LG G Watch R - review

The LG G Watch R is a smartwatch LG Design. A team with a very similar design elegant sports watches that we can find in the market, with a circular 1.3-inch touchscreen. In her womb found the operating system Android Wear powered by a Qualcomm processor and 512 MB of RAM. This watch is intended for use in communion with a smartphone or tablet Android, and has the ability to show notifications from apps like Hangouts, WhatsApp or Gmail. In addition, we can answer quickly without removing the phone through voice recognition. All with various sensors such as compass, pedometer or keystrokes to help us in our exercise. The LG G Watch R is available for a price of 280 euros. We tell our impressions after trying.

 Design and circular screen

 The first feeling you get to see the LG G Watch R is that this is a traditional sports watch. LG has taken care of the design of this phone not bulge much on the wrist and be stylish and discreet. A decision that will have both supporters and opponents. Both the field as a circular strip serves as timer come in black. The same color have the strap on the outside, but we liked the inner part has a grayish color that adds a nice touch of contrast to the team. By the way, this belt is leather, which gives a more elegant touch to the watch. The LG G Watch R is a very manageable and balanced device, with dimensions of 46.4 x 53.6 x 9.7 mm and weighs 62 grams. This model looks great in a male doll, but is faced with the same problem you have to face these devices. And its size makes it difficult to adapt well to a female doll (or usually a thinner wrist). Yes, this is one of the most compact smart watches that we tested.

 This happens in part because advocates a smaller 1.3-inch screen round. The OLED touch panel integrates a resolution of 320 x 320 pixels, with a good density of 348 dots per inch. Usually, it has seemed a very appropriate size to the possibilities offered by this watch. That’s not necessarily a compliment, because this model is faced with the limitations of Android Wear. To customize the clock to our liking we have many home screens (as you can see in the picture above), with options such as digital clocks, analog clocks or background photos taken from Google. And how could it be otherwise, this watch has the IP67 certification, which allows for long periods immerse in water without any harm.

 Apps Wear

 The main use of LG G Watch R is to serve as an extension of a smartphone or Android tablet (from Android 4.3 Jelly Bean). Once we have synchronized via Bluetooth 4.1 connection, we can begin receiving phone syncs directly. For example, we can receive the latest WhatsApp messages or incoming Hangouts or Gmail emails. In all these cases, we can see at a glance the last post and even perform a quick reply by voice. Recognition is not always the best (we have not yet managed to send a question through this system) but it may be enough to get by at a given time. Of course, keep in mind that the response in apps like WhatsApp or Hangouts only be carried out when we receive notification, and not independently.

 What we can do directly from the watch is to send a text message or email via voice, and initiate a call on the phone. Incidentally, one of the aspects that most headaches have given us is receiving calls. When we receive a call on your mobile, it appears in the clock display. But when we tried to answer directly, instead of picking up the call music playback opens. A rather serious error which could be due to an error in this test model .

 Just to name another interesting features offered by the LG G Watch R. And we can start playing the music we have stored on our smartphone at any time, and control it directly from the watch. The controls are very simple. Four buttons at each end allowing the volume up and down and move forward or backward a song. We missed that when you hold one of these buttons can rewind the song you are listening.

 Inside the clock operation is key to use Google Now. This intelligent assistant Google shows cards with relevant information on issues such as time on the current day, the results of our favorite soccer teams or nearby tourist attractions. It is also able to offer real-time information about a flight boarding pass which has come to our mailbox or the next departure times from a bus stop next to us to pass.

 This tool also allows us to perform voice searches on the clock. For example, if we “Cristiano Ronaldo” will see multiple entries with this popular player on different websites. Indeed, a summary of the information shown here, but for complete news must open them on the phone. In addition to these more advanced features, the LG G Watch offers other more typical of a practical use of everyday features such as the option to set reminders, alarm, timer or reviewing the agenda of our Google calendar.

 The use of G Watch for sports and other apps

 Definitely one of the most interesting uses of this watch is to serve as a tool for sports. For this, the watch includes various sensors. For example, we have a pedometer to count steps, a heart rate monitor to mediate heart rate and compass and altitude sensor to position ourselves if we go hiking. All these sensors collect data for use by the Google Fit platform. This app, which can be launched from the watch itself, shows the data from our workouts over the past few days. Sure it has a very simple interface and is recommended to complete use with Google Fit in the smartphone itself.

 Although it still has a very limited set of apps, there are several titles in store that can download from Google smartphone or tablet to enhance the use of the clock. For example, we have an app to open Google Keep notes or an application to carry out the shopping list. One option that has seemed more curious is Android Camera, which allows us to act as spies smartphone start the camera and take pictures directly from the watch (with the ability to visualize what will photograph).

 Power, range, price and reviews

 To work, this smartphone uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor with 1 core and a power of 1.2 GHz, along with a RAM of 512 MB. It is enough to run smoothly apps Android Wear whole. In terms of autonomy, its battery is at 410 milliamps. In our tests with this watch we could usually use around two days after a full charge. By the way, this is done by means of a circular base on which we place the device, and has a MicroUSB connection. The charging time is quite competitive, because in a few minutes enough charge to watch for hour’s endurance running is received.

 The LG G Watch R is available for a price of 280 euros. In short, this is a model that looks attractive and elegant design that can provide sufficient performance for users who just want an extension of your phone or tablet. In case you want a computer with greater autonomy than bare away from the smartphone does not remain, think of a clock recommend another brand like Samsung.

LG G Watch R - review