Though they have not been all that popular, Android Wear is definitely a concept for which time has come. Pun aside, there is really no better smartwatch alternative for Android users than having a very Google-oriented wearable on their wrist that extends their smartphone perfectly. But you don’t see a lot of people wear Android Wear and I personally think the battery life, or the lack of it, on these devices are primarily to blame. Now, Indian Android lovers have the option of spending some quality moolah on a premium smartwatch with the Google OS. LG Watch Urbane When I saw it for the first time at the IFA in Berlin last year, I was more than convinced that the LG G Watch R was the perfect Android Wear device for those who were really bothered about how their watch looked. It was without doubt the most stylish smartwatch at that point of time. The new LG Watch Urbane takes that concept to a premium level adding elements of watchmaking not generally associated with geeky gadgets. This is pretty much the point where new age technology and classical horology meet. Specs: 1.3-inch Full Circle P-OLED (320x320p) display| 45.5 x 52.2 x 10.9mm at 66.5g | 1.2GHz Quad-Core processor } 512MB RAM/ 4GB eMMC | Bluetooth 4.1 LE | IP67 | 9-Axis, PPG sensors | 410 mAh battery | Android Wear OS Price: Rs 30,000 What is good? If you are a bit traditional and classical with your timepiece preferences, then this watch has a good design. For others, especially those like me, at least the gold version of the watch, which I got for the review, is a bit too much of bling. I am not saying the design is bad in any way, it is a matter of personal choice and there were quite a few others who gave me more than a stare for wearing the near-copper finish watch to work. I would stick to the quieter silver version. The overall build quality and feel of the watch invokes a lot of confidence. Without doubt the shell of the watch will far outlive the gadgetry inside. The watch face options are stylish and go really well with the rest of the watch. Android Wear is easy to use as all smartphone users, except for those who have never looked beyond Apple, are well versed with how Google Now works. The OS actually shows you a different version of these cards, but it is the same thing. They are there more to inform than to execute and for the latter you will still need to depend on the phone. LG has added two apps, at least one of which adds considerable value to the device. LG Call lets you access your call list and initiate a dial with the help of a Bluetooth headset. There is also LG Pulse to keep track of your activity and other indicators, but the Google Fit app too does that quite well. Personally, I find the need to use three devices to make a basic telephone call regressive. What is not good? There are quite a few things not right about the LG Watch Urbane. To start with, the OS keeps crashing. This kept happening, even though I did at least three factory resets within a 10-day period and that too paired with different devices. Strangely, this has not happened to any other Android wear I have used before. The watch, like most smartphones these days, heats up once in a while. This happens when it is trying to update something from the phone, or where there is a flurry of notifications. So it is certainly not a good idea to keep Twitter and Whatsapp notifications on - the Android Wear app lets you switch off notifications for certain apps. The battery is still an issue. It has improved from Version 1 of Android Wear, but 36 hours is still a bit too less. The chances are when you decide to wear your brand new timepiece for a party, there will be no juice in it. Should you buy? Yes, if you are a lover of watch, the sort that wears a different one every single day. There are not many smartwatches around that can go with your TAG Heuers and Breitlings. This will sync so well with those straps. For those who want a smartwatch to last them an entire week, like the Pebble, Android Wear still does not have the answers. We sure hope that time will come soon.
