Google Smartwatch: Android Wear what you need to know

| Technology

Google Smartwatch: Android Wear what you need to know

Google has finally launched Android Wear, which will be taking on the likes of Pebble and Samsung smartwatches. LG and Motorola have already said they will be running Android Wear on their smartwatches and LG is likely to be the first Google smartwatch available to the public when it hits the shelf around April to June this year…

Android Wear will allow users to view apps and message. It also looks like Google Now voice controls will be how users interact with the smartwatch.

The first Android Wear devices will be the square LG G Watch and the circular Motorola Moto 360.  

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LG G Watch

It knows what you want before you ask

Just like Google Now on smartphones, Android Wear will know what you want to know before you ask it. Android Wear uses your location or other data Google already knows about you to give you the information it thinks you need at that time without any command needed to be given.

Voice commands

Google Now’s voice recognition is built into Android Wear which means you can ask the device anything by just saying “Ok, Google”. Call someone, write and send a text, set an alarm or even play music all of this is possible through voice commands.

Wide range of watch choices

We’ve already had a glimpse at two Android Wear smartwatches, but Google have said they’ve been working with HTC, Samsung and Asus who are all likely to be bring out their versions of Android Wear and it’s not just tech companies, they have also been working with Fossil who are also thought to be making an Android Wear watch.

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Motorola Moto 360

Apps apps apps

Google Wear will display notifications from a huge amount of apps including your social media apps. This works with the existing Android notification system, so a lot of apps will work straight away.   

Fitness

It comes as no surprise that Android Wear will also come with a range of fitness functions; these will work through existing fitness apps, providing you with a speedometer, distance calculator and much more all from your wrist.

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Developers already have access to it

Google has made a developer preview of Android Wear which allows software makers to create their existing app notifications for voice or touch commands. A full SDK will be here soon! 

Troy Stanley