Galaxy Gear S......Sooooo sick!

[Geronimo]

http://www.samsung.com/global/microsite/gears/

I bought the T-Mobile one release day. It has the plan with its own Phone #, & data.
Simple Choice for Wearables: Unlimited Talk + Text + 500MB High-Speed Data
$15.00/mo


This plan includes:

No annual service contracts.
Just $5 monthly (after $10 monthly bill credit) when you also have a qualifying Simple Choice voice plan for a smartphone on your account.
Unlimited talk & text while on our network with no overages. Ever.
Up to 500MB of high-speed 4G LTE data.

Unlimited international data and text while roaming in 120+ countries and destinations and calls are just $0.20 per minute.
Music Freedom: unlimited streaming from great services like Milk Music™ that doesn’t count against your 4G LTE data allocation included at no extra charge with a Simple Choice Plan.

I have it paired to my Verizon Note 4. Any questions?

 

[mi7chy]

Dick Tracy watch just became real. Gear S is the first stand-alone watch that isn't tethered to a phone since it has built-in 3G phone and data.

You can opt to go without service plan and tether it via bluetooth or WIFI but with less functionality. If you go this route AT&T version is least expensive at $299 full price, then Tmobile at $349 and Verizon being the most expensive at $399. Unfortunately, the watch doesn't seem to have universal radio so AT&T will only work on AT&T, Tmo has additional AWS band support so it should work on Tmo along with AT&T.

Without a doubt probably the most exciting new product but the only reservation is that it runs Tizen instead of Android. Already have a work flow for calling, SMS, voicemail, etc. and being able to seamlessly switch accounts/numbers and devices with Groove IP and Google Voice that doesn't require a plan. On the fence until I can find similar functionality with Tizen.

Definitely want the wider bangle band and would like to see other materials:

 

[XViper]

I tried to order this yesterday and kept getting errors on the Tmobile site. I ended up calling and the people there couldn't see it in their system. I might have to go to a store to order. It's showing up as out of stock on the site now.

 

[Megalith]

Not sure if want because of Tizen. It seems like some kind of experiment.

 

[Skripka]

Not sure if want because of Tizen. It seems like some kind of experiment.

Especially something where god knows what kind of support it will get...and to boot it'll only work with Sammy phones.

 

[Aurelius]

The more I think about it, the more I wonder how the Gear S is going to be more than a niche device.

Cellular functionality is great, and having a 2-inch display is certainly nice as well... but it's just hard to see people with good taste in fashion buying a design like this. It looks like a Galaxy smartphone melted over your wrist.

And yes, the combination of platform and app ecosystem is a real problem. Samsung hasn't had much success fostering support for the Gear 2 line -- why would it expect anything different for a device that's more expensive and fits a smaller percentage of the population? To me, Samsung stands a better chance if it builds an upscale Android Wear device and taps into a broader app universe.

 

[harsaphes]

Doesn't run Google Wear so it's an out for me.

 

[Trimlock]

I want to like this, but I can't see myself ever considering this.

I like the new Microsoft band and some of the stuff Garmin is coming out with.

 

[Skripka]

I want to like this, but I can't see myself ever considering this.

I like the new Microsoft band and some of the stuff Garmin is coming out with.

Too bad Garmin is absolutely gawd-fucking-awful on the software front.

 

[Trimlock]

Too bad Garmin is absolutely gawd-fucking-awful on the software front.

They are terrible but it looks like they are improving software quality a bit.

 

[Aurelius]

Looks like the first (North American) reviews are trickling in... and it doesn't look good. From PCWorld's review:

- It's big and ugly. You could get a sense from this by looking at photos, but the people who'd tell you it's pretty are the same who see no problems with cellphone holsters.

- It's not really independent; you need a Samsung phone to load apps, and certain apps won't work unless the phone is present.

- The interface isn't as intuitive or as powerful as Android Wear; you can't respond to a lot of notifications, among other things.

The concept of a cellular-equipped smartwatch is cool, but it sounds like this is classic Samsung: it's competing on specs without understanding that there's more to a good product than that. You're better off getting the G Watch R or Moto 360 if you really want Android-friendly wristwear right this second... and if you're not an Android fan, this definitely won't make you a convert.

Update: A similar consensus in the Android Central review.

 

[mi7chy]

Any smartwatch is going to be big on twig wrist and he even admitted that's his case. He's also wrong about some of the stand-alone capabilities.

Here's a more competent review and he keeps it real. Most important aspect is the underlying hardware since software can't improve that while software will naturally improve with time.

http://youtu.be/gt8xjMS4rT0

 

[Aurelius]

Any smartwatch is going to be big on twig wrist and he even admitted that's his case. He's also wrong about some of the stand-alone capabilities.

Here's a more competent review and he keeps it real. Most important aspect is the underlying hardware since software can't improve that while software will naturally improve with time.

http://youtu.be/gt8xjMS4rT0

False. Apple is releasing a 38mm watch precisely to accommodate thin wrists. Heck, even a Moto 360 (46mm case) is dainty in comparison to the Gear S. Gizmodo Australia's reviewer has healthily-sized wrist, and he still thought it was too big. Samsung's watch is huge, and for many people unacceptably so -- there's just no questioning this.

I'm more inclined to believe the three professional reviewers I've linked so far than a single YouTube clip, even if they don't get it perfectly right. The Gear S is a clever idea, but poorly executed -- and sorry, but it's horribly naive to buy a device with the hope that the manufacturer will eventually fix underlying problems with the interface. Better luck next year, Samsung.

 

[Geronimo]

Hmmmmmm. Had this Gear S since it came out. Excellent purchase. I really like it, and use it daily & all the time. It can only get better with time as the apps & watch faces are increasing almost daily. It is not for everybody, but this watch gets a lot of attention, & I even tracked my truck with my Note 4 in it when I thought it was stolen. It runs very smoothly. I stream music off it while at the gym via bluetooth, & foward all my calls on my Verizon Note 4 to it & it is a T-Mobile version. It just needs a little bit better battery life, but I think the current battery longevity is acceptable for what it is & features. I wish there was some more variety of bands as well. I'm definitely getting the 2nd version if one is released & so on. Give credit where it's due. Samsung had the guts, innovation, technical pioneering prowess, & know how to come out this year with the Gear S & Note Edge. No other company had the balls to do this. It's a frickin phone on your wrist, that has an internet browser on it people! I'm getting the Edge as soon as it goes for sale on Verizon. That Flossy Carter is my favorite reviewer as well. Did I mention I love this geeky piece of Sexy hardware?......

 

[mi7chy]

Did you read what you linked?

I’m a scrawny dude, but I’ve never been this anxious about sporting a smartwatch in public—not even when wearing the bulbous Moto 360

If the Moto 360 is bulbous at 11.5mm then the aWatch at 12.6mm is even thicker. Even worse is the back is not curved with your wrist like the Gear S or flat like the Moto 360 but curves against your wrist so it'll be uncomfortable also leaving an ugly indent in your wrist.

Compared to the Gear S that conforms to the wrist and looks fine and modern even on a petite lady.

aWatch is flawed with bad design, terrible dial as input, poor ergonomics and you won't even get limited functionality without iOS.

 

[Aurelius]

Like I said, if you think the Gear S is the epitome of style, you also think cellphone holsters are cool. That thing looks comically oversized on that woman's wrist. And you can be pretty sure she wouldn't be caught dead wearing that eyesore at a formal social function. I'm sorry, but the Moto 360 is exquisitely crafted in comparison to that thing.

Also, before you go on with more unsupportable claims about the Apple Watch, go read a watch expert's take on the device from his hands-on look. Nowhere does he say it's uncomfortable; it's just the opposite, actually, and he argues that it beats the designs of far more expensive mechanical watches in some key areas. (Yes, he acknowledges that it's thick.) I'd rather trust the opinion of, y'know, someone who has actually worn the Apple Watch than someone with a demonstrated pro-Samsung, anti-Apple bias who has not only never worn the watch, but would refuse to try it if offered.

 

[Trimlock]

I like where Samsung is going with this design, from a usage standpoint, it makes the most sense. Sure they failed in the design department but they are headed in the right direction as far as usage goes.

It still sucks though.

 

[mi7chy]

Too big? We've heard that tired spiel before and now iPhones have progressed from "it shouldn't be more than 3.5 inch" to Galaxy sized.

Plus it's not big and clumsy as it replaces this. aWatch doesn't count since it's not stand-alone.

Since you brought up ugly here's the consensus from the Apple loving media:

Apple Watch is ugly and boring (and Steve Jobs would have agreed)

So Apple's watch turned out to be a thick, ugly, expensive yawner

(as the son of a New York jeweler)

...it's a thick, ugly clunker.

But then you'll notice that it sure seems like Apple's watch is thicker, and looks a lot like Apple stuck an iPhone 1 in the wash and it shrunk. There's a lot of curviness where there doesn't need to be, and a big, bulbous bottom where your wrist meets the phone.

This thing can't be all that comfortable to wear.

It has some sort of weird tap-tech, so that if you and a "friend" both have the watch, you can send your heartbeat to your friend. Seriously. Not as medical data, but as taps on your friend's wrist.

Or, as the demo showed, if you want to go out to lunch, you can rub three little circles on the screen and your buddy will feel those three little circles rubbed on his or her wrist.

Does that sound creepy to you? Sure does to me. Besides, what ever happened to the age-old classic of texting "Lunch?" and getting back "Sure? Sushi?" Do we really need our co-workers electronically rubbing our wrists? I think not.

...we got a watch Justin Bieber would wear.

 

[Aurelius]

Too big? We've heard that tired spiel before and now iPhones have progressed from "it shouldn't be more than 3.5 inch" to Galaxy sized.

Plus it's not big and clumsy as it replaces this. aWatch doesn't count since it's not stand-alone.

Here's the problem: it's bigger than that woman's wrist. There's big in terms of functionality, and then there's just looking silly. You're not going to change basic tastes in fashion overnight.

Also, don't give me the "it replaces your phone" myth. You can do some things with it, but you still need a Samsung phone nearby to give it full functionality. And besides, are you really going to leave your phone at home for any significant amount of time? Heck, I'd like you to prove it: buy a Gear S and leave your phone turned off for a week. No exceptions the entire time.

Since you brought up ugly here's the consensus from the Apple loving media:

Apple Watch is ugly and boring (and Steve Jobs would have agreed)

So Apple's watch turned out to be a thick, ugly, expensive yawner

Once again, I will defer to people who've actually seen and used the Apple Watch instead of comments from the peanut gallery. An editorial at a recognizable site still doesn't compare to real hands-on time. And to put it bluntly, put up or shut up: give me an article calling the Apple Watch ugly written by someone who's at least seen it in person. I'm certainly more inclined to trust reviewers calling the Gear S too big, since they've strapped it on and have photographic evidence.