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Android coming to wearables

googleblog.blogspot.com

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Re: Android coming to wearables

#31

Post by DanAndersen »

apendleton wrote: post #26

The key to the success of these things will be the ability to get information from the display without having to touch it. At first I figured this would mean an always-on display (so, e-ink, I guess), but this clearly isn't that, and yet they don't seem to turn the displays on in the videos (though I'm sure they're all fake). I wonder if you could do something with the accelerometer that would be good enough? Like, i…

It seems quite possible -- it's like how smartphone screens detect when you've moved it from your ear while on the phone to use the number pad.

Re: Android coming to wearables

#32

Post by lutusp »

I hope you're all paying attention to the trend this represents, a trend fueled by ever-smaller and more intimate Android devices. Pretty soon the term "Android" may become literal.

Re: Android coming to wearables

#34

Post by martythemaniak »

deathcakes wrote: post #5

Not sure why but saying 'Ok Google' feels a little creepier than saying 'Ok Glass'. More obvious that you aren't interfacing with a mere gadget, but a multi billion dollar corporate entity...

No, I think the "Ok Google" is something they absolutely nailed. Why? Because that is exactly what you're doing - whether addressing your watch, glasses or phone - you're interacting with that robot-like corporate entity. The replies are also suitable - they have a human voice, but in no way do they pretend to be anything human-like.

Contrast this with Apple (Siri) and Microsoft (Cortana?), who do the same thing, but try to make you treat their apps as some kind of human with crude tricks like pre-written jokes and puns. Personally I find that way creepier.

Re: Android coming to wearables

#35

Post by roc »

When someone has a 'session' with a wearable that involves anything more than the the most minimal of operations [1], I feel like that's the "stylus moment" [2].

Sure, there are narrow use cases when 'interacting' with a wearable is conceivable where a phone still is not (e.g. while biking or jogging). But that's going to run into the same problems that Glass runs into: how many people can really justify an electronics purchase to enable interactive computing during those situations? [3]

[1] Swiping to cycle through glance-able cards or triage notifications

[2] "If you see a stylus, they blew it"

[3] Particularly not when purely-passive devices will inevitably be available with lower cost, smaller size/weight, better battery life, etc. (e.g. Pebble vs Fuelband)

Re: Android coming to wearables

#36

Post by IgorPartola »

The thing is, hardware is key here. The OS matters, and I would bet that someone could do way better than running Linux in a watch (something much more low-level on a much weaker processor could extend the battery life significantly).

The hardware and sensors is the big problem. Currently, the best smartwatch specs I have seen are the Basis B1. It claims it can monitor your heart rate, track your sleep, etc. But that is all a lie. Sure, it can track your heart rate at rest, but during intensive exercise there is no comparison with something like a Polar chest strap. At the same time the claim that the B1 can monitor your sleep phase based on your heart rate is a bit far fetched as well. From what I've read the heart rate does not change by more than 1-2 bpm between REM and deep sleep, which is within the margin of error of the measurements, so the data out will be all wrong. As for the non-fitness functions of a smart watch, I don't see a huge value in having my wrist buzz every time a random ticket on GitHub gets updated or NewRelic sends me a performance metrics summary. Even text messages are much easier to process on the phone.

I want to believe in the smartwatch idea. I want it to be a gadget that somehow improves my daily life. So far, aside from things like the Garmin Forerunner, I haven't see anything that would remotely come close to improving anything.

Re: Android coming to wearables

#37

Post by wiremine »

yeukhon wrote: post #29

The commerical, PoC is great. But its idea has the same flaw as Facebook Paper ( https://www.facebook.com/paper ). I can check the weather, get alert and listen to my music from my smartphone. I can enjoy some home automation with Canary ( http://canary.is/ ). If I have free time I can design my own app and integrate a speech recognition to open the door (I am sure there are companies selling this too). What unique "…

> So what else can Google watch do?

That's the key question for me. I don't look at my watch and think "man, that experience sucks" like I did with the pre-iPhone cell phones.

In a way, it feels like Google is extending Android into wearables for the same reason they are doing Google Glass: because they can, not because it solves some frustration.

I think that's why Apple is looking into health-related functionality (if the rumors are to believed). They are solving/improving the fitbit experience, not solving/improving the telling-piece/communication experience.

Re: Android coming to wearables

#39

Post by Kiro »

yeukhon wrote: post #29

The commerical, PoC is great. But its idea has the same flaw as Facebook Paper ( https://www.facebook.com/paper ). I can check the weather, get alert and listen to my music from my smartphone. I can enjoy some home automation with Canary ( http://canary.is/ ). If I have free time I can design my own app and integrate a speech recognition to open the door (I am sure there are companies selling this too). What unique "…

That's an argument against all smartwatches, not just Google. Nevertheless, I think you're wrong. I have a Pebble and it has changed my life. I will never leave the house without a wearable on my arm again.

Re: Android coming to wearables

#40

Post by hanley »

yeukhon wrote: post #29

The commerical, PoC is great. But its idea has the same flaw as Facebook Paper ( https://www.facebook.com/paper ). I can check the weather, get alert and listen to my music from my smartphone. I can enjoy some home automation with Canary ( http://canary.is/ ). If I have free time I can design my own app and integrate a speech recognition to open the door (I am sure there are companies selling this too). What unique "…

I really like the idea of being able to check the time (don't currently wear a watch) and text messages without having to pull out my phone. Not sure if that's worth $100+ though..
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