers
I'm pretty much in the same position as you. But I consider the Pebble Time the superior "watch/timepiece" while the Apple Watch is the superior "device." So my geek cred for best geeky watches remains. The Apple Watch needs to be woken up to see the time. So it's not a timepiece I would recommend. But if you want something to compliment your iPhone really really well, the Apple so-called Watch is it.I was just thinking about getting a new smartwatch myself. I was talking to a co-worker this morning who just got an Apple Watch and he was telling me about all the things it could do (all for just +$10/month on AT&T!). As the resident office geek, I can't allow myself to be outgeeked so I started looking to see what was out there :-D
Right now I'm using a Pebble Time and a Pebble Steel and both are starting to show their age since Pebble went out of business ... so TTT and hopefully this thread will get some feedback from other [H]'ers
Vermillion
Supreme [H]ardness
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It all depends on what you want. I've had a smartwatch on my wrist every day for nearly 2 years (Christmas Day this year will mark 2 years). I spent a little over a year with Sony SmartWatch 3 and currently have LG Watch Urbane.
These are incredibly niche devices. They certainly aren't for everybody. Just because somebody shows you all the cool stuff they can do doesn't mean you'll use it (they probably don't either they just brag about it). So don't use it in your decision making. For example...LTE connectivity and talking to your wrist for a phone call.
I've seen people do this. Don't be one of them.
1. You're not Michael Knight talking to K.I.T.T.
2. The speaker generally sucks and is hard to hear outside quiet rooms. Every single time I've watched somebody try to use an Apple Watch for a phone conversation out in public they hold the watch up to their ear just to try to hear the other person. If you think people look really dumb talking into their wrist wait until you see somebody holding the watch up to their ear, then back to their mouth, then back to their ear again. It's a totally different level of foolishness.
That said I use my watch for a ton of things. Quick text messages. control music, Set reminders. etc. My watch is nothing but an extension of my phone. I don't want it to make phone calls. I don't need it to make phone calls. I need it to notify me of events so that I don't constantly have to take my phone out of my pocket.
One of the greatest things is Google Keep and the checklist. So easy to go shopping as your list is right there on your wrist and can be interacted with quickly. Little things like that are were a smartwatch really shines. An extension of your phone that actually makes it EASIER to do something. That's what a smartwatch is supposed to do.
So the best thing to do is really look at the watch and see if it does everything you want it to and make sure it's something you'll actually do on a regular basis and not just to show off the functionality.
These are incredibly niche devices. They certainly aren't for everybody. Just because somebody shows you all the cool stuff they can do doesn't mean you'll use it (they probably don't either they just brag about it). So don't use it in your decision making. For example...LTE connectivity and talking to your wrist for a phone call.
I've seen people do this. Don't be one of them.
1. You're not Michael Knight talking to K.I.T.T.
2. The speaker generally sucks and is hard to hear outside quiet rooms. Every single time I've watched somebody try to use an Apple Watch for a phone conversation out in public they hold the watch up to their ear just to try to hear the other person. If you think people look really dumb talking into their wrist wait until you see somebody holding the watch up to their ear, then back to their mouth, then back to their ear again. It's a totally different level of foolishness.
That said I use my watch for a ton of things. Quick text messages. control music, Set reminders. etc. My watch is nothing but an extension of my phone. I don't want it to make phone calls. I don't need it to make phone calls. I need it to notify me of events so that I don't constantly have to take my phone out of my pocket.
One of the greatest things is Google Keep and the checklist. So easy to go shopping as your list is right there on your wrist and can be interacted with quickly. Little things like that are were a smartwatch really shines. An extension of your phone that actually makes it EASIER to do something. That's what a smartwatch is supposed to do.
So the best thing to do is really look at the watch and see if it does everything you want it to and make sure it's something you'll actually do on a regular basis and not just to show off the functionality.
dvsman
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I don't plan on using any of these as a phone - that's what the phone is for - but my colleague with the Apple watch basically described it as having a backup phone. In his case - when he's out running and something goes down since he doesn't normally carry around his huge ass phone / phablet (Apple 8 Plus), since I also have a bulky ass phone (Note 8) but I don't think there's a mainstream android counterpart with that functionality yet (not counting all the weird Alibaba Aliexpress toys).
That aside, I also just came across the Fossil watches. Any of you guys had a chance to check these out yet?
https://www.fossil.com/us/en/produc...ch-q-control-black-silicone-sku-ftw7000p.html
https://www.fossil.com/us/en/products/gen-3-smartwatch-q-explorist-black-silicone-sku-ftw4005p.html
I dig the Q Control but apparently it's just a rebranded Misfit Vapor (which you can get for $199)
https://misfit.com/misfit-vapor
That aside, I also just came across the Fossil watches. Any of you guys had a chance to check these out yet?
https://www.fossil.com/us/en/produc...ch-q-control-black-silicone-sku-ftw7000p.html
https://www.fossil.com/us/en/products/gen-3-smartwatch-q-explorist-black-silicone-sku-ftw4005p.html
I dig the Q Control but apparently it's just a rebranded Misfit Vapor (which you can get for $199)
https://misfit.com/misfit-vapor
Vermillion
Supreme [H]ardness
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They're all the same to me. Most are the same SoC and it all comes down to the looks. I prefer a watch that looks like a watch and looks good. My SW3 was a chunk of rubber since Sony never released the stainless steel ban here in the US which was disappointing because it didn't look good at all.. The LG Urbane looks like a nice watch with leather strap and a crown.
There are Android Wear devices with LTE.
LG Watch Sport
Huawei Watch 2
LG Watch Urbane LTE (basically Urbane 2)
Then there's Samsungs Gear S3 I think too but that's Tizen and not Android.
dvsman
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