Samsung Gear S review: Between two worlds

20 December 2014
Samsung is knees deep in the latest trend of gearing up your wrist with an extension of your smartphone. The Gear S however walks the extra mile of offering independent 3G and Wi-Fi connectivity along with full telephony support...

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  • q
  • n4P
  • 22 Dec 2014

never ever on my wrist! ugly as hell and way too big!

    • D
    • AnonD-237822
    • 0nM
    • 22 Dec 2014

    G.A if u like delete my post d truth being said stop being baised over samsung cos dey put Meaninful features in their smart watch so lg,sony,htc,moto, wil al use wifi n 3g plus 2inch screen on thiers then it wil be normal but 4 now samsung pack too many features on d gear s thats why u all are guilty of d galaxy note in 2011 stop spoiling peoples product

      i would not buy as it is not on android os.
      seen the development of many phone platform os. if it is not a popular one it would be dead end. dont waste time and money.

      i am eagerly expecting the next samsung android os watch

        • K
        • Karate Obachi
        • N$m
        • 22 Dec 2014

        Dead in the water imho - where will all the apps be in 12 months time? No one invests hard earned cash into a small market. Samsung bound to issue same with Android Wear minus the SIM. Question is: when?

          • t
          • the_seba
          • JyJ
          • 22 Dec 2014

          I love it. Around 2 months ago I've seen a guy wearing the white one and it looked fantastic. The problem is Tizen. Samsung should update this to Android Wear ASAP so as to keep it relevant in the marketplace.

            • d
            • django
            • uCs
            • 22 Dec 2014

            AnonD-343923, 21 Dec 2014I was also not happy that the watch controlled the phone wh... moreare you working for samsung marketing ?

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              • Anonymous
              • UNV
              • 22 Dec 2014

              wow!! ugly like hell !!!

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                • AnonD-343923
                • 0YM
                • 21 Dec 2014

                I was also not happy that the watch controlled the phone when I did not want it to but then turned off the blue tooth, and it solved that. So I run the Gear S exclusively on wifi or the G3 network and it makes for a better experience, no dual personality. My goal with the Gear S is to be able to leave my phone behind when I don't need all the functionality of my phone and for that it has worked as I wanted. I also have a Gear Live that I use when I have my phone with me. If I have my phone with me I don't need such a large and powerful smartwatch like the gear s. But for many outings I don't need all the functions of my phone and now with the Gear S I can leave it behind and I love that. As for more apps for the gear s, I don't want to be facebooking on a 2" screen. That's ridiculous. So I don't want all my regular phone apps for it. It has what I need and what it has is very well executed in a beautiful package. And it's only 5.00 extra a month on my phone bill. I think it's a hit !!!

                  • D
                  • AnonD-249161
                  • HIk
                  • 21 Dec 2014

                  Shahzad, 20 Dec 2014uglyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy UI, hardware is not so badWhat if they use snapdragon 810 with 4GB of RAM?!!
                  Be logical its overneeded cause its not smartphone!
                  In my opinion its the most beautiful smartwatch along with LG Gwatch

                    • ?
                    • Anonymous
                    • 4R2
                    • 21 Dec 2014

                    there's a solid reason for it's "hybrid" nature. simply put, it allows you to severe the limited range of Bluetooth.
                    I can leave my phone locked in my car when i go out to dinner, movies, etc. I can leave it in my office and go to a meeting in a different building. it's rather liberating, in fact. particularly in environments where taking calls and texts is frowned upon - glancing at caller-id or a message on a watch is much more discreet (and easier) .

                      • G
                      • Gibby
                      • Ixj
                      • 21 Dec 2014

                      Anonymous, 20 Dec 2014This review was somehow a little off for me. Was it perhap... moreWell put - I concur entirely.
                      Apart from those pretty obvious practicality omissions - a reasonable review.

                        • ?
                        • Anonymous
                        • 3I{
                        • 21 Dec 2014

                        AnonD-80165, 21 Dec 2014Isn't Android 5.0 stopping using the VM with Garbage Collec... moreAll I know is that as of Lollipop apps are compiled from Java at installation time as opposed to development time and run time. And presumably all the way to machine code as opposed to code for a VM. But if there is no VM then what is it then thats called ART (Android RunTime)? Is it just some libraries?
                        Changing the garbage collection from 3rd party collect to self collect as in procedural languages such as C would be quite an undertaking - both for Google and app developers. But perhaps thats what Google has been working on. But if so then why all the RAM? Apple devices dont need that much.

                          • D
                          • AnonD-80165
                          • P4d
                          • 21 Dec 2014

                          Anonymous, 20 Dec 2014This review was somehow a little off for me. Was it perhap... moreIsn't Android 5.0 stopping using the VM with Garbage Collection with the ART runtime?

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                            • Shahzad
                            • 0xR
                            • 20 Dec 2014

                            uglyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy UI,
                            hardware is not so bad

                              • ?
                              • Anonymous
                              • 3I{
                              • 20 Dec 2014

                              This review was somehow a little off for me. Was it perhaps not detailed enough?
                              The reviewer appears somehow to be against the device's overall big distinguishing feature - that it is both a smartphone and an extension of one. But thats what it is - just like the distinguishing feature of the Note is its size.
                              Neither GPS nor WiFi are redundant if the device is to be a standalone smartphone on your wrist.
                              There are many practical things I'd liked to have known.
                              Which functions specifically require that the device be connected to a smartphone aside from the rare setup and install/remove of apps?
                              How does a phone call session play out? Hows call quality? Hows holding your left wrist up to your right ear? How much can anyone else nearby hear of the replies? Does the phone also work as an extension via Bluetooth?
                              How is it to use maps and GPS? To get a route? Does turn-by-turn navigation work?
                              Hows is it to lookup a restaurant in the browser? Or an item on Amazon?
                              Etc... Just the everyday mundane tasks that people use a smartphone for.
                              On Tizen... the reason Tizen is fluid might be because it doesnt use a VM with memory garbage collection. Perhaps Tizen eventually replaces Android on Samsung devices.

                                • m
                                • mccaunohey
                                • MkX
                                • 20 Dec 2014

                                I prefer apple watch with a genuine leather as my strap. its more classic-looking. just a personal preference though.

                                  Zahid Hasan , 20 Dec 2014This device is one of a kind and so does moto 360. Admit it. It might be in some other universe but not in the Republic of my brain

                                    • ?
                                    • Anonymous
                                    • 6%p
                                    • 20 Dec 2014

                                    i'll wait for Gear S2,
                                    i'm sure Samsung will ironing out all the Gear S problems by then.

                                      • ?
                                      • Anonymous
                                      • v0X
                                      • 20 Dec 2014

                                      Ill just wait for larger screen like 3" or 3.5" with micro sd slot and higher battery capacity

                                        • Z
                                        • Zahid Hasan
                                        • u7Y
                                        • 20 Dec 2014

                                        DXyuyu, 20 Dec 2014Gosh seriously i open my beloved site and this ugly stuff i... moreThis device is one of a kind and so does moto 360. Admit it.

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