Samsung Gear Live

SAMSUNG GEAR LIVE

Samsung Goes Live!

While smart watches have been on the market for a few years now, none have had a "Standard Operating System" to work with until now!  Google has released the latest wearable operating system "ANDROID WEAR" to the market and now the race is on.  As of now there are only two options available for Android Wear the LG G Watch, and the Samsung Gear Live.  There is a third much anticipated watch coming soon labeled the Moto 360, but as stated it is coming soon and not yet available.  Also rumored is the LG G Watch 2.

LG G WATCH

I began my Android Wear Journey with the LG G Watch a few weeks ago (see my blog post on the LG G Watch).    While not my first, or even second choice it was what was available to satisfy the need for new tech at that moment.  At first sight the G watch is blocky, and boring but was surprisingly comfortable on the wrist.  The common response I got when I began wearing it in public to work was "is that a phone on your wrist".  When I began to explain what it was, and show what it could do the expression on the face of the person asking the questions began to change.  For people even somewhat interested in the latest tech you could see the wheels begin to turn.  The G Watch grew on me, and as comfortable as it was in a short sleeve shirt, when I put on a button down dress shirt for work I found it was no longer comfortable, it was a nuisance.  The large block body would get caught in my sleeve making it hard to check the time, and hard to pull my sleeve back over it.  The initial excitement went away quickly and I returned the watch within two weeks of getting it.

At the point which I returned the G Watch the Samsung Gear Live became available locally, and there was no doubt this was going to be my wearable device.  When you first pick the Samsung Gear Live up after wearing the LG G Watch you notice a more premium feel.  The body of the watch has a metal case with a curved plastic back that contours to your wrist.  When you first put it on the ridged rubbery wrist band can be a little tricky; however when snapped in it feels comfortable and makes sense.  I do wonder at times if it gets caught on something if it is going to hit the floor, but this has not been a problem yet.  The next instantly noticeable difference is just how good the display is.  Samsung did not cut corners with the beautiful 1.63" 320 x 320 Super Amoled display.  While still not perfect in direct sunlight the display is definitely an upgrade.  The colors pop, and the blacks are deep and dark.  The watch faces are different from manufacturer to manufacturer but both offer ample choices within the standard setup, and even more can be found on the Google Play Store.  

The next topic that seems to have become the elephant in the room for the Gear Live is the charging system.  Not much can be said other than this must have been a last minute "how do we charge this thing" moment at the Samsung design table.  For a company that has so many great ideas, this is horrible.  I read many consumer reviews that state they have broken their clip on chargers, and so I have been super careful with mine.  The first time you try to attach it you notice that it is just not intuitive.  If you are careful and take your time lining up the two nubs at the top of the charger with the two holes at the top of the watch back you will be fine.  I can see how people have been breaking this if they try to pull it off quickly rather than slowly applying pressure to the small tab on the right side.  If Samsung would follow LG's lead and make a quick mount magnetic charging base there would be almost nothing wrong with the hardware on the Gear Live.  The battery is also smaller on the Samsung Gear Live at 300 mah vs. the G Watch at 400 mah.  Even with the smaller battery the Gear live is able to make it almost two days with light use, and over one full day with heavier use.

  The concept of the standard operating system "Android Wear" is to make the user experience virtually the same from one brand to the next, short of minor hardware differences.  Obviously look and feel between the different brands is the major draw based on consumer preference.  Samsung has developed a (in my opinion) better looking product than the LG.  One of the offerings that Samsung has over LG is the heart rate monitor that is built into the watch.  This is more of a gimmick to many, but I could see this becoming useful for me when I run if it could work live without having to keep hitting the retest button.  Currently I have been using a Garmin GPS watch that hooks up to a wireless heart rate monitor for running.  It is also nice to use the Garmin because it does not require me to bring along my giant Samsung Galaxy Note 3.  The only downfall to the Garmin is it is not waterproof, and I am on my second one due to a 5K I ran in the rain that took out my first Garmin.  Rain should not be a problem for the Samsung or the LG as they are both water and dust resistant  rated IP67 devices.

 Lets face it the main reason you buy a watch is to tell time.  What good is it if you cannot see the current time.  With both of the current models available if you leave the display toggle to the "always on mode" you will be lucky to get one day of use.  With the LG G Watch I found that the display would activate on it's own, but even more annoying was that it would not activate when you turned your wrist toward you with the intent of looking at the current time.  With the Gear live it is a much more user friendly experience.  The beautiful display seems to illuminate at the precise moment you need it, and does not appear when you don't need it.  Also the Samsung Gear Live does not get the random notification that my watch has lost connection with my phone that I got frequently with the LG G Watch.  This may be that the Samsung platforms work well together, but the design of Android Wear is to be able to use any Android Wear smart watch with any Android phone and have a Cohesive experience.

GEAR LIVE PACKAGING

Other than battery, the display, and the heart rate monitor both watches have similar hardware specs.
The Gear Live specs are as follows:
Operating System: Android Wear
Display: 1.63" Super AMOLED 320x320
Size: 1.49"x2.57"x0.54"  
Weight 2.12 oz.
CPU: 1.2 GHz Processor
Internal Memory: 512MB RAM, 4GB Internal Storage
Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0 LE
Sensors: Heart Rate, Compass, Gyro, Accelerometer. 

        Battery: 300mAh
        IP67: Dust and Water Resistant.

So far with the short time I have been using the Samsung Gear Live I am impressed.  The feel is good, the look is also good but could stand to be a little more low profile.  With future updates that come I am sure Android Wear will become even more user friendly, and just plain more useful.  Right now if you use any Android Wear device for receiving your basic notifications on your wrist you will find it a treat to not have to pull your bulky phone out of your pocket, or purse.  Hopefully soon these devices will allow for viewing text msgs. and email in full including pictures etc without having to pull out your phone.  Initially I intended on getting the Moto 360 by Motorola; however I have been impressed enough by the Gear live that I feel this could get me comfortably through the next couple of years without feeling like I have an old piece of technology that needs an updated look.  If you are on the fence you may want to wait to see what the LG G watch 2 looks like, or even what the Motorola Moto 360 will bring to the competition.  Any way you look at it the Android Wear OS is promising, and I am sure with the updates to come we will find an even better experience in wearable technology.
     

LG G Watch

The LG G Watch

How smart is your smart watch?



I was debating on waiting for the Moto 360 but with that not being available, and a sudden feeling of "I need a new gadget" I was willing to settle for my second choice of a Samsung Galaxy Gear Live.  After calling around to different "Big Box Stores" I found that the Gear Live was also not available in stores yet, and sold out online.  I then did what any person feeling a need for a new toy does, I settled for one that was not even in the running earlier that day.  I went with the LG G Watch!

In opening the box to my new LG G Watch I found myself questioning if this time piece was really for me.  At first glance there is nothing Awe Inspiring or even really exciting about this watch.  With a very squared off bulky body, a rubber band like strap, and the yet to be upgraded blank face I was less than impressed.  The body of the watch was thick and appeared to sit high on my wrist, but oddly enough it was actually comfortable.

Many high end non-smart watches take the time to make the back of the watch appealing, going above and beyond on a part of the watch that will never be seen.  This is not the case on this watch.  It is littered with product code, warnings of how not to dispose of the product, Federal Communication information etc.  The only product branding is not molded into but rather printed onto the plastic back.  You can also see the 5 pins for the quick mount magnetic charging adapter included with the watch.  After reading about the watch there is rumor that these pins have been corroding causing poor connection, or even discoloration of the skin.  Immediately after firing the watch up for the first time there was an automatic update that is also rumored to shut off the voltage to these pins when not in use to prevent these concerns from happening. 

When I fired up the G Watch I was surprised at the quick setup process.  I was able to quickly get through the basic questions, then pairing to my phone (a required device for any Android watch to work) was a snap.  After the basic setup I found the factory default screen was not great, so I opted to change to one of the other factory screen offerings.  I have looked at screens to download, but for now I am staying with the simple black with white hour and minute hands, with a moving red second hand.

I was surprised to begin seeing my appropriate Google Now information cards popping up on the screen like magic.  Instantly I began to feel like this Smart Watch thing may have some purpose after all.  Almost intuitively the "OK GOOGLE" screen pops up allowing you to have information at your finger tip.  Most of the information then prompts you to see additional information on your Smart Phone rather than scroll down through as you may want (a little disappointing when you can scroll through incoming emails no problem without needing your phone at the ready).  I have yet to be able to view a text on the watch.  I get the icon showing I have a new text message but again it appears I need to pull out my Smart Phone rather than view the message on my supposedly Smart Watch?

Specs for this watch are impressive for such a small package, and it does seem to perform without any lag, or hesitation.

Specs:
Chipset  Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
Display 1.65-inch LCD IPS (280 x 280)
Memory 4GB eMMC / 512 MB RAM
Battery 400mAh
Operating System Android Wear compatible with Android 4.3
Size 37.9 x 46.5 x 9.95mm
Weight 63g
Connectivity Bluetooth 4.0
Sensors 9-Axis (Gyro / Accelerometer / Compass)
Color White Gold / Black Titan
Others Dust and Water Resistant (IP67)

In a world of I need the answer, and I need it NOW can smart watches perform?  Maybe.  The Android wear operating system does seem to be a step up over some of the previous operating systems we have seen so far; however the more important part is the potential that the Android Wear operating system brings for the future.  
Thus far in my personal experience with this watch I have experienced some frustrating moments of swiping cards off the screen unintentionally, only to find out they are lost for what seems like forever.  I am finding some of the functions are becoming more intuitive as my learning curve is developing.  My kids have found it magical that I can prompt my wireless speaker to play using just the sound of my voice.  The battery can last a couple of days if the "screen always on" function is toggled off.  More importantly this watch does what it is supposed to do, and that is get you the information magically when you need it (before you know you need it) thank you Google Now.  It also does a good job of getting you the important information you need from your current stocks, email, notifying you of who is trying to call you, text you, or even reach you through Google+.  Overall I am beginning to really enjoy the unintended experience I am having with this watch, and am looking forward to the updates to come in the future that will make the user experience even better.
onthemovetech.com

JBL Flip 2 "The life of the party made portable"

 JBL Flip 2

"The life of the party made portable"

      JBL has done it again with the Flip 2.  This is one of those cases where the tag line hits it on the head!  The Flip 2 wireless Bluetooth stereo speaker from JBL lets you bring the party where ever you go.  The sound is surprisingly fantastic, and will make people do a double take in disbelief that this little package can and does deliver amazing sound!  With Bluetooth capabilities this is definitely a step up from the original flip.

This little Bluetooth stereo speaker packs a powerful 2 x 6w stereo sound with 86 dB that can power your party for an amazing 5 hours on a single charge.  It can be linked to any Bluetooth enabled device quickly with the push of a button.

The controls could not be easier, with only 5 buttons to link the phone, toggle the power, raise / lower the volume, or connect a call.  Yes I did say connect a call.  This little device also acts as a Bluetooth hands free device that comes in handy when at home, work, or even on the road.  With Noise canceling and Echo free speakerphone functionality, you can be sure the other party hears you loud and clear.  It even has an LED display so you always know your current state of charge.


JBL has had an impressive lineup of portable speakers over the past few years.  First with the portable single speaker "Clip", then the original stereo "Flip", and now the more powerful Bluetooth enabled "Flip 2".  From the powerful low notes, to the super clean high notes this speaker will impress all of your friends with its BIG sound from such a small package.  It has a solid build quality, and with a price tag right around a $100.00 it is a great buy.

Be sure to check out other great product information and reviews at onthemovetech.com .

Chromebooks in Schools!

      I don't normally post someone else's article into my blog but I feel strongly enough about this one that I felt it was appropriate.  I sent a facebook msg. to the author Karl Rivers who founded ClassThink in 2013.  Karl is a school Network Manager and IT Lead Professional based near London, England.  One of the paragraphs in his article read as follows "The building shows all the wear of decades of students passing through these corridors. A rusty radiator hangs limply from the wall, window frames are swollen and peeling from damp, and the corridors are narrow and dark..

There are no futuristic open plan spaces, no airport lounge style reception, and there isn’t a curved wall to be found. Only the colourful posters proudly announcing the school’s technological achievements give any hint as to what is inside."  

As a parent of three little girls this hit me.  We live in a great small city in NH; however the finances are very tight in our school district.  I know my city is far from the worst off in the US, but I am very concerned about the future of my girls, and all of the kids in this great small American city.  Please take a moment to read the following article and see how it may relate to your town. 

http://www.classthink.com/2014/07/19/how-chromebooks-have-revolutionised-learning-at-one-uk-school/

A special thanks to Karl Rivers who wrote this inspiring article.  

Samsung Galaxy Note 3

How big is too BIG! 
Phablet's are here to stay. 
It used to be that consumers felt that the smaller the gadgets got, the cooler they were.  Until now!  When Samsung first released the Galaxy Note series phone in October of 2011 many people thought they would not make it.  Many thought it was just too big a fad that would quickly Die.

I for one could not imagine carrying one of these "Phablets" around, never mind holding something as big, or bigger than a Pop-Tart to my ear.  That and how often would I really be able to use the S pen.  As I and many were proven wrong, it took off.  Shortly after came the Note2, and Now the Note3.

The Android based GIANT definitely feels big in the hand.  It is not really optimized for one handed use, and quite frankly can be awkward to carry around.  With all of that being said I love my Note 3!

Not only has it become a great phone, but it has also become my default tablet.  I used to sit down and spend evenings browsing on my Nexus 7, but now I often find myself reaching for the note 3.  Not only does it have a great size for easy viewing, but the display is beautiful.  It has a 5.7 inch "Super Amoled display with 1080 x 1920 (386 ppi pixel density).  At times I have found myself watching movies on it comfortably; however the sound does not quite match the display, so have a good pair of headphones at the ready.
Air command.
At first it was a question of what will I use the S pen for.

With the Note 3 came new options for the S pen.  When you remove the pen a window shows up displaying all of your Air command options.  There are five options;  however I probably only use 2 - 3 of them.  The action memo takes some getting used to, but can be a handy tool to bring screen notes to life and turn them into action.  You can write down a phone number and the phone will recognize it, then give you an option to dial.  The same can be done with hand written emails, and many other quick notes.  Scrapbook is probably my most frequently used feature from the Air command list.  It allows you to select items off the screen to save by simply drawing a circle around them.  These saved items can be later brought to life by taping on them, you are then redirected to either the website, or YouTube video.  I can see how the other items could be used, but I just have not used them as frequently in my day to day actions.

The Battery Life.
I hear mixed reviews, but based on my personal experience with it I have found the battery life is ample.  I do use my phone primarily for daily calls, reading emails, web inquiries, and random pictures.  I find my battery lasting all day no problem and I usually find it has 40% battery life remaining before I charge it at the end of the day.  The new power plug allows you to charge the large 3200 mah battery in no time.  I do find that fully closing programs so they do not run in the background, and using the task manager a couple of times a day help to extend the life.

Whats Next?
I like having new gadgets as much as the next guy, but I could definitely find this feature rich, performance packed Phablet lasting me well beyond the two year agreement.  Now the latest rumors are the new Note 4 will be released in early September during the Berlin IFA Conference.  Rumor also has it the Note 4 will also have a 5.7 inch display with 2560 x 1440 screen resolution, Exynos 5433 octa-core processor with 32 GB of Ram and 32 GB of internal memory.  Probably the most talked about rumored feature would be the retinal scanner.  With a reported 16 megapixel rear facing camera, and a 4 megapixel front facing with image stabilization, this phone could definitely become your daily go to photo shooter.  

Hopefully this latest version of the Note series of phones follows suit with it previous models and is just another great upgrade to an already great phone. Tablet?  Phablet?  

Nexus 7 2013 One year later

 
 Nexus 2013 One year later. 


When Google released the original Nexus 7 (2012) it was an industry changer.  It had a great form factor that could be held in one hand, had a beautiful display, fast processor, and this all could be had for a very low price.  Even at a much smaller size, and made with cheaper materials it was continuously compared to tablets such as iPad as if they were in the same class.

The size class of the original Nexus 7 2012 was that of the Kindle Fire, the Nook, and the Galaxy tab.  So why was it being compared directly with the much bigger iPad?  One of the reasons was the operating system being a "True" Android system without a software overlay that just bogs down the Android OS.

As consumers we will brag to our friends when we get the latest piece of technology, until we see someone with a newer, faster model then we can no longer be satisfied with our gadget companion.  As we begin to look at the younger prettier model we have daydreams of what it would be like to have it, and how we should repurpose or sell our old one to get the new model.

 Enter the New 2013 Nexus 7.  The younger, thinner, faster, and lets face it "prettier" model.  I did also trade in my old model and got the version 2013.  Asus had fine-tuned the body of its latest offering.  While it was taller by 1.5 mm, it got noticeably lighter by 50 grams, and thinner in width making it have an even better feel in the hand.

Not only was the body of the new Nexus 7 much improved in look and feel, but the specs.  Performance was upgraded from a 1.2GHz quad-core  processor with 1GB of RAM to a 1.5 GHz quad-core with 2GB of RAM. The display also got a face lift from 1280-800 216 ppi to a 7-inch full HD display with 1920-1200 resolution and 323 ppi pixel density.  While still LED-back lit the display is beautiful producing sharp images, and video is awesome.  The single speaker was replaced by back firing stereo speakers.

The original Nexus 7 had a front facing 1.2MP camera that was left virtually unchanged;  however the addition of a 5MP rear facing camera was well received by most.  While cameras are being quickly made a thing of the past with Smartphone cameras producing great shots that can be instantly shared online, I do not see tablets becoming a daily shooter any time soon.

Each July for the past two years we have been treated to the release of some great Nexus products.  Many expected to see the new Nexus 8 at the Google I/O developer conference, but so far they are being stood up.   While sure to be bigger, faster, and release with a reported Android 4.5 Lollipop operating system we will see if it can grasp and hold our attention like both of the Nexus 7 models have.  With many reports showing the use of a 64-bit operating system we will have to wait and see.

Chromecast! What are you waiting for?

Ready 
Set
Cast!
     What are you waiting for?  Go get one already.  I have had my Chromecast since the day they were released to the public.  Immediately after I got it I learned that they were selling out as quick as they could reload the shelves.  Google play sold out and was setting up buyers for a long wait.

  Another great Google product, in another great Google package.  There is something to be said for a well put together presentation box.

Have you noticed that today's products are boxed without instructions?  I think that manufacturers are noticing that it is not only men that don't read instructions, but women, children, everybody.  When you open the box you will find the only instructions you need are printed right inside the lid.  

Even the instructions are simplified.

1. plug it in
2. switch input
3. set it up.

Brilliant!  I could not believe just how quick the setup was of this product.  I never thought I would buy any $35.00 device and get so much use out of it.  From YouTube, to Pandora, or even just streaming our Google Play Movies, and Music player.  We love this thing more everyday.  You can even cast live from your laptop (Chromebook), tablet or phone.

I think the only thing they fail to tell you is that you really do need a very fast WiFi connection to fully enjoy this.  Other than that, it is everything they sell it as and much more.  If you have not gone out and got one yet, what are you waiting for?  It's $35 bucks, get one!

Chromebook take 2

Chromebook take 2.0

In June of 2013 I got my first Chromebook (Samsung Chromebook Series 3).  After getting frustrated by the poor viewing angle, and slow upload of simple photo's from my cameras SD card I returned it. The Chromebook was originally bought out of frustration when my Windows laptop began to bog down.  I was looking for something that would never slow down over time, but unfortunately I found I could never seem to get going with my new small screen toy.  After returning it I still felt like the Chrome OS was right for me, and maybe I just picked the wrong hardware;  however I just could not find anything that appealed to me.  I could not justify the high dollar expense of a Pixel as one of the benefits of a Chromebook was "Low Price".  I also could not find a piece of hardware that was both low cost, and felt like a quality product.  Until now.  After researching Chromebooks and many trips to the local stores I made an impulse buy online using my Amex points on an HP Chromebook 14 LTE.  It seemed to have the specs. good for me, and the cost was right.

Specs.

• Intel Celeron 2955U Processor 1.4 GHz
• 4GB DDR3 SDRAM
• 16GB solid-state drive
• 14.0" diagonal HD BrightView LED-backlit display
• Full-size island-style keyboard 802.11 a/b/g/n wireless LAN with Bluetooth
• 4G mobile broadband (free for life)
• Chrome OS

So far my Chrome OS journey has been short but fantastic.  My new Chromebook boots up in seconds, and lasts for hours (so far my average under heavy use with streaming video included is 8 hours WOW).  Now I have found my Chromebook being occupied by my wife who was the biggest doubter of the Chromebook being usable for a college student.  About 24 hours before the arrival of my Chromebook my wife dropped her brand new Windows 8 laptop and broke the screen.  We immediately contacted the laptops manufacturer, then shipped it out for a screen replacement and were told it would take roughly 3 weeks to get it back.  What a coincidence my wife at that point had 3 weeks left of school.  Let the usability test begin!!  Immediately upon my first boot and setup completion my wife assumed ownership and took over my new toy.  She initially was pleasantly surprised by the screen size, the keyboard feel, and most of all the battery life.  Then she became very frustrated trying to use Google Docs for her spread sheets when she was deep into the spread sheets using Microsoft Office.  Once I showed her she could still use Microsoft office (Yes you can use office on a Chromebook) through the very same "cloud" concept of the Chromebook utilizing "Office Online" with the app. "One Drive" she is now thrilled.

When I do get the chance to use my new HP Chromebook it seems to be after my wife has used it all day, and has headed off to bed.  No worries with the awesome battery life, I can stay up for hours without having to plug it in.  I can run many web tabs at the same time with either music streaming in the background, or listening to a YouTube video on the side.  I have had over 10 tabs open at the same time, and no noticeable slowdown occurs.  While using Google Hangouts I have had positive response to the camera's quality and the sound of the microphone.

All in all my experience has been short but positive.  I will be doing a follow up to this in another couple weeks when my wife finishes her classes for the summer, and I get my Chromebook back.  So far though I am happy with my new toy.