Fitness trackers and smartwatches already count dozens of models, but among them there are those that try to combine the advantages of both camps. One of these devices is Gear Fit from Samsung.
A fitness bracelet that comes with a beautiful curved screen, a pedometer, a heart rate sensor, and a few other apps that should make this $200 device worth the money.
Did it work out Samsung? Let's find out.
Characteristics and display
"Wow" - that's what I thought when I first saw Samsung Gear Fit. First of all, I was struck by the screen: a 1.84 inch curved Super AMOLED display that wraps around the brush and looks amazing at the same time.
The panel is very bright and saturated, which puts this device head and shoulders above competitors with flat and muddy displays. However, in the bright sun it is almost impossible to see what is happening on it.
The “outdoor brightness” mode tries to help us with this and helps, but after five minutes it is automatically reset, and after that it has to be found again in the wilds of the menu.
An ambient light sensor would have been very useful here, which would automatically adjust the brightness to the environment, but Samsung decided that it could be dispensed with.
As for appearance: Fit is an oblong plastic module that fits into various rubber bracelets (6 different colors).
These bracelets (including the module) are comfortable to wear on the arm and do not restrict movement at all, which cannot be said about some other similar devices. However, it should be noted that the Fit looks too sporty, and if you are looking for a more sophisticated device, you should look for other watches.
The Fit has one physical button that you can use to select and switch between apps. Below is a heart rate sensor and a charging port. Inside you can find Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy, an accelerometer and gyroscopes. But something is missing. Namely, GPS, which could be very useful in measuring the distance you have traveled.
The charging dock is quite small and uses a special connector. This is not only inconvenient due to another extra wire, but also because this docking station is very easy to lose.
Same as new Galaxy S5 from Samsung, the Fit is IP67 certified, which means water-resistant to a depth of up to a meter for half an hour.
Features and Software
I will not pull the cat by the tail and immediately tell the whole truth: in terms of equipment, the Fit is wonderful, but the same cannot be said about the software.
Blame the fact that this device does not work on any Android, nor on Tizen OS. Instead, Fit uses its own chopped-off OS, which in principle does not support third-party applications. It's discouraging, but Samsung expects us to be satisfied with the set of standard apps that come with the watch. Really hoping.
On the home screen, you can attach widgets like a pedometer, weather, or a calendar with a clock. If you are not afraid of small letters, then on one screen you can fit three widgets at a time.
And if you want to increase them, then the application will help you with this. Gear Fit Manager for your Samsung phone. In it, you can customize each menu and also change other device settings. By the way, the control in the mobile application is implemented much more conveniently, so I would recommend using it.
From the point of view of a fitness bracelet
The idea of heart rate measurement is interesting enough on its own, but when used with the Gear Fit, it is almost useless.
Firstly, because it is not very accurate, because the sensor is very sensitive to sweat, position on the hand, as well as movements.
And secondly, actually measuring your pulse is not so convenient, because this only happens when you tell your watch that you are going to practice. And even then, you will need more than one attempt to get a more or less accurate result.
You can use the running mode as your own trainer. This mode, during a workout, will measure your heart rate and the duration of the session, and based on these data, will tell you to slow down or, on the contrary, pick up the pace.
You also have access to the walking mode, in which the pedometer will measure the distance traveled and the number of steps. However, this mode is located in a completely different corner of the menu, which greatly complicates navigation.
All this could be endured if the pedometer at least worked correctly. Instead, it's not only inaccurate, it doesn't want to sync with the mobile phone app. S Health.
Unfortunately, the Fit couldn't get beyond tracking your steps and heart rate. And the tracking is bad.
The sleep tracker doesn't make much sense either. In order to determine whether you are sleeping or not, Fit uses an internal accelerometer and ... that's it. The data obtained is very narrow and you won’t be able to emphasize anything interesting from them, because the watch simply remembers what time you go to bed (you yourself specify the time), and what time you wake up. Do you know what two items can do the same thing? Pen and paper.
In terms of smartwatches
As you already understood, the fitness tracker from Fit came out so-so. But how does this device play the role of a smart watch?
Fit can notify you of new calls, messages and incoming emails, but it does it badly. It's all about the screen. If you look at it horizontally, then the neck and hand have to be bent at a very uncomfortable angle.
Plus, most apps don't even display the content of the message or call, but simply show a teaser that lets you view the notification on your phone.
There is also a timer, media player and stopwatch. This is where the functions end, and we remain dissatisfied. After all, there are very few functions themselves, they work terribly, and applications from third parties are simply not supported.
Power and running time
There is also a small problem with the screen itself. It's nice to look at, but the content itself isn't.And all due to the fact that, as I said before, it is very inconvenient to look at Fit in horizontal mode. This problem is solved by switching the screen to portrait mode. However, this greatly affects the length of the text.
At least connecting the watch to the phone was easy enough. My Galaxy S5 never lost connection, and the hand-raising screen unlock feature, while clumsy, is fun enough to play with for an hour or so (?!).
In terms of battery life, Samsung promises us three to four days of survivability. And after a week alone with the Fit, I have to agree: this watch lasts long enough.
During my use, I charged the device only twice, and both times it lasted for four full days. And while I understand that if I were more athletic, the battery would drain faster, the standard battery life figure is well suited to an average person like me.
Rivals
The $200 Gear Fit is unique, combining both a smartwatch and a fitness tracker.
But the fact that this device does both of these things very badly means that I can't recommend it for purchase, whatever watch you want.
Other devices in his league can easily beat the Gear Fit. The main such gadget is Adidas miCoach Smart Run($400). This fitness tracker Adidas successfully combines several useful functions at once. And although it costs twice as much, it works great, which cannot be said about the Samsung Fit.
Results
pros
- Comfortable bracelet
- Gorgeous AMOLED screen
- Long working time
- Can't install apps
- Sensors are inaccurate
- Narrow screen isn't always easy to read
- Small and inconvenient charging station
However, somewhere along the way, the Korean mogul forgot that features and functions are not everything, and for them to work, you need good software that can use the equipment to its fullest.
Some features are interesting and even somewhat convenient (alerts and a clock), but the pedometer and heart rate counter are very inaccurate, and the sleep tracker is practically useless.
I would love to love Gear fit and wear them every day. But Samsung forgot that a good device needs good apps. Perhaps the company will add support for third-party apps, and then we will finally get a device that works great. But until then, Gear fit is simply not worth the money.
A successful hybrid of smartwatch and fitness bracelet
Smart fitness bracelet Samsung Gear Fit was the main surprise of the Mobile World Congress held in February. If the announcement of the Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone was expected, and the new generation of smartwatches (Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo) were presented even before the exhibition, then Gear Fit became a small sensation.
In fact, nothing like this has ever been in the assortment of Samsung or other companies. Yes, there was a Jawbone Up24 fitness bracelet - perhaps the most famous representative of this class of devices at the moment. But he did not have a display and, accordingly, could not display the time, notifications of new messages, letters, etc. There were also smart watches, but they are just focused specifically on working with notifications, and not on fitness capabilities, which, although and are present in most models, but are by no means dominant.
Let's look at the specifications of the novelty.
Samsung Gear Fit specifications
- Screen: touchscreen, curved, Super AMOLED, 1.84″, 432×128, capacitive
- Water and dust protection: yes (IP67 standard)
- Strap: detachable
- Compatibility: Samsung devices based on Android 4.3
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.0LE
- Sensors: accelerometer, gyroscope, pedometer, heart rate monitor
- Cameras, internet: no
- Microphone, speaker: no
- Battery: 210 mAh
- Dimensions: 24.3×57.4×11.95mm
- Weight 27 g
So, having crossed a hedgehog with a snake, Samsung received a gadget that looks like a bracelet, but is equipped with a screen (and even very unusual), includes the functionality of a smart watch (but does not have a camera, microphone and speaker) and offers advanced fitness opportunities. Competitors, of course, are also on the alert: at the same MWC, we saw a Huawei smart bracelet, and in May, a similar gadget from LG should enter the market. However, Samsung is the first, and, judging by the impressions left from getting to know the product at the exhibition, the first pancake in this case turned out to be not lumpy at all. However, impressions from a cursory inspection are one thing, and detailed testing is another. And today we will tell you about the results of a close examination of the Samsung Gear Fit.
Equipment
The device has not yet gone on sale, so we had a sample on the test without any packaging and additional components. The only element of the package that we can talk about is the dock attachment.
With the help of it, the bracelet is charged, since it is on the nozzle that the Micro-USB input is located, while there are no connectors on the bracelet itself. The nozzle is made of black plastic, it is put on the device from the inside, very easily snapping into place on the bracelet body. It's just as easy to take off.
Made very conveniently - unlike the much more bulky and uncomfortable cradle for the first version of the Galaxy Gear smart watch.
Design
The appearance of the bracelet immediately attracts attention thanks to the curved elongated screen. It is the screen (more precisely, glass protected by a thin metal rim) that occupies the entire outer surface of the Gear Fit.
The bezels around the screen are not symmetrical: on one short side, the bezel is smaller than on the other. However, this is not striking and does not cause any aesthetic discomfort. As for the frames on the long side, they are the same and very small.
The only button - "Power" - is located on the side of the bracelet. It is made of plastic, has a soft and silent pressing. However, accidental pressing (for example, by clothes) is practically impossible.
Under the screen is a plastic block, which contains all the electronic stuffing. It is with this plastic part of the case that the bracelet comes into contact with the hand.
On the inside, we see five pins for connecting the dock attachment, as well as a sensor for measuring the pulse. When the corresponding option is activated, it emits a bright green beam. If the bracelet is not worn on the hand, then the beam immediately goes out, and a request to put on the bracelet appears on the screen.
The Gear Fit has a detachable strap, which is a big plus, of course. In addition, Samsung offers a wide range of colorful straps for the Gear Fit. The strap is removed very simply: we pull one of the sides of the strap right next to the screen, and the bracelet body falls out of the silicone around it.
The strap itself is very comfortable and made really high quality. The strap is made of silicone (or similar material), it is quite thin and soft.
Size adjustment and fixation on the user's hand is made very simple: on one part of the strap there are many holes, and on the other there are two metal pins that are inserted into two adjacent holes and thus act as a fastener.
The bracelet is perfect for a hand of any size - and very thin, miniature, and large. And thanks to the ribbed inner surface of the strap, it will not slip, even if the hand sweats during training.
Gear Fit is made in accordance with the IP67 security standard, which implies complete protection against dust and the possibility of short-term immersion in water to a depth of 1 meter. Thus, rain, sweat and even a shower are not terrible for the bracelet, but we would not dare to swim in the pool with it.
In general, we were very pleased with the design of the bracelet. Practical, stylish, not at all bulky. Gear Fit sits perfectly on the hand, and the eyes of friends and acquaintances attract with their unusual appearance. This is the rare case when there are practically no shortcomings.
Screen
As already noted, the screen is the main feature of the bracelet, its pride. Samsung used a 1.84-inch Super AMOLED curved display (46x14mm screen size, 432x128 resolution, 245 ppi dpi). As we remember, for the first time a curved Super AMOLED display was used in the experimental smartphone Samsung Galaxy Round, but there it had a dubious practical meaning. But even then it became clear that, firstly, this technology has a great future, and secondly, that it will be especially in demand in wearable devices. And here we have the first wearable gadget with a curved screen.
Also note that the glass protecting the screen is slightly convex.
Screen testing using measuring instruments was carried out by the editor of the sections "Monitors" and "Projectors and TV" Alexey Kudryavtsev.
The front surface of the screen is made of mineral glass with a mirror-smooth surface, resistant to scratches. Judging by the reflection of objects, there is a very effective anti-glare filter, superior to the Google Nexus 7 screen filter in reducing reflection brightness. The doubling of the reflected objects is very weak, which indicates that there is no air gap between the layers of the screen. On the outer surface there is a special oleophobic (grease-repellent) coating (effective, no worse than Google Nexus 7), so fingerprints are removed much easier, and appear at a slower rate than in the case of ordinary glass.
When displaying a white field in full screen, the maximum brightness value was about 360 cd/m² (conditional value 6, outdoor mode), the minimum was 10 cd/m². Given the high efficiency of the anti-glare filter, on a sunny day outdoors, the readability of the screen will remain at a high level, and in complete darkness, the brightness can be reduced to a comfortable value. The standard brightness (conditional value 4) is 170 cd/m². This is enough for a well-lit room. This screen uses a Super AMOLED matrix - active matrix organic light emitting diodes. A full-color image is created using subpixels of three colors - red (R), green (G) and blue (B) in equal amounts, which is confirmed by a fragment of a microphoto:
We observed a similar "structure" of the screen, for example, in the case of the Samsung Galaxy Gear. The screen is characterized by excellent viewing angles - colors and brightness change very little even with large deviations of the gaze from the perpendicular to the screen. Black color is just black from any angle. So black that the contrast parameter in this case is simply not applicable. However, there is a bluish halo around the reflection of bright objects, which is more extended along the arm when the device is put on in a regular way. This haloing in the light slightly reduces the apparent blackness of the screen. The uniformity of the white field is excellent.
In general, the screen is really beautiful: you look at it and admire the richness of colors, the depth of black and the spectacular curve.
Smartphone pairing
Like Samsung smartwatches, the Gear Fit only works with Samsung smartphones, and only those running Android 4.3 or later. Thus, owners of old or budget devices are deprived of this opportunity. Not to mention the owners of smartphones from other companies. However, as we will see, this limitation is largely artificial, because most of the fitness features, as well as the function of the Gear Fit watch, are quite capable of performing without a smartphone.
We tested the Gear Fit with a Samsung Galaxy S5 smartphone. So, first you need to download the Gear Fit Manager application from the Samsung Apps store. Next, turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone, open Gear Fit Manager, press the top button and find the bracelet. Our operation was almost instantaneous. After pairing with a smartphone, the bracelet will prompt you to choose whether you will wear it on your left or right hand (then you can change this), and now the setup process is completed. The bracelet can be used. In the future, you can fine-tune both on the bracelet and on the smartphone in the Gear Fit Manager. Let's comment on the settings in Gear Fit Manager.
The first option is to select the appearance of the clock and screensaver (wallpaper). At the moment, 9 watch options are available, and for four of them there are additional settings. As for the wallpaper, in addition to the seven proposed options, you can also choose one of 12 colors (then the wallpaper will be plain) or upload your picture (you can take it directly from the smartphone gallery). Then the picture can be cropped to fit the screen directly in the application. Everything is done elementarily.
The next item is S Health. It allows you to transfer data from Gear Fit to your smartphone to the S Health app (which, in turn, replaces the exercise and calorie diary).
In the "Notifications" menu item, we can configure the delivery of notifications to the Gear Fit. In particular, you can mark those applications from which you want to receive notifications on the bracelet. In addition, there are a number of interesting options here. For example, you can make it so that when you receive a notification on the bracelet, you can take a smartphone on which the notification will automatically open. Another option is to not display notifications on the bracelet (except for calls and signals) while you are using your smartphone. Simply put, if you have an email client open on your smartphone, and at this time you receive new letters, they will not be displayed on the bracelet.
The last menu item is settings. Here you can set a quick answer (a short phrase that can be sent to the interlocutor directly from the bracelet without taking out your smartphone), set up auto-lock and turn on settings (by default, the bracelet “comes to life” when you move your hand towards you). You can also configure the launch of one of the applications by double-clicking on the power button.
Interestingly, the choice of settings through the smartphone does not completely match the settings on the Gear Fit itself. That is, you can do some things both there and there, some - only in the application on your smartphone, and some, on the contrary, only on a bracelet. Those options that are available only on the bracelet, we will describe below.
Samsung Gear Fit functionality
So, here we finally got to the description of the functionality and interface of the bracelet itself. The Gear Fit has four screens in total, one showing the clock and the other three showing three apps each (we've changed this setting in the illustrations to show only one app per screen).
The clock, as already mentioned, can be adjusted. Among the interesting options is the display of time for two time zones (useful for travelers and people who often fly on business trips). Of course, you can also display the date, the weather information, the next scheduled meeting, etc. The watch receives information about the weather and calendar events from the smartphone.
The watch screen turns on when we make a gesture with our hand towards us (the traditional gesture to check the time on a wristwatch). Note that during testing, the screen was repeatedly turned on when it was not required. That is, the sensor is very sensitive and sometimes reacts in vain. Let's say you're having lunch, and almost every movement of your left hand causes the screen to turn on. This is somewhat annoying.
Another inconvenience is the orientation of the image on the screen: the numbers are displayed horizontally, along the long side, so when you look at the watch, turning your hand parallel to the floor, it turns out that the image is located inconveniently, you want to rotate it 90 degrees. However, there is no such option: the image can only be positioned horizontally.
On the next screen, we see the Notifications, Music, and Options icons. The Notifications menu displays letters, messages, and other unread notifications.
Note that the text of more than one phrase is not very convenient to read, but this is a common problem for all wearable devices with a small screen. In this case, an elongated form is rather a better solution than a square one, since the phrase can be captured at a glance.
The text on the bracelet can be swiped with a traditional vertical gesture across the screen. But long texts (for example, Facebook posts and long emails) are still only partially displayed (after a few lines, you will see a suggestion to continue reading on a smartphone). At the bottom of the letter there will be icons "Delete", "On the device" and "Quick reply". Clicking on the first deletes the notification, on the second - opens the notification on the smartphone, the third button allows you to send a message in the form of one of the templates.
Unread notifications are displayed with a familiar icon in the upper right corner of the main icon.
Move on. "Music" is the music playback control on the smartphone. Among the non-obvious features is the sound volume control (which is far from always available in smart watches). The name of the song being played is displayed at the bottom of the screen as a scrolling line.
The third icon is "Options". Let's dwell on it in more detail. Here we see the remaining battery power, clock settings, wallpapers and some other options that duplicate the settings in the Gear Fit Manager smartphone app. However, there is also something new.
So, in the “Screen” submenu, you can adjust the brightness, change the “left or right hand” setting (if we select another hand, the gesture that unlocks the screen will be tied to the selected hand), the speed of turning off the screen when idle (from 10 seconds to 5 minutes ; default is 10 seconds), as well as the size of the main icons.
As already mentioned, by default we have three icons per screen, but you can change this to one icon per screen. Another useful feature is changing the font size in notifications. The default is medium, but you can change it to small (there are no other options).
Returning to the main Settings menu, we will mention two more possibilities: profile settings and the ability to completely reset the device. The latter is self-explanatory - we only note that the reset occurs almost instantly, which is very nice. As for the profile settings, we can specify our date and year of birth, height, weight, as well as our preferred units of measurement - kilometers or miles.
This completes the Gear Fit settings. We return again to the main menu.
The third screen contains the Timer, Stopwatch, and Find My Device icons.
In the first two paragraphs, everything is clear, in the third, we can press the button - and music will play on the smartphone. This is useful if you cannot find a smartphone at home. However, this has nothing to do with the already familiar “Find my device” function in cloud services. That is, if you lost your smartphone outside the premises or it was stolen from you, then the bracelet will not help you in any way.
The last - the fourth - screen contains just the same functions related to working on your physical condition. Here we see the icons "Pedometer", "Training" and "Pulse".
The pedometer and pulse meter do not require comments. We only note that they preserve history and generally work very efficiently, we have no complaints. As for the "Training" option, there is a submenu. At the moment, you can choose running, walking, cycling or hiking. The first three options can be used offline from a smartphone, but the last one requires a connection to a smartphone, as it uses information from GPS reporting your movements.
It is strange that among the fitness options there is no alarm function that tracks sleep phases. This is already quite a typical opportunity for wearable devices and, moreover, for fitness bracelets. Alas, it is also not necessary to hope that this feature will appear thanks to third-party developers, since at the moment (and possibly in the future) Gear Fit does not work with third-party applications.
Note that in general, the interface is perfectly simple and understandable, in most cases only one button is available to us, so we don’t have to figure it out. Put on - and go to the gym. From the point of view of aesthetics, the interface also has no complaints.
Offline work
We only had the Samsung Gear Fit for a short period of time, only two days, during which time we could not completely drain the battery (although we can not say that the device was used very intensively). And yet, we can make some observations regarding battery life.
In complete rest (only a few times the screen turned on) for 12 hours, the battery of the bracelet connected to the smartphone was discharged by about 10%. This means that the maximum operating time of the gadget will be 5 days (this is exactly what the manufacturer promises, without specifying, however, that this means only minimal use of the device).
With slightly more intensive use (infrequent notifications, occasional screen turns on, menu navigation), the battery drained faster. Perhaps, in this mode, the bracelet would last three to four days on a single charge. If you actively use the fitness functions and turn on the maximum notifications, then the bracelet is supposedly enough for two days.
One way or another, we can say for sure that the bracelet is more economical than the first generation Samsung Galaxy Gear smart watches and is somewhere on the same level with Sony SmartWatch 2 smart watches, but at the same time it is slightly inferior to Pebble watches in this parameter.
conclusions
Samsung has made a very interesting and promising device. We are used to the fact that the first entries into new territory are not very successful for Samsung (think of the first tablet, the first smartwatch, the first version of the Samsung Galaxy S), and this South Korean company usually takes the fact that it learns from its mistakes very quickly and corrects them in new versions of products. However, Gear Fit in this case is a rare exception. In its form factor and class, this is an excellent product, which has only two drawbacks: the first is a very small number of supported devices (obviously, the tie to one manufacturer is artificial here), and the second is the lack of third-party applications. Perhaps in the future the situation will change (as, for example, it happened with Pebble), but at the moment there is no reason to wait for the expansion of functionality.
The start of sales in Russia is scheduled for April, the cost of the gadget will be 7990 rubles, which, on the one hand, is much lower than the price of the first generation Samsung Galaxy Gear, and on the other hand, it is still more than that of Sony SmartWatch 2 smart watches.
Actually, before the release of competing smart bracelets from LG and Huawei, it is Sony SmartWatch 2 that should be considered the main competitor of Samsung Gear Fit. Moreover, in many respects, the novelty surpasses the Sony model. It is the Sony SmartWatch 2 (and not the new Sony bracelet or Samsung watch) that is closest to the Gear Fit in terms of functionality, but SmartWatch 2 supports third-party applications, of which there are already many written for this model, and works with Android smartphones from different manufacturers. In addition, Sony SmartWatch 2 is still a bit cheaper, although the screen is much worse and the interface is less convenient.
In general, if you are a happy owner of relatively new Samsung smartphones and do not save every penny (that is, you are not looking for the cheapest wearable device), then we can safely recommend Gear Fit - even to those who are indifferent to fitness. Well, the rest can only envy - and wait for the appearance of smart bracelets of competitors. The fight in this brand new market is going to be hot!
In conclusion, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with our video review of the Samsung Gear Fit:
For stylish design, innovative screen and ruggedness, we give the Samsung Gear Fit our Original Design award.
The Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro is so advanced that it surpasses many smartwatches in terms of functionality. How does the bracelet behave in real use?
Why Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro and not Samsung Gear Fit 3?
The Samsung Gear Fit 2 line hit the market about a year ago. These are very good devices in their class, in which it was difficult to find serious flaws. A year later, we haven't seen the Gear Fit 3, just an updated version of the Gear Fit 2 Pro, suggesting the changes are minor. This is true, but they are very significant. The first significant change: the fitness bracelet has become really waterproof, without any asterisks and marks. Gear Fit 2 Pro not only meets the IP68 standard, but moreover withstands water pressure up to 5 atmospheres. This means that with the bracelet we can safely swim and even dive to a depth of 50 meters. This is also possible in salt water! The program has the ability to track training related to swimming. Change number two is better use of third party apps, the most important of which for me is working with Spotify.
With the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro, you can not only listen to music, but also download playlists to the memory of your bracelet and play them during your workout on your Bluetooth-enabled headset. It works on the same principle as in the application on a smartphone. This is a great solution that really allows you not to take your smartphone with you to workouts. If you want, you can also upload MP3 files to the bracelet, but this is less convenient. Unfortunately, the built-in memory is limited to 4 GB. The operating system and the most useful applications take up about 2 GB, so there is really little space for your own data. Other features have not changed compared to Gear Fit 2 This means that the bracelet can still do a lot of useful things. Every day, the device connects to a smartphone via Bluetooth so that incoming notifications can be checked on the wrist. You can pre-configure which applications can send notifications to the bracelet. Notifications are displayed as an application icon, under which you can see the beginning of the content. In most cases, you can open the details and then select one of the basic actions: send "OK" in response to a message, delete junk email, or reply to an SMS with one of the predefined templates. If you set an alarm, the bracelet can also wake you up with vibration if you decide to sleep in it. In this case, in the morning you will receive a report on your sleep. All in all, the bracelet works great as a "smartphone extension" because one glance is enough to decide if an incoming notification is important or not. Sports features
The most important, however, remain the sports functions of the bracelet.
The Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro is equipped with GPS and an optical heart rate sensor. GPS eats up the battery very much, so for every day it is better to turn it off. During training, the GPS signal is acquired instantly. In turn, the heart rate sensor can be configured to measure the pulse, from time to time during the day, even when there is no activity. This gives us an idea of the results without excessive battery usage. As for workouts, we can activate them ourselves (up to 16 types), or rely on the bracelet, which, 10 minutes after the start of the activity, recognizes the workout itself and switches to the appropriate mode. And it really works! The bracelet confidently detects running and cycling. Auto workout detection is limited to only five sports: walking/running, cycling, elliptical trainer, bicycle ergometer, and dynamic training. During training, the bracelet can measure the pulse continuously. On a daily basis, Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro also takes care of your physical activity. If you sit too long it's time to stretch your bones. The app will even offer options on how to stretch them. In turn, if you start a similar physical without reminders, then the bracelet will congratulate you. These notifications can sometimes be annoying, but you can turn them off. The most important
The most important element is the touchscreen, curved Super AMOLED screen. It looks beautiful, like the best screens on Samsung smartphones, only in a smaller size. The resolution is a modest 216x432 pixels, but with a 1.5-inch diagonal, this gives a pixel density of 310 ppi, which makes everything very crisp. The deep black AMOLED color matches beautifully with the black strap. Management is carried out using gestures. To the left of the home screen is the notification bar and to the right are widgets, mostly fitness apps such as a pedometer or the number of floors climbed. At the top is the settings panel, which opens with a classic top-down gesture. On the side of the case are two buttons: back and home button, which simultaneously opens the list of applications. In general, management should not cause inconvenience to anyone. My only complaint is to control the brightness of the screen, which is manual. Fitness bracelets of this class should automatically adjust the brightness level depending on the lighting conditions. Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro has interchangeable straps
There are a large number of straps that differ in texture on the outside, fastening method, color and size. There are also third-party bracelets, and among them you can even find ... metal bracelets. Everyone should find something for themselves. To do this, the bracelet is offered in two body colors: red-black and completely black. Which smartphones will work with the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro?
The bracelet is compatible with Android 4.4 or later, the smartphone must have at least 1.5 GB of RAM. Also compatible with iPhone 5 or later. Gear Fit 2 Pro connects to your smartphone via Samsung Gear, where you can find information about the status and settings of your bracelet. From the mobile application, you can customize the watch face, or, for example, the order of applications in the menu, which is much more convenient than doing it on the small screen of the bracelet. In turn, all fitness functions are synchronized with Samsung Health by default, which can be installed not only on Samsung smartphones. The app collects data about training, activity (steps, calories, floors climbed), sleep duration, or heart rate. All stats can be viewed and compared and the app rewards us with badges for reaching goals.
You can install applications directly to the fitness bracelet
The Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro is powered by Tizena and allows you to install apps from Samsung Galaxy Apps. There you can find dozens of watch options (free and paid) and applications. Additional apps are available that add new features (such as an alarm clock or stopwatch), Samsung sports apps (such as tracking unusual sports such as tennis, golf, badminton), and third-party apps.
These are the most interesting applications. There are also very popular apps like Endomondo, Spotify, Speedo On, MyFitnessPal, three apps from Under Armor. There are also some lesser known ones like Fit Evolution Pro PEAR Personal Coach, Lifesum or StayFit+. An interesting application is a third-party application for ... GoPro cameras. Third-party sports apps are simpler versions of the same apps for smartphones, but they do their job, which is to transfer information about training to specific accounts. Battery life
The battery needs to be charged frequently. The bracelet is placed on a special charging base with a magnetic lock. In charging mode, the bracelet can work as a desktop clock. One charge is enough for a full 2 days, if you do not have a workout at this time, turned off the GPS, and from time to time it will measure the pulse. If you exercise, then you will have to charge the bracelet after each workout.Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro price
The price is unfortunately high.Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro costs 13,000 rubles. This is 2000 more than its predecessor. The price is high and I'm not sure if the bracelet is worth this price. For a similar price, you can find much better sports watches. On the other hand, simple fitness groups tend to be much cheaper.
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In that case, who is the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro for?
The device is somewhere in the middle between sports watches, fitness bracelets and smart watches. The bracelet has something from each of these devices. In general, everything is good, but not the best if considered separately as a fitness bracelet or separately as a smart watch. If you're looking for an all-in-one device that will last every day and during casual workouts, then buying the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro is not a bad idea. On the other hand, if you're serious about exercising, the Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro won't give you what sports watches from Garmin, Suunto, Polar, or even TomTom can give you. The Samsung mobile pedigree is clearly felt in this device. Samsung Gear Fit 2 Pro is unlikely to be of interest to athletes, but it will be interesting enough for technology lovers.Video review, comparison of short and long straps
Waterproof fitness bracelet for swimming
Are you going to the pool? - Take your Gear Fit2 Pro with you. It is an ideal fitness tracker with 5ATM water resistance, which is suitable for shallow freshwater swimming.
Accurate swimming tracking
You can use the Gear Fit2 Pro to measure your swimming performance by counting laps and arm strokes. By checking your SWOLF score and heart rate data, you can evaluate the overall effectiveness and intensity of your swimming sessions. Also, thanks to Samsung Health, you can check the results and detailed information about your activities.
Partnership with Speedo
The Gear Fit2 Pro is the first wearable to feature Speedo On. Speedo On for Gear Fit2 Pro syncs your swimming data with the mobile version of Speedo On. You will be able to get deeper analysis, personal training plan and other features.
Advanced Fitness Tracking
The fitness tracking capabilities of the Gear Fit2 Pro have been improved over the previous model. New and improved features such as continuous heart rate tracking, automatic detection and activity analytics will help you get more accurate and informative data about your activities.
Continuous heart rate measurement
The Gear Fit2 Pro monitors your heart rate throughout the day and provides intuitive feedback telling you how long and when you've been peaking, intense, and moderate. Another new feature: Gear Fit2 Pro is able to calculate the calories burned while exercising on an elliptical or bike.
Improved automatic activity detection
The Gear Fit2 Pro's automatic activity detection feature is even better for dynamic exercise. Whatever you like: tennis, football, dancing, squash, etc. etc., the Gear Fit2 Pro will measure your heart rate.
Find the right pace with activity analytics
Whether you're running, cycling, or simply doing jogging, your route will accommodate different training conditions. Climbing a hill requires much more effort than descending it. After your workout, the Gear Fit2 Pro will show you graphs and a map of the area you were training in with detailed analysis and show you how efficient you were on each leg of your route. This data will help you find the right pace and set goals.
Versatile design
Working on the Gear Fit2 Pro, the designers did their best. With elegant contours and a curved shape, the strap looks stylish and comfortable to wear. The refined design of the Gear Fit2 Pro can be combined with a business suit, sportswear or casual wear. But that's not all! Now Gear Fit2 Pro users can choose a model with a strap that will fit the size as much as possible. For the male part of the audience, the standard strap length L is offered, and for the beautiful half of humanity, shorter straps of size S are intended.
Redesigned buckle design for maximum security and comfort
During an intense workout, any fitness bracelet can easily slip off your hand. Luckily, the Gear Fit2 Pro has a secure and durable clasp that lets you focus on your movements. In addition, the curved part on the inside of the bracelet has a wider skin contact area for improved heart rate sensor performance, giving you a more accurate picture of your condition.
Informative dials
The Gear Fit2 Pro offers a variety of watch face interfaces. New options visualize information perfectly and give freedom in the field of personalization. In addition to the default interfaces, the fitness bracelet is preloaded with 4 sub-watch faces and a choice of 5 colors. Choose the interface that best reflects your mood at the moment.
Basic Smart Functions
The benefits of the Gear Fit2 Pro go beyond just being comfortable while exercising. They also include basic smart features such as checking messages and listening to music without using a smartphone.
Nothing distracts from training
The Gear Fit2 Pro fitness bracelet is equipped with basic smart features, allowing users to quickly reject calls or reply to messages. Now the bracelet has a Do Not Disturb function, so you can devote all your time to sports without being distracted by extraneous factors. You will receive notifications at will, and all fitness alerts will be marked with a recognizable vibration. Continue your workout without looking at your wrist.
Offline music player
Listen to your favorite tracks while you work out with the built-in music app. When using the Spotify app, you can download music in advance and listen to it everywhere, even without an internet connection.
Support for third party applications
When you open Galaxy Apps on your smartphone, you will find popular fitness apps, including third-party apps such as Lifesum, Under Armor, Pear, etc. You can also download a variety of watch faces.
Improved Compatibility
Gear Fit2 Pro has improved cross-platform compatibility. Bluetooth-enabled smartphones running Android 4.4 and above with a minimum of 1.5 GB RAM, as well as iPhone 5 (or later) running iOS 9.0 and above, are compatible with the Gear Fit2 Pro and can be synced with it via a special Software available on the respective resources for purchasing applications.
Despite the fact that Samsung's new GALAXY S5 smartphone made the most noise at MWC 2014, the Gear Fit fitness bracelet was still recognized as the best. The commission awarded him the "Best-in-Show" prize - the best mobile device of the exhibition.
In addition, Samsung Gear Fit - first wearable gadget who receives this honorary title. According to the jury of the exhibition, the bracelet from Samsung has everything you need to attract the attention of buyers in the wearable electronics market.
Samsung Gear Fit is an unusual mobile solution
As soon as the first "smart watches" appeared, the idea arose to combine them with fitness trackers - devices that control a person's physical activity. This would make it possible to get an excellent gadget, a full-fledged electronic combine for sports people who are focused on a healthy lifestyle. Now the 21st century is in the yard, the creation of mobile devices has gone far ahead, but still the creation of such a simple device has been postponed until now. And at MWC 2014, a device was finally presented to the attention of the public, ideas about the creation of which have been in the air for a long time. So Samsung Gear Fit can finally replace not very advanced fitness trackers.
Benefits of GearFit
The gadget has the standard functions of a smart watch: displaying SMS and call notifications, Internet access, e-mail, listening to music, a notebook and others. But the most important and attractive for potential consumers in it - the ability to monitor heart rate, the number of steps and even the phase of sleep. All this will be taken into account in a special application called S Health, which is designed to monitor the physical activity and health of the owners. The Korean company promises that in the future the watch will be open source, which means that third-party manufacturers will be able to write applications for them.
Another feature of Gear Fit is water and dust protection. The device is rated IP67. This, of course, does not mean that you can dive with them, but they are completely protected from rain or shower spray.
Features of the appearance of the Samsung Gear Fit
Compared to conventional watches such as the Sony Smart Watch and Samsung Gear 2, the Gear Fit has much more graceful appearance. And this is not surprising, because Gear Fit is designed for active people, athletes who are not very comfortable wearing massive accessories on their hands.
Gear Fit does not have a bulky square display, which in this model has been changed to an elongated rectangle. Moreover, the screen has a curved shape. Made with AMOLED technology. Samsung has repeatedly emphasized that this solution is unique and no one else has anything like it.
In more detail, this wonderful display has a diagonal of 1.84 inches. The resolution is 432x128 pixels. The screen has excellent brightness, so that everything displayed on the display can be easily read when facing the sun.
The battery has a capacity of 210 mAh. The indicators, of course, are small, but this battery is enough to use the watch without recharging for 5 days. The weight of the device will pleasantly surprise you - only 27 grams. In addition, thanks to the curved screen, as well as small dimensions of 23.4 x 57.4 x 11.95 mm, the watch is almost not felt on the hand.
All Samsung smartwatches only compatible with smartphones Samsung. The manufacturer stated that the device will be able to work with 20 models. Also in Gear Fit straps available in different colors, which can be changed. So far, three colors dominate - orange, gray and black. There are also women's versions of the straps, with hearts.