I haven't even had my watch for a week and I am already sold on android wear. I was very skeptical of Google Glass, and early efforts like the Galaxy Gear, but the current form is something that really improves my day-to-day life.
To answer the big question: "Why get a smartwatch?"
I think for me the answer is simple- because my phone has gotten too useful for its form and it needs a little help. Like many I use my phone for communication, entertainment, and control of other devices around my house and sometimes digging for and messing with the actual device to do all that is a pain or even dangerous.
The big example for me is commuting. I commute via car an hour and a half minimum each day, and I used to HATE when people texted me during this time because my commute is kinda a constant drive so basically the text would sit in the back of my brain for half an hour before I could safely check it. Even worse is when people would text while I was talking to someone while I was driving- I would feel very overwhelmed! Now when I get a text while driving, even on a phone call, I get that buzz on my wrist to notify me and then a quick and safe glance at my watch (at least safer than any looking at a phone trick I have ever tried) and I know what is being said to me with no anxiety.
My smartphone is also my primary entertainment device for my commute. I will queue up a playlist of podcasts from Pocketcast at night in PowerAmp so that way for my commute I plug the phone in and the podcasts start playing. But sometimes while driving I need to control that playlist- skip ones I have heard, skip back to ones I accidently missed, or pause the podcast when I need to focus on the road. I could somewhat do this by unplugging the phone, but too often what I needed required interaction with the phone which means I listen to silence or local NPR the rest of the route because messing with my phone is too unsafe. Now I get controls for my podcast on my wrist that is on my steering wheel, right in the line of sight for the road. If you drive a lot, Android Wear is a great bandaid between today and the future when cars aren't so dumb.
But even if you don't drive a lot Android Wear is handy. Having my notification shade and Google Now on my wrist has lengthened my phone battery because I am not checking it all the time. It is also helpful in situations where checking your phone might get you some dirty looks, like when you get a text from the wife during a meeting. If you are like me and you turn off your ringer during the day, it is a great way to still say in the loop if there is still an emergency. I hate those mornings when I missed 5 calls from a family member because something came up and I got busy enough at work (though not important busy) that I didn't check my phone for missed calls every ten minutes. With Android Wear, they get me the first time because their call is hard to ignore blowing up my wrist.
That is all built-in stuff, but now there are many apps that even make the whole experience more worthwhile. I like that I can control my HTPC from my watch, so I can stop a TV show's annoying credit music from blasting if my wife fell asleep on the remote. I like how Commandr adds many new voice commands to Google Now so I can really control important phone functions from my watch via voice. I like being able to take audio notes whenever and have them on my phone, or identify songs on the radio/tv without having to dig the phone out. I love how I don't have to drag around so many loyalty cards- my wallet feels a lot lighter! Wear Mini Launcher adds in functionality that it should have shipped with and will probably be what Wear 3.0+ looks like. It is all really cool stuff, like Android before ICS- you don't know what is going to happen but you expect it to be awesome.
I think that the value proposition, especially for new watches at MSRP, might not be completely there yet and early devices all seem to have some sort of flaw to keep us from having a THE Android Wear device. But for those who jump in I think the platform gives us the first wearable devices that actually are worth more than the gee-whiz factor alone. I expect the maturation of the industry to happen quickly, especially ones the iWatch hits and everyone is scrambling to Xerox the best parts of that experience. The coolest part about Android Wear is that unlike normal Android where OEMS control everything with updates, the Android Wear devices can't be skinned and updates come from straight from Google. That means the best is yet to come, and most devices you can buy today (except that 360 watch oddly enough) are most future proof than your average phone.
It is all great, I recommend it!
To answer the big question: "Why get a smartwatch?"
I think for me the answer is simple- because my phone has gotten too useful for its form and it needs a little help. Like many I use my phone for communication, entertainment, and control of other devices around my house and sometimes digging for and messing with the actual device to do all that is a pain or even dangerous.
The big example for me is commuting. I commute via car an hour and a half minimum each day, and I used to HATE when people texted me during this time because my commute is kinda a constant drive so basically the text would sit in the back of my brain for half an hour before I could safely check it. Even worse is when people would text while I was talking to someone while I was driving- I would feel very overwhelmed! Now when I get a text while driving, even on a phone call, I get that buzz on my wrist to notify me and then a quick and safe glance at my watch (at least safer than any looking at a phone trick I have ever tried) and I know what is being said to me with no anxiety.
My smartphone is also my primary entertainment device for my commute. I will queue up a playlist of podcasts from Pocketcast at night in PowerAmp so that way for my commute I plug the phone in and the podcasts start playing. But sometimes while driving I need to control that playlist- skip ones I have heard, skip back to ones I accidently missed, or pause the podcast when I need to focus on the road. I could somewhat do this by unplugging the phone, but too often what I needed required interaction with the phone which means I listen to silence or local NPR the rest of the route because messing with my phone is too unsafe. Now I get controls for my podcast on my wrist that is on my steering wheel, right in the line of sight for the road. If you drive a lot, Android Wear is a great bandaid between today and the future when cars aren't so dumb.
But even if you don't drive a lot Android Wear is handy. Having my notification shade and Google Now on my wrist has lengthened my phone battery because I am not checking it all the time. It is also helpful in situations where checking your phone might get you some dirty looks, like when you get a text from the wife during a meeting. If you are like me and you turn off your ringer during the day, it is a great way to still say in the loop if there is still an emergency. I hate those mornings when I missed 5 calls from a family member because something came up and I got busy enough at work (though not important busy) that I didn't check my phone for missed calls every ten minutes. With Android Wear, they get me the first time because their call is hard to ignore blowing up my wrist.
That is all built-in stuff, but now there are many apps that even make the whole experience more worthwhile. I like that I can control my HTPC from my watch, so I can stop a TV show's annoying credit music from blasting if my wife fell asleep on the remote. I like how Commandr adds many new voice commands to Google Now so I can really control important phone functions from my watch via voice. I like being able to take audio notes whenever and have them on my phone, or identify songs on the radio/tv without having to dig the phone out. I love how I don't have to drag around so many loyalty cards- my wallet feels a lot lighter! Wear Mini Launcher adds in functionality that it should have shipped with and will probably be what Wear 3.0+ looks like. It is all really cool stuff, like Android before ICS- you don't know what is going to happen but you expect it to be awesome.
I think that the value proposition, especially for new watches at MSRP, might not be completely there yet and early devices all seem to have some sort of flaw to keep us from having a THE Android Wear device. But for those who jump in I think the platform gives us the first wearable devices that actually are worth more than the gee-whiz factor alone. I expect the maturation of the industry to happen quickly, especially ones the iWatch hits and everyone is scrambling to Xerox the best parts of that experience. The coolest part about Android Wear is that unlike normal Android where OEMS control everything with updates, the Android Wear devices can't be skinned and updates come from straight from Google. That means the best is yet to come, and most devices you can buy today (except that 360 watch oddly enough) are most future proof than your average phone.
It is all great, I recommend it!