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HeyVic66
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- First reviewOctober 25, 2015
- Last reviewOctober 25, 2015
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- Last answerOctober 25, 2015
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HeyVic66's Reviews
Samsung Gear S2 Smartwatch: Stay connected even when you're away from your phone with this smartwatch, which receives texts, e-mails and notifications and features S Health and Nike+ Running integration to track your health and fitness. The 1.2" Super AMOLED touch screen makes it easy to navigate apps and Web pages.
Customer Rating
5
I LOVE this watch. Didn't even know I needed it
on October 25, 2015
Posted by: HeyVic66
from Newport News, VA
I love my Gear S2. Over about a week, I have physically tried out the Gear S2, the Asus ZenWatch and the Moto 360 2nd generation. The only watch I loved was the Gear S2. After doing my research on which smartwatch to get, I had made my decision on the Asus ZenWatch. Unfortunately Best Buy didn’t have one of those available for me to try out or even put on my wrist. (Bad sales move Best Buy.) While I was going back and forth about buying something that I hadn’t even seen in real life, the in-store Samsung representative got a hold of me. While in the store I was having an airhead moment and couldn’t remember the main reason why my final choice was the ZenWatch (the Android Wear OS) so I ended up being swayed. He showed me the watch, let me put it on my wrist. Demonstrated how it worked and all it could do. Before I knew what happened, he had paired my phone and I was out the door with a beautiful new watch (at twice the price) on my arm. Although I loved it, once I got home, I remembered why I wanted the ZenWatch, the Android Wear operating system. Well I couldn’t spend that much money without being completely sure that’s what I wanted so 2 days later I bought the ZenWatch. I wore both of them for one day but never really formed an affinity for the ZenWatch. It was heavy and slow and not as easy to use. (My full review of the ZenWatch is available under that product.) I returned the ZenWatch and exchanged it for the Moto 360 2nd gen. Since I was already in the $300 range for a smartwatch, why not compare apples to apples (no pun intended.) [Both the Gear S2 and the Moto 360 2nd gen have a heart rate monitor; the ZenWatch does not.] After forcing myself to wear the Moto 360 for one full day, I finally decided the keep the Samsung Gear S2. I was skeptical about why to get a smartwatch but I was bored with the standard watches I had and wanted a fitness tracker so I thought I’d treat myself for my birthday. O. M. G. Life is so much easier with a smartwatch. You’re not so tied to your phone (in your hand) when the key functions are on your wrist. At my job, I turn off my ringer and put the phone away in the drawer. I may hear the phone in the drawer, but with every vibration being the same instead of unique notifications, I don’t know if I’ve received junk mail or an important text. With a smartwatch, I can glance at my wrist and know if action is needed. I can quickly send a short response without opening up my phone. (Isn’t that what the middle age working generation is all about? We know it’s not professional to have our phones glued to our hands as an extra appendage but we still want to respond to certain things in real time.)
I’ll start with the cons of the S2 just because there are fewer of those. I really didn’t want a sports gadget on my wrist on a daily basis. I wanted something that looked like a normal (dressy) watch. I didn’t want to try the Tizen operating system. I’m skeptical of trying a new operating system before it becomes well established. Tizen doesn’t have as many apps as Android Wear. How reliable is this rotating bezel going to be? I’ve found the rotating bezel does get moved (activated) when putting on or taking off shirts and jackets. It is slightly heavier than an everyday standard watch. In spite of all those cons, the Gear S2 is still an amazing device.
First and foremost, the S2 is easy to use! I like that is has 2 buttons on the side instead of one single button. Sometimes you need to go BACK but not START OVER. At other times you’re done with working with an app and want to go back to the watch face. Very smart! Using the bezel you can scroll through the apps not just one at a time but the face of the watch has a circle of apps to choose from (so time efficient!) It’s easy to choose which apps to be able to scroll through AND you can reorder them very easily from your phone. You can easily edit the texts and missed calls/missed texts that you send. The voice recorder for sending texts, etc is super sensitive and accurate. The heart rate monitor is fairly accurate. I personally don’t use the watch as a fitness tracker, mainly because the watch is a little heavy and I don’t wear my watch 24/7 but it did make me aware that I’m not as active as I thought I was and I do need a fitness tracker. It also alerts me to get off my backside if I’ve been sitting too long (an hour or more) and praises me when I do get up. It's helpful when I’ve gotten home from work but I’ve forgotten to take my phone out of my bag or forgotten to turn the ringer back on, the phone still alerts me that I have a call, text, etc. It’s kind of ironic. With this smartwatch I’m more connected to my contacts, including my on-line world but I’m less connected to my physical phone so it feels less intrusive. One last con - I tend to talk with my hands. The watch does light up repeatedly while I’m talking which is a little distracting to the conversation; the person you’re talking to sees the watch light up as our eye is drawn to flashes of light. I’m sure I can figure out how to minimize that little problem. I still which I could change out the watch band and that it didn't look so much like a sports device. (Theoretically there will be interchangeable watch bands but they’re not out there yet.)
I’ll start with the cons of the S2 just because there are fewer of those. I really didn’t want a sports gadget on my wrist on a daily basis. I wanted something that looked like a normal (dressy) watch. I didn’t want to try the Tizen operating system. I’m skeptical of trying a new operating system before it becomes well established. Tizen doesn’t have as many apps as Android Wear. How reliable is this rotating bezel going to be? I’ve found the rotating bezel does get moved (activated) when putting on or taking off shirts and jackets. It is slightly heavier than an everyday standard watch. In spite of all those cons, the Gear S2 is still an amazing device.
First and foremost, the S2 is easy to use! I like that is has 2 buttons on the side instead of one single button. Sometimes you need to go BACK but not START OVER. At other times you’re done with working with an app and want to go back to the watch face. Very smart! Using the bezel you can scroll through the apps not just one at a time but the face of the watch has a circle of apps to choose from (so time efficient!) It’s easy to choose which apps to be able to scroll through AND you can reorder them very easily from your phone. You can easily edit the texts and missed calls/missed texts that you send. The voice recorder for sending texts, etc is super sensitive and accurate. The heart rate monitor is fairly accurate. I personally don’t use the watch as a fitness tracker, mainly because the watch is a little heavy and I don’t wear my watch 24/7 but it did make me aware that I’m not as active as I thought I was and I do need a fitness tracker. It also alerts me to get off my backside if I’ve been sitting too long (an hour or more) and praises me when I do get up. It's helpful when I’ve gotten home from work but I’ve forgotten to take my phone out of my bag or forgotten to turn the ringer back on, the phone still alerts me that I have a call, text, etc. It’s kind of ironic. With this smartwatch I’m more connected to my contacts, including my on-line world but I’m less connected to my physical phone so it feels less intrusive. One last con - I tend to talk with my hands. The watch does light up repeatedly while I’m talking which is a little distracting to the conversation; the person you’re talking to sees the watch light up as our eye is drawn to flashes of light. I’m sure I can figure out how to minimize that little problem. I still which I could change out the watch band and that it didn't look so much like a sports device. (Theoretically there will be interchangeable watch bands but they’re not out there yet.)
My Best Buy number: 2700671634
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+91points
96of 101voted this as helpful.
Motorola Moto 360 2nd Generation Men's Smartwatch: Stay informed with this helpful smartwatch, which provides at-a-glance notifications for your messages, news, weather and much more. The Bluetooth 4.0 LE interface enables simple wireless pairing with your compatible Apple® iOS or Android cell phone. Plus, you can stay on top of your health goals with the Moto Body fitness tracker.
Customer Rating
4
Very good watch, just not a fan of Android Wear
on October 25, 2015
Posted by: HeyVic66
from Newport News, VA
I’ll start this review by saying I was really comparing the Asus ZenWatch, the Moto 360 2nd generation and the Samsung Gear S2. This is going to be a long story so I’ve broken it up into 3 different reviews in 3 different places (ZenWatch, Moto 360 and Gear S2.)
Although Best Buy didn’t have the style in the store I wanted, I started with a basic black and figured I’d exchange it for the silver with brown band if I ended up liking the watch. The pros of the Moto 360 are that it looks like a regular watch and has interchangeable bands. I personally don’t want a super duper fitness sports device for every day wear. I wear nice clothes to work; I want something stylish that coordinates with my outfit for the day. First I will share a tip for anyone getting any type of smart device, PAIR THE DEVICE TO THE ANDROIC WEAR OPERATING SYSTEM, NOT THE PHONE’S INTERNAL BLUETOOTH. The first watch I had wouldn’t pair. I don’t know if that really was a glitch in the watch or user error (even the agent at Geek Squad couldn’t get it to pair.) Bummer not to be able to try out my new gadget when I first got it. But of course Best Buy was really accommodating and swapped out the watch. I figure out to pair it with Android Wear and not my phone and spent a day with the Moto 360 2nd gen. I really, really wanted to love this watch but the whole day, I couldn’t wait to get the Gear S2 back on my wrist. Android Wear is not as intuitively easy to use and harder to navigate than Tizen. Theoretically Android Wear is amazing. Tizen has only been around for a (comparatively) short time. Will it be discontinued in a short time for lack of interest? We’ve all be burned by discontinued items. There are far fewer Tizen apps. Android Wear has been around for a while so there are lots and lots of apps besides alternate watch faces. Think of comparing the number of Apple apps to the number of Microsoft apps. Android Wear is intertwined with Google. Here are some examples: The Moto 360 has a heart rate monitor and fitness tracker. One downside of many fitness trackers is that their data gathering programs are not available to be viewed on line (S Health, Jawbone UP,) so Android Wear being paired with Google Fit is a big plus. It is great that then entire contact list is available visible to either call or send a text. But in actual use, there are several frustrations with Android Wear. It was frustrating to have to either give a voice command or scroll through the WHOLE contact list to find the name I wanted. Part of the beauty of a smartwatch is being able to do things discretely in places where you can’t pull out your phone. If I’m being discrete, I don’t want to voice search for a contact then speak my text. When responding to a text or rejecting a call, several prepared options were available but it wasn’t easy for me to figure out how to edit those to create a response that I would send. Another operational frustration was being able to pull up a general calendar to glance it. (Sometimes I need to know if the 27th is a Monday or Tuesday.) With Android Wear I couldn’t access a (general) calendar. If I didn’t have any items on the agenda for that day, I couldn’t see my upcoming items or just a general calendar. The voice recognition of the Moto 360 was fair at best (the Gear S2 is much, much better.) So theoretically Android Wear makes more sense but in practical application, ease of maneuvering through activities, intuitively figuring out how to do things, responsiveness, accuracy of the voice recognition, the Gear S2 and the Tizen OS wins for me hands down.
My Best Buy number: 2700671634
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+7points
7of 7voted this as helpful.
Asus ZenWatch 2 Smartwatch: Wear this smartwatch worry-free with the 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens cover and water-resistant design for durability. The quad-core Qualcomm processor ensures speedy, efficient performance as you set fitness goals and track your progress.
Posted by: HeyVic66
I briefly had the Asus ZenWatch 2 and saw many pros and cons before returning it in favor of the Samsung Gear S2. The best part for me is that it looked like an everyday watch, not a sports device. Another plus is that with this everyday styling, the bands are replaceable/interchangeable. The cons are that it is slightly heavier than some other smartwatches (Gear S2, Moto 360 2nd gen.) The size was a little on the large size for a female wrist. I didn’t really like how the face of the watch was rounded on the edges instead of being completely flat. The clasp on the band that came with the watch was very bulky, very secure but bulky. All of those are styling issues and everyone has his/her personal preference. The real reason why I chose the Samsung Gear S2 is the difference in the operating systems. After doing my research, Android Wear makes sense – theoretically. Having access to almost all my phone apps available on my swartwatch, I thought was a big plus. Android Wear has been around for a while so there are lots and lots of apps besides alternate watch faces. Android Wear connects with Google Fit. (One downside of many fitness trackers is that their data gather programs are not available to be viewed on line (S Health, Jawbone UP,) so Android Wear being paired with Google Fit is a big plus. ) This all makes sense. The reason I gave up the ZenWatch was the weight, styling and operating system. As much as Android Wear makes sense, it’s not the easiest to use. I couldn’t access a (general) calendar. If I didn’t have any items on the agenda for that day, I couldn’t see my upcoming items or just a general calendar. It was great that my entire contact list was available to either call or send a text. It was frustrating to have to either give a voice command or scroll through the WHOLE list to find the name I wanted. Part of the beauty of a smartwatch is being able to do things discretely in places where you can’t pull out your phone. If I’m being discrete, I don’t want to voice search for a contact then speak my text. When responding to a text or rejecting a call, several prepared options were available but it wasn’t easy for me to figure out how to edit those to create a response that I would send. Overall I found the Android Wear operating system was slowly responsive and more challenging to use. I really, really wanted to love this operating system but for me Tizen on the Samsung Gear S2 was just easier to use. But if you're okay with the Android Wear operating system, this isn't a bad watch. Good price point for a solid smartwatch.
My Best Buy number: 2700671634
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+5points
13of 21voted this as helpful.
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HeyVic66's Answers
Asus ZenWatch 2 Smartwatch: Wear this smartwatch worry-free with the 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens cover and water-resistant design for durability. The quad-core Qualcomm processor ensures speedy, efficient performance as you set fitness goals and track your progress.
Is this watch appropriate for a female, with a medium to small wrist?
I had it on my wrist and thought it was on the large size. I think I have about an average (medium size) wrist. It didn't scream MAN'S WATCH but it was a little on the slightly larger, heavier side
8 years, 5 months ago
by
HeyVic66
Newport News, VA
Asus ZenWatch 2 Smartwatch: Wear this smartwatch worry-free with the 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens cover and water-resistant design for durability. The quad-core Qualcomm processor ensures speedy, efficient performance as you set fitness goals and track your progress.
Is a charging cradle included?
Does this smartwatch ship with a charging cradle? Other sites specify that one comes with the Asus ZenWatch 2, but Best Buy doesn't say that, although they are priced similarly. Thanks.
In the box there was no cradle. I don't know if one exists but it didn't come in the box. In the box was a small, wired attachment for lack of a better word. The attachment has three little metal dots and it seems to connect to the watch magnetically. I didn't find it secure. It seemed it could be easily dislodge during the night leaving me with an uncharged watch in the morning.
8 years, 5 months ago
by
HeyVic66
Newport News, VA
Asus ZenWatch 2 Smartwatch: Wear this smartwatch worry-free with the 2.5D curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens cover and water-resistant design for durability. The quad-core Qualcomm processor ensures speedy, efficient performance as you set fitness goals and track your progress.
Need Immediate help setting up this watch
Friday evening I purchase a Asus Zenwatch 2 at BestBuy, Concord, NH. Took it home and charged the watch overnight. Saturday morning, I connected the watch via Bluetooth to my LG G4 phone. The watch would connect fine, but would quickly disconnect and display "Updating". Since the watch was not connected to my phone or WiFi, I didn't know what was updating, but whatever. Then the watch would display Syncing, as shown in the manual, but again it was not connected to anything. I installed Android Wear to see if would connect, but it never connected. I tried multiple times to connect and factory reset the watch a couple of times. Then one last time, I attempted to connect the watch to my wife's Samsung Galaxy G4, with same results. Yesterday, Sunday, I took the watch back to the store for help. Multiple people tried to connect the phone to my LG, but no luck. After about 2 hours, they swapped the watch with another new watch. After about an hour with this 2nd watch, I agreed to take the watch home and go back to the store tonight for more help.
As you can tell, I want this watch and I am guessing we are doing something wrong, but have no idea what. Unfortunately, if we cannot get this resolved today, I will need to move on. Can you help?
As you can tell, I want this watch and I am guessing we are doing something wrong, but have no idea what. Unfortunately, if we cannot get this resolved today, I will need to move on. Can you help?
I had this same problem with the Moto 360 2nd gen. I tried all the same things including factory reset on the watch, deleting Android wear then turning the phone off and on after removing Android Wear. I took it into Geek Squad and they thought it was the phone, swapped it out for a new one. With the new watch I finally figured out that you must pair to the Android Wear app. DO NOT try to pair it the same way you would pair some other device to your phone. Another staff member at Best Buy later confirmed this little nugget of knowledge. Hope that helps.
8 years, 5 months ago
by
HeyVic66
Newport News, VA