Developer MohammadAG gets Android Wear to work with iPhones, sort of
Google has hinted that it could eventually make Android Wear work with iPhones, but as the wearables platform is getting close to its first birthday, we’re yet to see an official integration. The good news is, if you really want to use your Android Wear smartwatch with an iOS device, an unofficial solution may be coming.
Android developer Mohammad Abu-Garbeyyeh, widely known on XDA as MohammadAG, found a way to push notifications from iOS to AW. MohammadAG, who is known for his work developing Xposed Framework modules, used a feature called Apple Notification Center Service (ANSC) that was first introduced on iOS7. This is the same feature that allows Pebble to receive notifications from iPhones via Bluetooth. Because it’s built into the operating system, making use of ANSC doesn’t require a special app – notifications from any app can be pushed automatically to a connected smartwatch.
To enable the feature, MohammadAG created an .apk that needs to run on the smartwatch, and the developer said he’s considering open-sourcing it. You will still need an Android device to set up the smartwatch and get apps on it, but the good news is you can use any iOS7 or higher Apple device, no jailbreak required.
Now, the Android Wear experience is more than just notifications and MohammadAG admits that this ANSC-based implementation is limited. But if you just want simple notifications, this could do. We’ll keep an eye on this little project and let you know when, if ever, becomes available.
Turn your G Watch R into a make-shift G Watch Urbane with a Dremel tool
Earlier this week, LG took the wraps off the G Watch Urbane. It’s an Android Wear watch poised to take on the Apple iWatch that offers a premium watch for those who aren’t impressed with the current crop of watches. As it stands, there isn’t word on pricing and availability but we’re sure to find that out next week at MWC. Even so, there are some that don’t want to wait for watch. Enter the do-it-yourselfers.
Anthony B, the man who was brave enough to use sandpaper to achieve a close facsimile of the premium G Watch Urbane the other day, has released a video for others to use as reference if they want to do it themselves. This time, rather than worry about sore fingers from using sandpaper, Anthony B is using a Dremel tool to achieve the same results. However, unlike using sandpaper, the Dremel (and a little polish) helps him give the G Watch R a polished metal look.
That said, if you have no problem taking a Dremel tool to a multi-hundred dollar piece of hardware, then we have the video from Anthony B for you below. It should be noted that if you take matters into your own hands then you’re responsible for the results. Anthony B had great results so with a little hard work and some precision, you’ll have a nice looking stainless steel G Watch R that rivals the new premium watch.
Click here to view the embedded video.
source: Anthony B
Come comment on this article: Turn your G Watch R into a make-shift G Watch Urbane with a Dremel tool
USA Today gets Android Wear support, lets you check top stories from your wrist
USA Today’s Android app has received an update today bringing a few new features for users. You’ll get your traditional vague bug fixes and improvements, a new video playlist section for keeping on top of the news clips in one place, and Android Wear support.
This update will let you quickly check the current top five stories from your Android Wear smartwatch without having to open the app. You won’t be able to read them on your watch (why would you want to?) but if you see something that catches your eye, you can take your phone out to catch up.
It’s hardly a massive update, but it’s good to see another app bringing Android Wear compatibility to the table.
Come comment on this article: USA Today gets Android Wear support, lets you check top stories from your wrist
Android Wear 5.0.2 update now being sent out to the Samsung Gear Live and the LG G Watch R
Manufacturers are said to be rolling out the Android Wear 5.0.2 update to a series of smartwatches today. As of now, users of the the LG G Watch R as well as the Samsung Gear Live are reportedly seeing the update notifications on their devices.
The Moto 360 started receiving the update yesterday, so we expect the likes of the ASUS ZenWatch, Sony SmartWatch 3 and the LG G Watch to get the update subsequently.
Android 5.0.2 mostly introduces bug fixes, so don’t expect any visual changes post the update. The update modifies Google Play Services along with bringing performance enhancements to the devices.
It will arrive over the air (OTA) and will require your wearable to have at least 80% of battery before proceeding. Are you seeing the update on your LG G Watch R or the Samsung Gear Live yet? Let us know below.
Via: Phone Arena
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New Moto360 update offers bug fixes and updated Play Services
For those of you with the Moto 360, you’ll be happy to know that Motorola has announced a new update for the Android Wear watch. While it doesn’t add to much in terms of excitement, it does add updated Google Play Services plus bug fixes and optimizations. According to Motorola you’re going to see it rolled out in phases over the next few days so your mileage may vary.
That said, you’ll be on the most current version of Android as soon as the update hits. When you get the update, you’ll need 80 percent battery life to install it. Let us know if you’re seeing the update.
source: 9to5 Google (photo via Ryan Shyffer)
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LG G Watch Urbane up for pre-order in the UK
The LG G Watch Urbane has appeared in leaks for quite a while now. Earlier today, we came across the possible pricing of the two premium smartwatches from the Korean manufacturer. And now, Expansys UK has listed the two variants of the G Watch Urbane with a price tag of £299.99 ($462).
Both the Gold and Silver models of the smartwatch are on offer and we’re hoping they will be made available together. The G Watch Urbane is essentially a metal version of the G Watch R. Thanks to the materials used in its making, it has a very premium appeal to it.
Internally, the smartphone has pretty much the same hardware as the G Watch R, so don’t expect any changes in functionality or performance. LG has remained silent regarding the global launch of the G Watch Urbane, but we expect to have more information over the coming days.
Source: Expansys UK (Gold) (Silver)
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An LG G Watch R owner sanded down his watch and it looks awesome
The LG G Watch R made waves after its announcement, largely due to its round display and premium build quality. In our full review of the device, we said the watch featured a fantastic build quality and a beautiful design. However, that may not be the case for some people. At least, it wasn’t the case for a certain LG G Watch R owner.
On his Google+ profile, Anthony B posted pictures of his G Watch R that’s been sanded down to remove the black paint. And paired with his metal watch band, the combination looks really nice. Now, I’m absolutely not telling you to go out and do this to your own G Watch R. Once you start sanding it down, there’s no turning back. Modifying products like this can always provide mixed results, so if you’re going to try it, be careful! If you are interested in doing it, however, just note that the above image shows some scrapes and scratches from the sandpaper, so you may want to take that into consideration before you do something this drastic.
But if you don’t want to modify your watch, LG just announced the LG Watch Urbane, a new Android Wear-powered smartwatch that gives off a similar look to the sanded down G Watch R.
So, what do you think? Do you prefer this design over the plan black look?
[New Android Wear App] Wear Charging Widget shows you relevent info while your watch is charging
One thing Motorola got right on the Moto 360 was the clock display when charging the device. It’s one thing that I missed greatly when I switched to the G Watch R. Now owners of all Android Wear smartwatches can enjoy the same thing with Wear Charging Widget.
Wear Charging Widget will automatically turn on when you charge your Android Wear watch. It looks very much like what displays on the Moto 360, but it adds the date and weather information, and it can be customized to an extent. The widget shows the current time, date, weather, and the battery charge. It even has that Moto 360-like round circle, giving you a visual of how much the watch has been charged.
The app itself lets you customize the brightness, the clock mode (12h or 24h), how the date is displayed, and whether you want Fahrenheit or Celsius for the temperature. You can even change the orientation of the clock so you can see it better. The app even prevents burn-in by moving the display slightly every minute.
The app is free, but you might notice that Google shows that there are in-app purchases. For now, that’s only for donations, but as the developer, vuxia, adds more options, that could become part of a premium package.
Come comment on this article: [New Android Wear App] Wear Charging Widget shows you relevent info while your watch is charging
Deal: Last chance to enter the Choose Your Own Android Smartwatch Giveaway
Android Wear is still a relatively new platform, and unfortunately that means most of the current Wear watches on the market have a high price tag. But what if you could win one? The Choose Your Own Smartwatch Giveaway, sponsored by our friends at StackSocial, will let you decide on which smartwatch you take home… for free! The contest has been going on for about a month now, and it’s almost over.
To enter, simply head to the giveaway page and enter your email address to win your choice of one of these Android Wear devices:
- LG G Watch R
- Motorola Moto 360
- Samsung Gear 2
If you’d like more than one entry to the giveaway, here’s what you do: after entering your email address, share the page on Twitter for additional entries. The more your friends and followers enter, the more entries you receive.
This is a great way to win one of the best first generation Android-compatible smartwatches on the market. The contest will only be open for another few hours, so be sure to sign up before it’s too late! Follow the link below to sign up.
Editor’s Note: This deal is through StackCommerce, in partnership with AA Deals Store and other StackSocial partners — and not an exclusive Android Authority contest.
Pebble app version 2.3 hits the Play Store with Android Wear compatibility
Pebble recently announced that they were bringing Android Wear compatibility and actionable notifications to their smartwatch platform, and those features have finally gotten the green light for users. The update is available on the Play Store and brings the Pebble application to version 2.3. This update will let any Android Wear app work with the watch, plus you’ll get the ability to quick reply to text messages with some predefined responses.
You’ll also see some bug fixes, as well as the new option for apps and watch faces to update while Pebble is idle. You can see the full changelog below.
Android Wear Notifications. Reply and act on Android Wear notifications (requires Firmware v2.9+). See http://pbl.io/f for full details.Pebbler-defined replies. Set your own replies to notifications (up to 5, so get creative, buddy!).Reply from Pebble using most Android-compatible SMS messaging appsAutomatic app and watchface updates when Pebble is idle.Support for Android 4.0+ devicesFixed Issues with Whatsapp notificationsUTF-8 support in PebbleKit JSBug fixes and stability improvements
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