Why the Apple Watch will be the ultimate brand loyalty barometer

Apple are renowned for the brand they've created. The Apple brand is one envied by all other manufacturers because it is desirable and aspirational.

Simply put, Apple is the one that people will queue for. Users want Apple products, regardless of cost, but because of status.

Until now, Apple have been able to rely on the highest levels on brand loyalty when launching new items, even when the products haven't been cutting-edge or particularly innovative. They've leant on that loyalty with launches of the iPhone 4S and the 5S, alongside endless minor upgrades to the Macbook. The public still flock.

It is also true that Apple have always produced products that sit towards the top-end of the pricing spectrum, tugging on that brand loyalty to lace the pockets of the company. It's true of the iPhone, MacBook and now, the Apple Watch. Users have been able to show-off an iPhone as the same phone that the celebs use. It's been a status symbol and continues to be so. It may be the same with the Apple Watch, as Apple will be sure to intelligently seed the watch to influential figures. The key difference however, is that the iPhone and MacBook have demonstrated clear consumer purpose, so whilst they've been priced high, consumers have been happy to part with the money to ensure the seeming quality.

Everyone needs a smartphone. Apple makes them happy to part with a little bit more in order to get one.

This is not true for the Apple Watch. Apple have, alongside all other manufacturers, failed to show a purpose to owning a smartwatch - and perhaps even more concerning is a battery life that will only last 18 hours. Being priced north of £300 for the sport edition, and £450 for a fashion edition (not forgetting the watches priced at £1,000-£10,000) the price is pushing consumers to the edge of their loyalty to the Apple brand.

There's no denying that whilst Apple are continuing to post staggering profits, their brand loyalty has been shaken over the last few years. Their innovation and high-end quality have been placed under scrutiny, and the numerous competitors have had an impact.

Come April 24th, we'll be able to judge just how powerful that Apple brand loyalty really is and be in a position to see if and how that brand loyalty has been affected - using the Apple Watch as a barometer.

Thoughts welcomed.

Ignore Wearables - You don't need them

'Wearable Technology.' The buzzwords of 2014, the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2015. Tech companies are pushing 'wearables' in the direction of consumers and saying, "That'll work, they love this stuff". But do they? Do consumers really want it? The signs are suggesting no, not yet.

Firstly, I'm not including fitness bands in this. Fitness bands have a proven purpose and have sold relatively well. Other wearables, however, are still in 'geek' territory. People like me, into my tech, want wearables, simply to pick apart about how amazing some aspects of the technology are, and how woeful the rest is. Google cancelled Glass through little more important than a growing lack of interest. They felt they couldn't make it work for the moment.

Smartwatch sales are frankly, very poor. Pebble have had limited success with 1m sales in just over 2 years and so have Samsung (mainly because the watches are given away with Galaxy devices). Maybe the introduction of the Apple Watch will change that. Apple has a habit of doing making something currently available, copying it, and making it desirable.

The immediate reaction from consumers has been quite clearly - we don't really care. The intrigue isn't there, and it is just lost on the mass audience. Research by Fizz (below) shows a few problems for wearable manufacturers:

Firstly, the average price willing to be paid is far below the current price of wearable tech. Many Android Wear devices cost somewhere north of £200, and if rumours are to be believed, the iWatch could cost double that. More than half of those that responded with interest about smartwear mentioned cost would be the deciding factor which will worry manufacturers.

Finally, the purpose issue is of utmost importance. 37% of respondents pointed to a lack of necessity for the devices being the reason for lack of desire.

These items still have failed to find their place in society. There is no need for them. In response to the lack of purpose, wearables are trying to do everything. I use 1% of the Sony Smartwatch 2 capability on a day to day basis. The reviews are relatively useless, when in practice, those features just don't step into everyday life. Nothing has changed since I first wrote about the Samsung Galaxy Gear in 2013. Back then I complimented the smartwatch on its appearance and functionality. I still defend that stance with my 2013 hat on - but really, the smartwatch should have come on a lot since then. They've cracked the appearance element - now just for sorting the need.

(Huawei's new smartwatch - gorgeous)

It's a criticism I levelled at Microsoft with Windows 8 - too much, too fast. We're just reaching the point when smartphones are struggling to progress in innovation, and that needs a chance to settle and allow flagship capabilities seep through to the lower-end.

The smartwatch is an incredible feat, it really is. To cram all that technology into such a small piece of kit is astounding - but that doesn't mean it needs to be forced to consumers who are voting with their wallets.

Wearables will breathe again, but manufacturers need to find out how they can help the consumer before they'll fly off the shelves. For the moment, they might as well be ignored.

SmartWatch Evolution in Appearance - Not Purpose

It's always nice to be on the money, and thankfully, regarding smartwatches, I have been.

It wasn't long ago that I was writing about the central problem with the smartwatches on the market - was that, first and foremost, they had forgotten to be a watch. I used the first Samsung Galaxy Gear and, whilst enjoying the technology, just couldn't get past the central issue - I didn't really want it on my wrist. 

Let's be honest, the smartwatch is a novelty. It serves no important purpose. Yes, it makes checking notifications that tiny bit quicker, but making £150+ difference to a life? No chance. It's for the people with the disposable income, or want to be on the forefront of technology, or finally, for fashion. It's that last point which is where manufacturers have finally cottoned-on. Us tech geeks are not a mass-market. We're a cynical bunch who are rarely 'fashionistas' so we are able to look past the image, and more at what the thing can do.

So, using my unpenetrable testing criteria for the appearance of the watch, I tested out the Sony Smartwatch 2 through London. Overall, it's only a rare and investigative second-look look that claims the attention of the passer-by. For me, that's the way it should be. It should be a watch, first and foremost, with technology following. I chose the Sony Smartwatch 2 because it looked most like a watch, and not some space-age invention.

With the Moto 360 and Pebble Steel leading the way, manufacturers have caught up. LG G-Watch R followed, and now finally Samsung too, with the Gear S. Obviously, the iWatch too. These watches have stripped back the technology, and focused on design, with more subtle (and more practical) technology.

I use 1% of the Sony Smartwatch 2 capability on a day to day basis. The reviews are relatively useless when in practice, those features just don't step into everyday life. 

Nothing has changed since I first wrote about the Samsung Galaxy Gear in 2013. Back then I complimented the smartwatch on its appearance and functionality. I still defend that stance with my 2013 hat on - but really, the smartwatch should have come on a lot more since then.

Big challenges await Xiaomi

There's no doubt about it. The new kids on the block are here to stay.

Xiaomi had a standout 2014. Sales of 61.12m smartphones in 2014 brought the company into third place in the smartphone market, only behind Samsung and Apple. In fact, they outsold Samsung and Apple in China during 2014. However, the path they are about to walk isn't a downhill stroll from here, and plenty of obstacles still stand in the way.

Firstly though, how have they managed to jump straight into the race with the top two? Simply put, through targeting emerging markets with a strong pricing model, and getting the right balance of smartphone innovation with consumer-desired basics.

At this point, you might be thinking: "I've never heard of Xiaomi". Well, if you're in a 'Tier 1' nation, then don't be surprised if you don't know much about Xiaomi, or if you've never seen a Xiaomi phone. Also, don't be surprised if that doesn't change soon. Hugo Barra, VP at Xiaomi, said that it'll be a little while before Xiaomi is in a position to take on the UK, the US etc. That's a sensible route forward. To take on the Tier 1 markets, it's all about the brand - and eastern 'budget' brands typically find it harder to break into the market.

The Tier 1 consumer is sceptical of budget brands - and this, matched with a desire for ever-progressive and top range electronics, means that budget isn't a particular selling point. I've said before, phones like Project Ara are commendable, but will struggle to break down the Tier 1 markets on mass. This is because of the same desire for latest technology and brand-new electronics.

This is what Huawei have tried to do, but have stalled in doing so. The brand-strength is not resistant to the stresses of Tier 1 consumers, and brand-presence is the same. Learning from the mistakes of Huawei, and adding a premium effect to the Xiaomi brand is vital in breaking into the Tier 1 markets.

As we saw in 2014, the mid-range pricing was the force when the Tier 1 markets swung. The successes of HTC's Desire range highlighted this, and it's similar with the likes of the iPhone C. Mid-range smartphones, with low-line or sim-only contracts are where Tier 1 has settled for the time-being.

This doesn't fit with Xiaomi as yet.

2014 was a big year for Xiaomi - and there is no doubt that 2015 will be as well. However, there are big challenges awaiting Xiaomi when they want to push into Tier 1. The main one - can they make the Xiaomi brand resonate with a Tier 1 market? We'll have to wait and see.

Do you agree/disagree? What do you think of the Xiaomi branding, positioning and short-term future?

iWatch: It's a design dilemma

Rumours of Apple's iWatch are continuing to circulate and gain a lot of momentum. The latest reports are that there will be up to 20 different available designs for consumers and a whole host of sensors tracking your every move. In all reality, reports on Apple device releases are usually well off the mark. Remember how the iPhone 5 was due to have an inbuilt keyboard projector? Yeh - you get the gist.

I think we're all in agreement that Apple will produce an iWatch, but 20 designs? Samsung? Yes. Apple? No. That would represent a giant shift in Apple's approach to the production of consumer devices. Up until now, Apple have been steadfast in producing one design for the iPhone, one design for iPod etc upon each release. Would they really change that?

Let's assume there is the one iWatch. How do Apple approach it? So far, we've seen two companies get it right, Pebble and Motorola. Both companies have prioritised design, and this will help significantly in their attempts to penetrate the market. Motorola in particular are pushing the boundaries of design by opening up the look of the Moto 360 to the public via a competition. A couple of the best entries are below - but they range from classic to zany. With few exceptions, they all look very good.

Samsung have been a major letdown. I praised their work with the Galaxy Gear first edition because they were trying something different and pushing boundaries. After the experiment they should have learnt from it and adapted, however they appeared to have already started developing the Gear 2 without learning from consumers. The poor sales were not just because of the technology and capability, more important was the design and price.
     Pebble were far more intelligent. They looked at the product and gained feedback before designing the Pebble Steel - and look at the results! They've now produced a watch that people would buy - regardless of the smart capabilities!



























With this precedent, what will Apple do? The concepts to this point have headed in the futuristic direction, which makes sense with Apple's traditional style, minimalist and glossy. The Apple direction certainly doesn't shout leather strap. This example is far closer to what I'd anticipate from Apple, without a dramatic shift in the company outlook.



If this is how Apple are to approach it, they are making a major mistake - and following Samsung and LG into a tech (not consumer-led) direction. If smartwatches are to become a part of our everyday lives, then manufacturers need to conquer the most important aspect of a watch - it's appearance. It's a accessory, and an accessory must look good. The tech is secondary (however difficult that is for me to say).

Used a smartwatch? What're your thoughts on them and what's on offer?

The HTC One M8: Everything you need to know

So, HTC have launched their follow-up to the highly-acclaimed HTC One by launching the HTC One M8. In the words of HTC ‘The Best Got Better’, but exactly how true is that? I went hands on with the M8 over the course of a week to find out.

What’s new?

The externals
It's now a 5" HD-screened phone, which is certainly on the larger side. It shows off the screen beautifully, but in the same breath it can take two hands to operate at times. It’s bigger (by 0.3”) and noticeable in appearance but not in feel. The screen is even more shown-off than the HTC One and every comment from peers mirrors this. It's stunning.

I'll look at the appearance a bit more later in this review, but HTC have stuck largely with the shell of the M7 with a few tweaks to the front chassis by removing the off-screen buttons and rounding-off the edges. In short, the most beautiful phone on the market has been given a six-pack and a tan!

Under the bonnet
HTC have made a few upgrades in this department. The processor has jumped to 2.3GHz from the 1.7GHz on the One M7. It has also been boosted to 2GB RAM and now includes the new highly-rated Snapdragon 801 processor. Believe me, this thing will deal with anything you throw at it with the utmost of ease.

Gesture functions whilst the phone is sleeping:
A big change from HTC is the inclusion of a multi-gesture wake-up. This can be done from a double-tap and swipes left, right, up and down. All produce different results

I found the swipe to be a little redundant to be honest but this was because of the force of habit to simply swipe to unlock – not open to a new destination. A bit of customisation though, alongside training your mind to head straight to different areas of your phone, will make this feature quite handy.
      A great addition was the double-tap to wake. I’ve used this all the time as it feels like a natural movement and with a phone that's on the larger-side, not having to switch on from the top makes a difference. Another great addition is the quick photo gesture when the phone is in landscape mode and the user presses volume down.

Camera Functions
HTC have added a plethora of new post-edit options for the camera, and these all focus around the brand new, headline-grabbing ‘Duo Camera’ that brings a depth-sensor to a mobile phone for the first time. This depth sensor allows for one of the camera’s new headline features – ‘U-Focus’ which allows the user to post-focus an image to the foreground or background.

In addition to this, HTC have added ‘3D Dimension Plus’, which provides a slightly pointless ability to make a image 3D. It’s good fun, and one of those things you show-off once, but there really isn’t any use for it.

     I look at the Duo Camera as primed for developers to take it to a different level. HTC have started the job – the hardware is great but the result is probably a little gimmicky, but gives 3D developers, for example, a chance to use this and we could see some wonderful results. 

HTC have also added a new camera navigation that’s nice and simple. The quick choice between six options is a welcome upgrade to the unnecessarily convoluted M7 layout:

What's Improved?

Appearance
Let's not forget that the HTC One M7 was widely acclaimed for its appearance. It was regularly seen alongside titles of "Best Looking Phone". So how do you improve on that? At the launch event, HTC Head of Design, Daniel Hundt, said that the aim for this phone was to appear premium, yet approachable. Well it’s certainly premium. The beautiful brushed metal finish is spectacular and isn’t as slippy as expected – partly due to the lovely weight of the phone. 90% of the body now consists of the metal body, compared to 70% on the M7, and this allows for a lovely feel that sits comfortably in the hand as the sides have been further curved. 

Battery
Battery-life is up 40% according to HTC and after testing it's certainly improved, if not to quite that extent. The One M8 will still need charging every night at moderate-high use but that is to be expected in the modern-day smartphone market. HTC have improved on their power-saving mode however. The new 'Extreme Power Saving Mode' (inventive progression of name) only allows five essential functions on the phone (phone, SMS, mail, calendar, and calculator) to operate, which gives an impressive 30 hours of standby time in return for just 10% battery. This has been a lifesaver so far - really useful.

Camera
In addition to the new camera features, there have been upgrades on last year as well. Firstly, the autofocus and shutterspeed is now lightning quick, and more effective. This is aided by the depth sensor and the Ultrapixel technology that allows further light into the sensor. The main improvement has been in low-light, where all smartphones have struggled in recent years. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not perfect, but it’s markedly improved.

I’ve seen a bit of negativity about the camera in strong light, like blazing sunshine, but this wasn’t my experience. The camera operated superbly. HTC have stuck with the Ultrapixel technology (this allows more light into the sensor and provides more stability to an image) that seems to make sense on a technical level but hasn’t translated to consumers.
      Any complaints on the camera for the M7 were misplaced as it really is one of the best on the market – the M8 only improves on that opinion. 

BlinkFeed
BlinkFeed has improved. It now possesses customisable themes and allows for more content feeds such as Instagram. HTC have also opened it up to developers, which is exciting. BlinkFeed offers that short sharp snacking of content, and this works but can still improve. The open API will only help this. However, if BlinkFeed isn’t for you, then don’t worry – you can get rid of it.

HTC Sense 6
The smaller updates have followed on with HTC’s next version of their Sense UI. It’s now a bit cleaner, simpler, flatter and has a brighter appearance. This is only a good thing for HTC as they’ve moved more in line with the stock Android layout.

What's Returned?

MicroSD is back! A superb move from HTC who have listened to public opinion and included a hugely popular feature. This allows the storage of the M8 to be boosted from either 16GB/32GB to 128GB. This is something that I really missed on the One, and the One X, so I'm delighted to see it return. This isn't the only feature to come back. The multitasking windows button is apparent once more after it was replaced by a double-tap on the home button in the One M7. The buttons have now been moved onto the screen.

What's Disappointing?

Always Listening
I'm disappointed to see the 'always listening' Google Now feature not included in HTC devices. It's a real plus point to the Moto X. That being said, it takes a split-second to flick on Google Now and say 'Ok Google' to get rolling.

Nano Sim
Personally, I think the use of a Nano sim is frustrating. I know it doesn’t take a moment to sort out but I’m not that sure why HTC decided to switch to a Nano Sim when their previous phones have been consistently Micro-Sim. There appears to be no discernable benefit other than size – and let’s be honest, that’s not at a premium.

The Gallery
The Gallery is becoming a bit confusing. In HTC’s desire to make the Gallery a professional entity, they’ve focused more upon Zoe (which I’ve never been convinced by) and less on the simple folders that users want. In reality, I believe users just want to access a gallery of their photos easily – HTC seem keen to take consumers to a place they don’t seem to want to be.

Name
Name: Why? The HTC One M8? Just not a fan. No.

Headphone Jack
Finally (and this is definitely a case of personal preference) I'm not a fan of the headphone jack now appearing on the bottom. It works well on the top of the M7 - why change it? It just feels unintuitive. 

So where does the phone stand in the grand-scheme of things?

When I looked at the rumours before the launch, I'm not afraid to admit that I was a little disappointed. Each year we tech geeks look for something revolutionary - game changing. It just didn't feel like the M8 was that phone, and to be fair, it's not. However, when you look at it in context, its difficult to criticise.
      The biggest compliment that can be paid to the HTC One M8 is that it is better than its younger brother. The M7 was one hell of a phone. Without doubt the best phone on the market, and without the M8 it still would be. HTC have succeeded in refining the phone and taking it to the next level. That takes some doing, and they should be commended for achieving it. The M8 is not without fault - but it is as close to perfection as you will find in the mobile market.

So, what’re you waiting for? It went on sale straight away.

HTC market saturation - dejavu in practice and result

There's a touch of dejavu about the latest reports around HTC's decision to begin the production of cheaper smartphones as a priority with the reported Desire 8 (pictured below) a starting point. The problem is that the last time they pushed in this direction, it was from a position of great strength - not desperation, as they currently find themselves. 

What HTC need, and are looking for, is market share. They're hoping that producing cheaper phones will be a quick fix to keep pace with the likes of Nokia, LG and Huawei in the fight for the final 20-30% of market share left by Apple and Samsung. However, what HTC need is brand loyalty, and they're not going to get there by producing cheap phones. The HTC One is critically regarded as the best phone around. HTC simply need to be better with their marketing. If they don't market one 'phone of the year' well enough, how an earth are they going to get it right when marketing a series of them? After all, they haven't got a great record with trying market saturation. That's the consumer view. The trouble is, in the eyes of their investors, they need to turn a profit and that pressure is crippling the company. HTC are making quick, snap changes to try and find a quick solution. Unfortunately, I just can't see it working.

Can you?

The Tech & Musing Christmas Guide: Tablets

The second in the Tech & Musing Christmas Guide takes a look at the tablets on the market. Despite another year of iPad dominance in the tablet sector, the three recommendations below offer plenty of variety in the operating system stakes. See what you think:

Low range: Nexus 7

One of my favourite products from 2012 makes another appearance in the 2013 list. Given its price, and ability, I still believe it is the best choice for the everyday user wanting a tablet for the basics. It's direct competitor - the iPad Mini - has a poorer resolution, less power and a poorer battery life - all for a significant chunk more money. It's no contest. I maintain that if you're in the market for an iPad - just splash out a little more on the iPad 2 (below).
      Anyway, back to the Nexus 7. 2GB RAM, an HD screen and 9 hours of video playback, for that price, it's a no-brainer of a purchase. If you're looking for something a little cheaper, a little smaller - but even if you've got the scope to spend higher, don't ignore the Nexus 7, by any means. Oh - did I mention wireless charging? Yeh, it has that as it's cherry on top. 

Mid range: iPad 2

It was always going to be on my list, but the iPad is still the king of tablets. Android simply isn't offering the alternative challenge to the iPad, and if you want anything larger than a 7" tablet, the iPad is the best route to go. Now, with the huge number of iPad's available (and with barely discernible names), which should you buy?

     The one on your lips might be Apple's attempted Christmas smash - the iPad Air - but despite an inspiring ad, it's a thoroughly uninspiring product. Your money would be best-placed by spending it on the iPad 2. It's still a top-quality device and you save a significant amount by picking up a slightly older version.

Top range: Surface Pro 2

Perhaps a surprise addition on this list, the Surface Pro 2 is my 'money is no object' recommendation for a tablet this Christmas. At an eye-watering price of £800, it certainly won't be the tablet of choice for many, but it's the only competitive tablet on the market that can function as a laptop as well. The original Surface had its problems, but was an impressive device - the Surface Pro 2 rectifies those issues, and adds a whole lot more. Don't despair if you want a Surface but not at the Pro 2 price, you can pick up the original Surface, or Surface 2 for half the amount.

If you haven't tried a Surface, I would. It's a solid device, and one that is enjoyable and importantly, useful. If you want that tablet-laptop hybrid, the Surface 2 is your best option.

So, what do you think? Have I missed anything off the list? As always, if you're interested on other tablets, get in touch.
Keep an eye on the blog for the next in the Tech & Musing Christmas Guide - laptops.

Will KitKat finally satisfy the craving for less Android OS fragmentation?

"I'd like to move away from Apple, but the iOS ecosystem is just better than Android". It's a common quote - and understandably so. When Apple updated phones to iOS 7 - 90% of live Apple devices were operating it within a month. Whilst not being great for a vast number who have struggled with the update (especially battery life), this is great for Apple. Android have never experienced that luxury. 

There are 10 versions of the Android OS in circulation on smartphones, from the initial Android Donut to the latest Kit Kat - and Android 4.0 upwards (in my eyes, the turning point when the OS started to compete with iOS) only represents 61.2% of this. Therefore, only 61.2% of Android users are being treated to the best that Android can offer, that simply isn't good enough. There are still around 30% of Android users stuck behind on Android 2.3.3 (Gingerbread). Android is a different beast to what it was back then.

So why is Android 4.4 (KitKat) different? Simply put; it has been built to run on all Android devices from 512mb upwards (i.e 99% of them). This has been proven by the geniuses over at xda, who have put Android 4.4 onto the Nexus One and have seen brilliant results.

So why does having a consistent OS version make a difference? Surely it just helps those with poorer phones, and doesn't impact upon those with phones on Android 4.0 upwards? Partly true.

      For a start, as mentioned before, those with earlier Android devices would see a dramatic shift in the performance. After-all, the hardware of a device is just half the battle. That's not to say that those operating a newer version of the OS won't see an improvement - Android 4.4 is a cleaner version, and will further improve performance on even the newest of devices.

However, the main benefit to the Android ecosystem is via the app offering. It will be easier to provide widespread updates  for apps because developers will only have to consider one OS version. This is also true for the release delay in new apps. iOS often sees an earlier release of apps - simply because of the ease in developing for one OS version.

This could be the final turn of the knife from Android who, after successfully manufacturing better phones than the iPhone, will now be able to boast of a complete OS in partnership.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear Review

I've spent a while with the Galaxy Gear, and lived with the product. Below is a review of the best and worst of the first Samsung smartwatch.

Appearance

When early forms of technology are released, it’s always fun to look back in hindsight at the cumbersome, and clumsy look of it. The first camera phone for example – it attached to the bottom of the phone and had to be carried in a separate bag. I thought it would be the same for the Gear, that fitting such technology into a sleek watch was going to be impossible, but Samsung have done a good job on it.

The Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch - actually quite a masterpiece

The Galaxy Gear is made from a rubber strap, and stainless steel casing for a 1.63” AMOLED screen. It’s sleek, and doesn’t protrude extensively from the wrist. The materials are solid and certainly don’t feel cheap (even the rubber wristband). Granted, there’s always concerned about scratching the screen, but the opportunity for that to happen has arisen several times and the watch has stayed firm.

The Galaxy Gear doesn't extensively protrude from the wrist

Aesthetically, there is no problem for men, but there might be an issue with size for women. The Gear has attracted positive attention from onlookers and all of which wouldn’t mind strapping it to their wrists. I’ve been wearing the Gear for about a month now and haven’t been frustrated by its size or design, which is a great compliment to the job Samsung have done on it.

Functionality

Setting up the Gear is a fairly cumbersome process for the moment. The Gear Manager app is only available in the Samsung App Store, and when downloaded and linked via Bluetooth, the user needs to go onto Samsung Apps via the Gear Manager app to download the apps desired. However, after this set-up, the Galaxy Gear and Note 3 synced beautifully and flawlessly. This was one of the most impressive features for me. Phone calls, notifications, photo transfer, are all immediate and easy to use. The range is a standard Bluetooth v4.0, with a distance of a good 10-15 metres.

The Galaxy Gear boasts an impressive engine for a smartwatch, with an 800mhz processor, supported by 512 MB of RAM and a 4GB internal memory. I’ve used the Gear for over a week and haven’t experienced a split-second of lag which is hugely impressive. Lifting your wrist to look at your watch turns on the clock face (which flicks on after a split-second), or there is a power button on the slide of the screen.

The battery supports two days of regular use which doesn’t sound great, but when you consider that a watch is usually removed overnight, the user might as well put it on charge, right? Therefore, I didn’t find the charging issue especially problematic. It’s an easy set-up for charging where the Gear fits into a small hold, which then plugs into a micro-USB to charge. One thing to note however, is that when the battery does die, it renders the whole product utterly useless. A power-saving mode that only allows the watch feature, would be a move in the correct direction.

Features

The Galaxy Gear has been packed full of features, but there are a few to highlight:

• Call rejection: If your phone is ringing then you can glance at the caller ID on the Galaxy Gear and decide whether to swipe to accept/decline the call. If you swipe to decline, then you’re presented with an series of choices for an auto-response text to the caller. For example, ‘Just in a meeting, will call you after’. These template responses can be customised.
• Safety assistance: This is one of those features that hasn’t been shouted about because it’s not particularly glamorous, but in case of an emergency, the user can press the power button 3 times to send their location information to their saved contacts with message.
• S Voice: Samsung’s answer to Siri is very accurate on the Galaxy Gear, and it needs to be given that there isn’t a keyboard to use. There are plenty of functions to the voice commands, including opening apps, responding to messages and calling contacts. When away from too much background noise, this is particularly effective, and for once, actually quite useful.
• Find My Phone: Another simple but brilliant app is Find My Phone. Just a couple of taps on your smartwatch sets your phone ringing - even if it's on silent. For those that often can't find their phone around the house, this is very useful. 

On top of these, the contacts app works well, dragging over all contacts from the Note 3, onto the smartwatch allowing for quick calls. If you want to dial, then this can be done on a rather fiddly keypad brought onto the screen by swiping upwards from the clockface. S Voice instructions work well to dicatate a call recipient as well, as long as there is limited background noise.

On a media and entertainment front, the gallery is simple, but effective and displays both images and video. To transfer these to your phone takes a second to tap a button in the top right and selecting ‘Transfer’. Before you’ve looked at your phone, it will be there. Another nice addition is the Media Controller that allows users to control the music volume on their phone, and switch between tracks.

Music and entertainment controlling 

Finally, the watch has a pedometer tucked away that tracks steps taken, distance moved and calories burnt. It’s a nice addition, and appears to be accurate.

Apps

Without doubt, the Galaxy Gear will live or die based on the apps that are modified for the device, and ones created specifically for it. Currently, there are less that 30 apps available on the Samsung Galaxy Gear store, and quite plainly these are not enough. The key areas are covered, but not particularly well. There are unofficial Twitter and Facebook apps, as there is with Foursquare, but none of these are great. The syncing takes too long and they don't retain offline data, which renders the apps fairly obsolete. Not only that, official notifications from Facebook, Twitter and Gmail offer a button to ‘View on your device’ which is frankly a little pointless. These are sure to be developed further, and if upgraded correctly, would significantly enhance the experience of the Galaxy Gear.

Whilst the social networks aren't yet to be well represented, there are some positives with the apps:

• Pocket: One of my favourite apps has gone up another notch in my reckoning by adapting their service to smartwatch. Before you ask - no you don't walk around reading articles on your watch, instead, articles are read to you on hands-free or out loud. It's not perfect as the voice is too robotic and articles don't always read that smoothly, but it's an intriguing development and one that makes sense for the smartwatch.

• Snapchat: If ever a device was ready-made for Snapchat, it’s the Galaxy Gear. Okay, you can’t draw on the images, but the essence of what is brilliant about the platform is retained.
• The clock faces: There are a range of different watch faces for the Galaxy Gear, and weirdly, this is a great addition. It has become ‘thing’ for me to change the clock face every couple of days.

Camera
A simple downwards swipe from the clock face brings up the camera, and after touching the screen to take the picture, a swipe to the left brings up the gallery. However, this is where looking at a spec is simply not enough. When I saw a 1.9mp camera, I thought back to the old days where I was taking very blurry images on my Sony Ericsson T630i. However, the Galaxy Gear camera was one of the most gobsmacking features on the Galaxy Gear. The pixel density is enough, but the most impressive part of the camera is the image stabilisation. I’ve taken over 50 photos on the Galaxy Gear and only when I’ve done my best to blur the image has it struggled, otherwise, it has been superb. I did have problems with when overexposed to light, as glare interfered with the photo but this was a minor issue.

The lens for a near-2mp camera

In an age where we’ve got Nokia’s Pureview 42mp camera, the Gear brings us back to the reality that snapping photos for sharing on social media (essentially most of what we do) doesn’t require that pixel density. I’m not saying the camera is perfect; it certainly isn’t flawless, but I’ve taken some photos of impressive quality on it, which is more than I expected to be honest. When taking the Gear out golfing, I came up with the following images. Quite impressive, eh.:

Overview

Overall, I’ve been extremely impressed with the technology behind the Galaxy Gear. Looking away from the purpose it has in everyday life (find out what it has been like to live with the Galaxy Gear, here) this is a strong showing from Samsung. The best part of the Galaxy Gear is that it’s only going to get better. Once the app store has been developed, the smartwatch will become instantly more integrated in the lives of the owners, and in turn more appealing to those purchasing.

The Galaxy Gear has just been made compatible with a host of Samsung devices; Note 3, S4, S3, Note 2 and the Note 10.1, the S4 Mini, S4 Active, Mega 5.8/6.3 and the S4 Zoom. These will become available through an Android 4.3 update. Whilst this will be a blow to those who fancy giving the Galaxy Gear a go, but have a different Android handset, there are plans in the pipeline to open it out to other manufacturers.

If you’re interested in purchasing the Galaxy Gear and Note 3, head over here.

Living with a smartwatch: The Galaxy Gear case study

I lived with the Galaxy Gear for one month, wearing it all day, every day but making a real effort to not go in search for where a smartwatch could fit into my life. I wanted to go about my daily activities without forcing it into how I function, and instead see where and how it could be useful. 

There are plenty of reviews out there from people who have used a smartwatch for 5 minutes, and made a judgement call. They look at spec, expectations, features and then walk away. Critics tarnish the Galaxy Gear with their overriding opinion of a smartwatch and the question mark over its purpose. I wanted to veer away from this, and retrospectively analyse how I have been functioning differently with the Galaxy Gear. Essentially, I want to do is talk about what it's like to live with a smartwatch, and specifically, what it is like to live with Samsung's offering; the Galaxy Gear.

When I envisaged a smartwatch, I foresaw a bulky product that would only be worn by the real tech-geek. I wasn’t close. The Galaxy Gear sports a classy design, and with it on, I haven’t been conscious of its presence whatsoever and those that have noticed it, have commented positively on its appearance. So settling down with the Gear wasn’t a problem, and after a few days with the Gear, I begun to subconsciously use it for normal tasks. From here its murky role in integrating into my life started to become clearer.

The first thing I noticed, was the receiving of a text when I was in the middle of something, and how just a glance at my smartwatch didn’t break my stride or concentration. When it buzzed, I checked who I’d received a text from and then I’d action that  - if I wanted to respond then I could talk my response out to the Gear via S-Voice (I only use this at home), or take my phone out to respond. Most of the time however, a response could wait and I could switch focus attention straight back onto the task.

Secondly, and perhaps my favourite use, was the syncing on calls and reminders. If someone calls when I’m out, or in a meeting, I can glance at my watch, swipe to reject the call and choose an auto-text response – all with my phone somewhere else. If I wanted to answer it, I can talk straight into the smartwatch in a very Star Trek-esque fashion (I didn't like to use this), or switch it to my phone/hands-free. A reminder for a meeting pops up with a courteous buzz and you’ve got your information in a split second before dismissing it.

The camera was a surprise. It became a go-to option when snapping some day-to-day shots, which it does well. Obviously when I wanted a higher-quality image, then I’d take out the Galaxy Note 3, but the Gear became the first thought. For example, I took this on the underground when irritated by Apple’s iPhone 5C billboards:

Finally, I lost my phone down the side of the sofa (with the Galaxy Note 3 that’s surprisingly easy!) and instead of calling it, or spending a while searching, I just tapped upon the ‘Find my Phone’ app and found it immediately.

I’m not for one minute going to stand here and say that the Galaxy Gear, or any smartwatch for that matter, is an essential item to have. It’s not. However, I’m also going to disagree with many reviews that dismiss the Galaxy Gear as not being ready for the consumer. It is.
     The technology is wonderful. It’s a smooth user experience; a powerful piece of kit that doesn’t lag and it syncs instantly with the information on the user’s phone. Critics shouldn’t be lambasting Samsung for failing to achieve perfection on a first attempt, instead they should be applauding Samsung for getting anywhere close. Wearable technology is in it's absolute infancy but Samsung have done a superb job on the product, it’s the developers and the software that need to now get working.
     The Galaxy Gear, and smartwatches in general, thrive off the immediate; the snappy information. When football score updates, for example, are integrated into an app for the Galaxy Gear, then that’s where we will see it being loved. It’s that immediate content, which doesn’t require much thought or further explanation, that shows off the Gear and its purpose. Instagram for example would be ideal for the Galaxy Gear, after all, it already supports 15 second video and quick, easy-to-capture images, so why not? Whatsapp is another app that needs to be catered for, but support for these will come. The potential for the smartwatch, with apps such as these enhancing the experience, is greatly increased.

So, after two weeks with the Galaxy Gear, the smartwatch found a role in my life and this may have a completely different role in someone else’s. But it is really important to note that the thought of parting with the Galaxy Gear is genuinely quite saddening, and that says a lot about my enjoyment of the product.

I’m the first to say if the world isn’t quite ready for a product, I did with the Chromebook, and also with Windows 8, but I believe that the world is ready for the smartwatch. With continuing app support, the Galaxy Gear is ready for the world.

For the full product review, click here. If you’re interested in purchasing the Galaxy Gear and Note 3, head over here.