Gear up for more Sport
> The Samsung wearable is not only compatible with all Android smartphones, but also comes with a slew of features
THE SAMSUNG Gear Sport is an attractive package. This wearable has all the features you would want, at the price of an entry- to mid-level smartphone, and comes in a contemporary design.
The Gear Sport looks and feels like a standard watch, and not a sports band. Its metal body is sleek and beautiful, but not as robust as I would like.
Bumps and scrapes leave scratches and dents on the metal body. To some, these add character, but to others, it’s only natural to want their thousandringgit wearable to look pristine.
Interchangeable silicone straps are a big plus in the design of the Gear Sport. They are comfortable, and come in a wide variety of styles.
The straps are also designed in such a way that they are less irritating on the skin.
That said, they still need a proper wash and brush once in a while to be kept clean.
Like many modern wearables, the Gear Sport is app-driven, but unlike most wearables, it can work independently without a smartphone.
Two buttons at the side of the watch function as the home and back buttons, the face dial works as a selector, and tapping on the touchscreen lets you select options, or confirm your selection. I did not find the ‘tap to confirm’ interface intuitive at first. I instinctively wanted to use a button to confirm my selection. But, in time, I got used to it. The face of the Gear Sport is a brilliant 360x360 resolution, 30.2mm circular Super Amoled display. I like how it is just detailed enough to make the text and graphics on the screen look crisp and legible. Of course, there is also a wide selection of built-in and downloadable watch faces to choose from, that take advantage of the lovely display. Inside the watch is a 1GHz dualcore processor with 0.75GB of RAM, and 4GB of storage. However, only 1.5GB of this storage is actually available for additional apps, customisation, and songs. The Gear Sport can connect to earphones via Bluetooth, and play music, audiobooks, or podcasts independent of a smartphone. Apps preloaded on the Gear Sport range from the daily step counter, to the proprietary Samsung Pay and a full suite of fitness environments.
All of them are reasonably useful, and I would not call any of them junk.
In the two weeks I had the device, I found myself using the hourly activity reminder, the media controller, and the notifications preview features the most.
I also found the battery life rating of the Gear Sport to be accurate, at three days.
I also learned to appreciate the relatively larger, highresolution screen, which allowed me to read full messages.
Like many wearables, the fitness suite on the Gear Sport is very supportive and forgiving, while being reasonably accurate.
The feature I used least in the Gear Sport was the S-Voice. This voice-activated interface reminded me of Dick Tracy and Knight Rider, but talking to my watch is not always more practical than using the manual controls. I think the two best features of the Gear Sport are its compatibility with all Android smartphones, (a relatively new feature with Samsung peripherals in general), and its swimmerfriendly features. It is rated up to 5ATM or 50 metres, and can track swimmers' stroke types, lap times, and more. The Samsung Gear Sport is available in black and blue, at the recommended retail price of RM1,299. For more, visit the Samsung Malaysia website.