Moto 360 design, watch face and battery life
Update: How much will Moto 360 watch cost? The price has been twice-leaked along with a release date on Page 3. Specs are on Page 2.
The Moto 360 watch is not only Motorola's circular wonder with Android Wear, it's also Google's best defense against the inevitable Apple iWatch.
First of all, this stylish-looking stainless steel smartwatch exists. We've watched plenty of Moto 360 video, while Apple fans cling to vague hints and a rumored 2015 release date after a September 9 tease.
Second, Moto 360 has the advantage of ditching the square-shaped displays of the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live. Gone are the computerized boxy designs of the Pebble Steel and Samsung Gear 2.
It does have two sharp-edged downsides, though. It's the price hasn't been officially confirmed and it's not out yet. Moto 360 is has "summer" release date promised by both Motorola and Google.
An emerging downside comes in the form of new Android Wear competition. LG has been quick to reveal the even more circular LG G Watch R ahead of IFA 2014 this week, time as as the Moto 360 event.
Thankfully, it shouldn't be too much of a delay. Motorola has teased a September 4 event in Chicago, where it's headquartered. Moto 360 and the follow-up to Moto G and Moto X are expected.
Even with all the mystery, the ambitious Moto 360 is shaping up to be Google's best Android Wear device, especially when paired with customizable leather and metal straps.
It's certainly fit for our variety-seeking 21 century wrists. It just has to get here on time.
Moto 360 watch face and battery life
The computerized Moto 360 screen features a 1.5-inch backlit LCD protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3, according to a leak from US retailer Best Buy this week
That's not the the custom-made circular OLED display we heard about previously. But LCDs fare better with white backgrounds, while OLEDs consume 40% less power when displaying black.
OLEDs ability to turn off individual pixels comes at a price. The safer choice is certainly an LCD, and this circular display is no slouch. It still boasts a high 320 x 290 resolution with 205 pixels per inch.
Samsung Gear Live has a 320 x 320 resolution, so save for a few pixels chopped off by the circular frame, Moto 360 is nearly identical and certainly better than the 280 x 280 IPS panel used by the LG G Watch.
Like both already-released Android Wear watches, Moto 360 will feature an always-on screen, which is a power-saving dimmed display that still tells the time like a traditional watch.
Our tests have confirmed that even with their screens unlit most of the time, LG and Samsung's watches eat up a fully charged battery in a day or day and a half.
Motorola may have a few tricks up its sleeve. It perfected a similar active display on its Moto X smartphone, which always includes the time and notifications on the lock screen.
The company could do the same here. In fact, a supposed early review of the smartwatch claims that the Moto 360 lasts two and a half days, which would be a significant improvement for Android Wear.
Battery life is even more important on a wearable; no one wants to charge a watch before the day is out.
Moto 360 specs, battery charging and compatibility
Moto 360 specs
Motorola was upfront about its Android Wear smartwatch plans early on, but it's still shy about revealing the official Moto 360 specs.
It's not too surprising. The internals of a purposely low-powered smartwatch have never been all that exciting when it comes to processing power and memory.
That's okay. Leaks have pointed us in the direction of a Texas Instruments processor that's described as "fast and efficient." We'll be the judge of that on September 4.
The truth is, we know more about the outside of this device. Motorola has confirmed that the Moto 360 can be worn on the left hand or the right hand thanks to its clever orientation-free design.
Yes, there's a classic watch button on one side of the face and not the other, but think about it, this is a digital watch face. The UI can be flipped around so that the knob always points to your elbow.
Whether the Moto 360 is on your right or left wrist, it's equally susceptible to everyday dings and scratches. Scuffing a wrist-worn wearable is just as common as dropping a smartphone.
Moto 360 appears to be ready for a workout with an "optical heart rate sensor," so its beautiful watch face stands a better chance of staying in pristine condition if it's protected Gorilla Glass 3.
That's not the previously rumored sapphire glass, which has a hardness level said to be four times greater than the Gorilla Glass that protects many of today's smartphones.
However, at least it's the latest Gorilla Glass and not going to be its most expensive component. That's an issue Apple may be dealing with in its sapphire glass-tipped iPhone 6 and iWatch.
Moto 360 battery charging
You won't find charging contacts or a micro USB port on the Moto 360 because this Google watch has a innovative charging method. It's the device's "secret sauce" teased Motorola earlier this year.
Sure enough, the company recently confirmed that its smartwatch charges wirelessly via magnetic Qi induction. It can be seen in a handful of photos in which it sits in a charging cradle.
We called this early on. Inspecting the handful of Moto 360 photos, we discovered that the rear of the watch featured a strange purple backing. This is the hallmark of the popular Qi charging method.
Google's Nexus 4 and Nexus 5 smartphones and its newer Nexus 7 tablet take full advantage of a magnetic Qi charger, and Motorola was a Google-owned company up until recently.
Very naturally, the Moto 360 ditches traditional wires in favor of the magnetic Qi wireless charger, which could easily sit on a nightstand before you go to bed.
There's only one problem with this micro USB-free future. Charging Moto 360 would require bringing the wireless charging with you on trips longer than a day if that's the average battery length.
It's a concern, but still better than the proprietary solutions that LG and Samsung have come up with. At least the Qi charger could theoretically juice up a Nexus 5 or Nexus 7 too.
Compatibility
Motorola has confirmed that that unlike the Samsung Gear 2, Geo 2 Neo and Gear Fit, its smartwatch will work with more than just its own hardware. It won't be limited to the Moto X and Moto G.
In fact, the Moto 360 is compatible with all Android 4.3, Android 4.4 and Android L phones and tablets that take advantage of battery-sipping Bluetooth 4.0 technology.
That rules out the possibility that Apple devices like the iPhone 5S and the iPad Air will be able to tether to the Moto 360. Both have Bluetooth 4.0, but for now this is an Android-only device.
Water makes for a completely different compatibility test. The Moto 360 isn't waterproof, but it is water resistant, according to Motorola and Google.
Like both the Samsung Gear Live and the LG G Watch, it carries a IP67 rating that makes it okay to use up to a depth of one meter for up to 30 minutes.
That makes wearing the new smartwatch a carefree experience, whether you're in the rain or on the wrong end of a splash while bathing a child. Just don't go dunking it in the pool or ocean.
Moto 360 release date and price
Moto 360 release date
Moto 360 was scheduled to be the third Android Wear watch in the US "this summer," trailing behind the LG G Watch and Samsung Gear Live that have been available since July 7.
However, with the dog days of summer at an end, a slightly delayed September launch date is shaping up more likely. Reset your regular-watch-in-need-of-an-upgrade.
Specifically, we should know about the Moto 360 release date on September 4. That's when Motorola is scheduled to host a big event in its home city of Chicago.
All signs point to us getting hands on time with the Moto 360, Moto X+1 and Moto G2 in conjunction with learning about their US release dates.
Its global plans are even more of a mystery. Motorola has promised to launch the Moto 360 outside of its home territory, saying that it's a "global company." But it hasn't said much more than that.
Moto 360 price
Motorola inadvertently clued us in on the Moto 360 price through the official rules of its watch face contest, suggesting its "average retail value" is $249. Backing this up, US retailer Best Buy lists the same price.
In the UK and Australia, that would translate to £148 and AU$175. Want it for that price? Fat chance! Expect to pay closer to £175 and AU$275 based on the LG G Watch and Gear Live pricing.
After all, direct dollar-to-pound conversions of the US$250 price would make Moto 360 cheaper than the other watches in the UK and Australia. It's new parent company is likely to put the "no" in "Lenovo" when it comes to such a deal.
For comparison, the LG G Watch is on sale for $229 (£160, AU$250) and Pebble Steel is just north of that price in the US at $249 (about £149, AU$267). Samsung Gear Live is cheap too at $200 (£170, AU$250).
Competing with these prices isn't so far-fetched, though it's not like Moto 360 needs to price match. Its wireless charging and circular screen could easily fetch a premium.
Even if the Moto 360 does cost more than a smartphone on-contract, early adopters are likely to pay for the convenience of offloading notifications from the phone to their wrists.
That has been our favorite part of Android Wear so far. Not having to our our phones out of our pockets or rush to our device charging in another room to see why it vibrated is a worthy convenience.
Android Wear promises to do much more than yet, but solving that one pet peeve with easy-to-dismiss notifications on the wrist could make the sleek-looking Moto 360 the must-have wearable of 2014. At least, until the iWatch shows its ticking time face.
- Decision time: Moto 360 vs LG G Watch vs Samsung Gear Live
http://ift.tt/1n2foYK
No comments:
Post a Comment