Just updated my Huawei to AW 1.4 (Marshmallow), and now have calling capabilities on my wrist. For me, this is a high-value feature, and the reason I put the AW watch back in the drawer after 6 weeks with it and went back to Gear, buying a Sport 3G. I've since upgraded to a Classic 3G (Verizon, always hated the swatchy sport) to have calling features again (I've been on Gears since the first one).
No standalone 3G may still send me back to Gear S2 in the next days or week or two, but we'll see. Everything else on the AW platform is so superior (with a few exceptions), and of course "OK Google" -- the functionality, accuracy, etc. of this feature alone is almost enough to keep me from going back. May turn out to be enough.
It's sad. Samsung, IMO, has made a huge strategic error in failing to make S-Voice a higher priority. The customer base has been complaining from the beginning with the first Gear, years ago. Back then, "OK Google" was far more rudimentary, error-prone, etc. In that time, Google has invested enormous resources in making this "personal assistant" actually useful rather than annoying. Something you actually think about invoking to do something, because, like flipping a lightswitch, it "just works".
I think these voice-activated, hands-free "assistant" features are going to become the sine qua non of "wearables" in very short order. Samsung, with their neglect of S-voice are going to find themselves stuck in an uncompetitive posture regardless of how innovative their hardware and UI inventions are. The rotating bezel is cool, and it is a better way to do things than swiping around; however, simply telling your watch what to do while your hands are occupied (like driving) is far, far more useful.
Anyway, I'll post again in a week or so to reflect my plusses/minuses going back... I have a feeling I'll put the S2 back on my wrist, just because of the 3G -- I've come to really depend on that luxury, forgetting my phone somewhat regularly (or deliberately leaving it behind). I created a Tasker task that sends me a notification when the watch disconnects from BT to remind me to forward calls. Works great if I forget my phone.
No standalone 3G may still send me back to Gear S2 in the next days or week or two, but we'll see. Everything else on the AW platform is so superior (with a few exceptions), and of course "OK Google" -- the functionality, accuracy, etc. of this feature alone is almost enough to keep me from going back. May turn out to be enough.
It's sad. Samsung, IMO, has made a huge strategic error in failing to make S-Voice a higher priority. The customer base has been complaining from the beginning with the first Gear, years ago. Back then, "OK Google" was far more rudimentary, error-prone, etc. In that time, Google has invested enormous resources in making this "personal assistant" actually useful rather than annoying. Something you actually think about invoking to do something, because, like flipping a lightswitch, it "just works".
I think these voice-activated, hands-free "assistant" features are going to become the sine qua non of "wearables" in very short order. Samsung, with their neglect of S-voice are going to find themselves stuck in an uncompetitive posture regardless of how innovative their hardware and UI inventions are. The rotating bezel is cool, and it is a better way to do things than swiping around; however, simply telling your watch what to do while your hands are occupied (like driving) is far, far more useful.
Anyway, I'll post again in a week or so to reflect my plusses/minuses going back... I have a feeling I'll put the S2 back on my wrist, just because of the 3G -- I've come to really depend on that luxury, forgetting my phone somewhat regularly (or deliberately leaving it behind). I created a Tasker task that sends me a notification when the watch disconnects from BT to remind me to forward calls. Works great if I forget my phone.
via xda-developers http://ift.tt/27jW3sz
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