Stand Alone VS Phone Companion

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dedesuper

Senior Member
May 28, 2013
95
42
Hi Everyone

I would like to hear what smartwatch Mode do you think is the best : Stand Alone or Phone Companion and answer some questions:

1.Standalone Mode what will be in this mode the most important and what you will use the most?

2.Phone Companion Mode : What you will use the most in this mode and what you will want to have ?

3.Phone Companion Mode : When you will receive a phone call do you think you will like to answer from your smartphone or your smartwatch ?

4.What Mode you will think use the most ?

5.Someone that use yet a smartwatch how is your experience what is not practical, what did you not like?
Specify the model and if its was a Standalone or a Phone Companion.


Thanks
Best Regards
Damien Douk
A.I Watch Creator
www.aiwatchtech.com
 
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vectron

Senior Member
Apr 23, 2011
3,407
2,636
Hi Damien, you probably know my reply already since we discussed it off-line ;)

For me Companion mode is the most important. I would like to receive notifications of who is calling (so I can keep my phone on mute most and out of sight), notifications of txt message and being able to view it on the smartwatch (typically an easy implementation since its a short plain unformatted text), notification of calendar events so I don't miss a meeting or an upcoming appointment, and email notifications with a preview of the message.

In my personal opinion, answering call from a phone is optional but not necessary. Phone call is a private thing. I just would like to see who is calling and then make a decision if I want to dismiss the call (maybe with a simple rejection button or an option to send a few pre-defined txt messages like "i'm busy" or "will call you back soon"). If I need to pick up the call, I can always get my phone out of the pocket or pick up the call on bluetooth headset. With text message and calendar events, as I mentioned above, it is nice to preview on the screen of the smartwatch where I think 1.54"+ display is big enough to preview simple short text. With emails, it would be nice to see who is it from and body of the text. I wouldn't expect replying back from the watch; if its important and needs my immediate attention - I will take out my phone and type away the reply.

Of course, music control (of the songs on the phone and also songs stored on internal to smartwatch microSD card) would be important. Also, getting weather notifications from the phone is a big plus, as well as battery status of your smartphone.
 
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dedesuper

Senior Member
May 28, 2013
95
42
A.I Watch

Hi Damien, you probably know my reply already since we discussed it off-line ;)

For me Companion mode is the most important. I would like to receive notifications of who is calling (so I can keep my phone on mute most and out of sight), notifications of txt message and being able to view it on the smartwatch (typically an easy implementation since its a short plain unformatted text), notification of calendar events so I don't miss a meeting or an upcoming appointment, and email notifications with a preview of the message.

In my personal opinion, answering call from a phone is optional but not necessary. Phone call is a private thing. I just would like to see who is calling and then make a decision if I want to dismiss the call (maybe with a simple rejection button or an option to send a few pre-defined txt messages like "i'm busy" or "will call you back soon"). If I need to pick up the call, I can always get my phone out of the pocket or pick up the call on bluetooth headset. With text message and calendar events, as I mentioned above, it is nice to preview on the screen of the smartwatch where I think 1.54"+ display is big enough to preview simple short text. With emails, it would be nice to see who is it from and body of the text. I wouldn't expect replying back from the watch; if its important and needs my immediate attention - I will take out my phone and type away the reply.

Of course, music control (of the songs on the phone and also songs stored on internal to smartwatch microSD card) would be important. Also, getting weather notifications from the phone is a big plus, as well as battery status of your smartphone.

Hi vectron
Thanks to taking your time to answer to all my questions, interesting suggestions like to see the battery status of your smartphone on your smartwatch seems to me a great Idea....
Just one question A.I Watch have a music player and you can play music directly from your A.I Watch, so why can be interesting to control your smartphone music from A.I Watch?

Best Regards
Damien Douk
A.I Watch Creator
 

vectron

Senior Member
Apr 23, 2011
3,407
2,636
If you pair up your smartwatch with a phone (wireless through bluetooth), your smartwatch becomes a controller just like any wireless headphone with playback control. That's how it works with a Pebble, Metawatch, and any other basic smartwatch. It becomes very useful when you are streaming music from your phone to external wireless speaker and can control playback right from your smartwatch.
 

dedesuper

Senior Member
May 28, 2013
95
42
A.I Watch

If you pair up your smartwatch with a phone (wireless through bluetooth), your smartwatch becomes a controller just like any wireless headphone with playback control. That's how it works with a Pebble, Metawatch, and any other basic smartwatch. It becomes very useful when you are streaming music from your phone to external wireless speaker and can control playback right from your smartwatch.

Hi Vectron
Thanks for your reply
Yes but If I am correct on all those smartwatches that you mention you dont have the possibility to add music directly on the smartwatch and due of that not able to connect them to a Bluetooth speaker directly you always need to past from your smartphone....
You dont think its useless on a stand alone smartwatch ??

Best Regards
 

vectron

Senior Member
Apr 23, 2011
3,407
2,636
Hi Vectron
Thanks for your reply
Yes but If I am correct on all those smartwatches that you mention you dont have the possibility to add music directly on the smartwatch and due of that not able to connect them to a Bluetooth speaker directly you always need to past from your smartphone....
You dont think its useless on a stand alone smartwatch ??

Best Regards

Yes, you are correct. Those other smartwatches don't have internal storage, so it makes sense to use them as wireless controller for audio playback on your smartphone. With AI Watch, TrueSmart and others you have an option of internal storage. As a matter of fact, I often use my TS as mp3-player on a wrist with my wireless headphones paired up directly. So in a way, its redundant to either play music from your watch or use your watch to control your music on the phone, since you can pair up external speaker directly to your watch. I do see your point now.
 

ofsinreno

Senior Member
Nov 11, 2009
532
100
I believe there is a need for both a Standalone and a Companion. A standalone is great for those of us who have to carry two phones all the time. I know many people at work who have to carry their work phone and a personal phone, and at work the only thing the personal gets used for is checking email and taking calls from the wife. To be able to use the watch for that while still carrying the work phone for use all day would be great. And to be clear, the watch would ONLY be used for the personal as a standalone, and not also a companion for the work phone at the same time.
As a companion, which is how I use my Smartq Zwatch now is fairly useful, but would be infinitely more useful if: 1. Low power Bluetooth internet tethering; and 2. I need the option to let the watch make changes to the phone. I bought this watch so that I could see when I received text and email messages without pulling my phone out of my pocket but now I find that every time I receive a message I have to delete it from my phone AND my watch which actually make MORE steps in the process in stead of making the process easier. If I could have the option to "Delete Message From Phone?" Each time I deleted the message on the watch then it would make the process faster.
Just my two cents.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk
 
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ofsinreno

Senior Member
Nov 11, 2009
532
100
While running today I had a thought. I use my smartwatch with my Galaxy Note 3. The phone is really big but I love the s pen, the media capabilities, and the battery life. But there are times when I'd rather not carry such a big phone so I keep an old galaxy Nexus lying around. What would be really cool would be to have all the cellular capabilities built into my watch with the ability to bluetooth tether lte data through the watch and into the phone. The the phone mfg's could make sick devices without having to include radios. Instead of having to pay $700 for this phone I could have bought a Note 8 for like $300. I know the watch would be more expensive, but some are already paying $300+ for a watch AND $600 for a phone.
Then when I go running for instance, the watch could connect via bluetooth to my headset and I wouldn't have to carry around my phone at all since this screen does nothing for me while running.

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk
 

cyrux004

Member
Mar 28, 2008
17
2
Hi Damien, you probably know my reply already since we discussed it off-line ;)

For me Companion mode is the most important. I would like to receive notifications of who is calling (so I can keep my phone on mute most and out of sight), notifications of txt message and being able to view it on the smartwatch (typically an easy implementation since its a short plain unformatted text), notification of calendar events so I don't miss a meeting or an upcoming appointment, and email notifications with a preview of the message.

In my personal opinion, answering call from a phone is optional but not necessary. Phone call is a private thing. I just would like to see who is calling and then make a decision if I want to dismiss the call (maybe with a simple rejection button or an option to send a few pre-defined txt messages like "i'm busy" or "will call you back soon"). If I need to pick up the call, I can always get my phone out of the pocket or pick up the call on bluetooth headset. With text message and calendar events, as I mentioned above, it is nice to preview on the screen of the smartwatch where I think 1.54"+ display is big enough to preview simple short text. With emails, it would be nice to see who is it from and body of the text. I wouldn't expect replying back from the watch; if its important and needs my immediate attention - I will take out my phone and type away the reply.

Of course, music control (of the songs on the phone and also songs stored on internal to smartwatch microSD card) would be important. Also, getting weather notifications from the phone is a big plus, as well as battery status of your smartphone.

So, is there a watch (ZGPAX, SmartQ, HOT) which does all of this today ? I don't see why this would be so hard today. Doesn't Android allow applications to communicate with notification manager. Isn't it just a matter of pushing all your notifications from phone to watch ? This is for messaging and phone calls. For email and other apps, update happens automatically on all devices which shouldnt need anything special to work on a watch
 

dedesuper

Senior Member
May 28, 2013
95
42
So, is there a watch (ZGPAX, SmartQ, HOT) which does all of this today ? I don't see why this would be so hard today. Doesn't Android allow applications to communicate with notification manager. Isn't it just a matter of pushing all your notifications from phone to watch ? This is for messaging and phone calls. For email and other apps, update happens automatically on all devices which shouldnt need anything special to work on a watch

Hi ofsinreno
Thanks for all your suggestions, A.I Watch definitely do that we working on a Phone companion app by Bluetooth, and not Bluetooth tethering to be more battery efficient for both side, for now we succeed to get notifications etc...We still testing everything with different Android versions.

Hi cyrux004
Yes you are right all the smartwatches that you mention have this possibility but for the ZGPAX and SmartQ its by Bluetooth tethering and its not at all battery efficient. for the Hot is not a stand alone smartwatch so only the Phone companion option.
A Bluetooth app of this kind is new for everyone so actually not a lot of developers know how to develop it.

Best Regards
Damien Douk
A.I Watch Creator
 

MontyMontie

Senior Member
Mar 29, 2012
90
4
I always carry two numbers. My company number rings the most and having that sim in my smart watch instead of having two phones would be easier for me. Options like camera, media, anti theft, sdcard and internal storage are something I need for everyday use. Wifi is a must and if possible since the watch can use simcard I can use gps and edge to connect if no wifi is available. I know for some of this may seem too much but I prefer my smart watch to be a back up for my phone just in case and also have the option of controlling my phone remotely.

Sent from my SM-N900 using xda app-developers app
 

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  • 1
    Hi Everyone

    I would like to hear what smartwatch Mode do you think is the best : Stand Alone or Phone Companion and answer some questions:

    1.Standalone Mode what will be in this mode the most important and what you will use the most?

    2.Phone Companion Mode : What you will use the most in this mode and what you will want to have ?

    3.Phone Companion Mode : When you will receive a phone call do you think you will like to answer from your smartphone or your smartwatch ?

    4.What Mode you will think use the most ?

    5.Someone that use yet a smartwatch how is your experience what is not practical, what did you not like?
    Specify the model and if its was a Standalone or a Phone Companion.


    Thanks
    Best Regards
    Damien Douk
    A.I Watch Creator
    www.aiwatchtech.com
    1
    Hi Damien, you probably know my reply already since we discussed it off-line ;)

    For me Companion mode is the most important. I would like to receive notifications of who is calling (so I can keep my phone on mute most and out of sight), notifications of txt message and being able to view it on the smartwatch (typically an easy implementation since its a short plain unformatted text), notification of calendar events so I don't miss a meeting or an upcoming appointment, and email notifications with a preview of the message.

    In my personal opinion, answering call from a phone is optional but not necessary. Phone call is a private thing. I just would like to see who is calling and then make a decision if I want to dismiss the call (maybe with a simple rejection button or an option to send a few pre-defined txt messages like "i'm busy" or "will call you back soon"). If I need to pick up the call, I can always get my phone out of the pocket or pick up the call on bluetooth headset. With text message and calendar events, as I mentioned above, it is nice to preview on the screen of the smartwatch where I think 1.54"+ display is big enough to preview simple short text. With emails, it would be nice to see who is it from and body of the text. I wouldn't expect replying back from the watch; if its important and needs my immediate attention - I will take out my phone and type away the reply.

    Of course, music control (of the songs on the phone and also songs stored on internal to smartwatch microSD card) would be important. Also, getting weather notifications from the phone is a big plus, as well as battery status of your smartphone.