Samsung has recently updated the Galaxy Gear to display any and all notifications. In the past, Samsung's smartwatch forced users to use Samsung's own email app since it didn't show notifications for Gmail. Many apps would alert the Gear user with notifications, and do little else.. However, things have changed considerably due to the latest update, which allows all notifications to show up on the Galaxy Gear's display.
By using the Gear Manager on your Galaxy smartphone, you can select which app can and cannot display notifications on the Gear. These notifications can include anything from Twitter, and Facebook to Gmail. This should be seen as great news for folks who own the Galaxy Gear. They could have a real incentive right now to encourage their friends and family to purchase a Gear.
This new update is a huge improvement over what the watch was before. It could very well improve adoption before the likes of Apple and Google consider entering the smartwatch market.
The Galaxy Gear is Samsung's first smartwatch. The device launched to a less than welcoming affair. The Verge claims the device is cumbersome in its design, apps are buggy, the battery life is pretty poor for a watch, and the price is quite extravagant for what the watch offers to the user.
Probably the best thing about the Gear, is its camera. The Verge claims it has a surprisingly good camera, which is quite unexpected for a watch. However, we don't believe competitors will need to add a camera to their own device to compete effectively with the Galaxy Gear. How many users will use their wrist watch to take pictures? We believe the only possible way for a camera on a smartmatch to ever take off is if consumers find making video calls via their wrist productive and cool.
"The Gear's camera and phone calls are both surprising and delightful, but they're unfortunately isolated highlights. When all is said and done, I expect the Galaxy Gear will be looked back upon as a rough first draft that helped the Korean chaebol steer a better course en route to the goal of producing a real smartwatch. As it stands today, though - unintuitive, oversized, overpriced, and in constant need of a Galaxy guardian - the Galaxy Gear might have been better off staying on the drawing board." The Verge said.
