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dimanche 11 décembre 2016

Best Android Wear watches (December 2016)

Android Wear has evolved a lot since it was first announced back in 2014. In the early days, there were only a few options, mainly from Motorola and LG. These days, many handset makers have thrown their weight into Android Wear, and even traditional watchmakers have begun to embrace the Google-powered smartwatch platform.

With the number of watches available increasing dramatically, it's hard to keep track of which watches stand out as the best. For one thing, most of the watches are all quite similar in software and hardware, leaving design preferences as the biggest factor. In order to help you make the most informed decision on which watch is right for you, we've rounded up what we feel to be the best Android Wear smartwatches you can buy right now.

Editor's note: We'll be updating this list regularly as new devices launch.
Update, December 2016: This month we removed the ASUS ZenWatch 2, TAG Heuer Connected and LG Watch Urbane to make room for the ZenWatch 3 and Polar M600.

Best overall

Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Generation)

The original Moto 360 was one of the best Android Wear watches around for quite some time, and now its successor is also at the top of the list.

The Motorola Moto 360 (2nd Gen.) has a bigger battery than its predecessor, a Snapdragon 400 processor and comes in two different sizes to fit more users' wrists. You'll even be able to customize it with Moto Maker. Overall, the biggest advantages the new Moto 360 brings to the table are the refreshed processing package, a customizable design and the addition of lugs that will make it much easier to swap out watch bands.

Specs

42mm variant:

  • 1.37-inch IPS LCD display with 360 x 325 resolution, 233ppi
  • 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
  • 512MB of RAM
  • 4GB of on-board storage
  • 300mAh battery
  • 42.0 x 42.0 x 11.4mm
  • IP67 dust and water resistance

46mm variant:

  • 1.56-inch IPS LCD display with 360 x 330 resolution, 263ppi
  • 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
  • 512MB of RAM
  • 4GB of on-board storage
  • 400mAh battery
  • 46.0 x 46.0 x 11.4mm
  • IP67 dust and water resistance

Read more

Buy now from Amazon
Buy now from Motorola

Runner up

Huawei Watch

The Huawei Watch was first unveiled towards the beginning of 2015 at MWC, though it didn't actually make its way to retail until the tail-end of the summer. Offering a design that is much more "watch-like" then many of its competitors, the Huawei Watch is certainly one of the more attractive Android Wear watches on the market and benefits from easily replaceable watch straps and a long-lasting battery.

For those that aren't a fan of the flat-tire look we've seen with Motorola's circular watches, you'll be happy to know that this isn't the case here. As for the rest of the specs? Everything is pretty standard fare, as most of the newer Android Wear watches feature roughly the same internals. That said, the AMOLED display on the Huawei Watch is one of the best displays available in the Android Wear market right now.

Specs

  • 1.4-inch AMOLED display with 400 x 400 resolution, 286ppi
  • 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
  • 512MB of RAM
  • 4GB of on-board storage
  • 300mAh battery
  • 42.0 x 42.0 x 11.3mm
  • IP67 dust and water resistance

Read more

Buy now from Amazon

Honorable mention

ASUS ZenWatch 3

ASUS' new ZenWatch 3 is one of the most beautifully designed Android Wear devices on the market.

It really is difficult not to fall in love with its great design, sharp display, excellent performance and solid hardware. It does feature proprietary lugs, though, which means you'll have to buy replacement straps through ASUS if you'd like to change up the look of the device.

All in all, this may be the most well-rounded watch we've ever reviewed. If you'd like to pick one up for yourself, it's available now for just $229.

Specs

  • 1.39-inch AMOLED display with 400 x 400 resolution, 287ppi
  • Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100 processor
  • 512MB of RAM
  • 4GB of on-board storage
  • 341mAh battery
  • 45 x 45 x 9.95 – 10.75mm
  • IP67 dust and water resistance

Read more

Buy now from Best Buy

Best for fitness

Polar M600

Polar's new M600 sport watch is by far the best Android Wear-powered fitness tracker on the market.

With a built-in GPS, IPX8 water resistance rating, optical heart rate monitor and 4GB of on-board storage, the M600 is quite the feature-packed device. It also comes with support for Polar's wonderful Flow app, allowing you to track just about any activity you can think of – rowing, skiing, hiking and much more. You'll also be able to squeeze about two days of battery life out of this thing, which is impressive for an Android Wear watch.

It's very pricey, though, starting at $329. You can certainly find Android Wear devices for less than that, but the M600 provides much more than other devices. If you're in the market for a smartwatch/fitness tracker hybrid and don't mind spending upwards of $300, look no further.

Specs

  • 1.3-inch TFT display with 240 x 240 resolution, 260ppi
  • 1.2GHz dual-core MediaTek MT2601 processor
  • 512MB of RAM
  • 4GB of on-board storage
  • 500mAh battery
  • 45 x 36 x 13mm, 63g
  • IPX8 water resistance

Read more

Buy now from Amazon

Runner up

Moto 360 Sport

If you're a fan of the second-generation Moto 360 but need something a bit more rugged, you should check out the Moto 360 Sport. It has basically the same internal specifications, plus GPS tracking capabilities. The battery on this device does suffer a bit with the GPS turned on, but that can easily be forgiven when taking into account the watch's other great features. It has a killer AnyLight Hybrid display that makes it super easy to see outdoors, as well as an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.

All in all, this is the go-to Android Wear option if you need something to track your exercises. As of right now it only supports run tracking, but Motorola says more exercises will be added to the watch in the future. The Moto 360 Sport starts at $199.99 from Motorola's website, but you can usually find it much cheaper on Amazon.

Specs

  • 1.37-inch AnyLight Hybrid Display with 360 x 325 resolution, 263ppi
  • 1.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor
  • 512MB of RAM
  • 4GB of on-board storage
  • 300mAh battery
  • 45 x 45 x 11.5mm, 54g
  • IP67 dust and water resistance

Read more

Buy now from Amazon
Buy now from Motorola

There you have it, our list of the best Android Wear devices on the market. Did we miss something? Be sure to tell us what you think in the comments below!

Next:

The best smartwatches

November 10, 2016


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Must read: top 10 Android stories

samsung-gear-s3-review-aa-6-of-18

samsung-gear-s3-review-aa-6-of-18

This week we reviewed the Samsung Gear S3 and ASUS ZenWatch 3, talked a lot about the new Android 7.1.1 Nougat update, and rounded up some of the best tech gifts for any budget. Here's the news of the week!

Who wants to win a Google Pixel XL?

The Google Pixel XL is one of the hottest Android phones of the year. Here's how you can win one!

10 Android stories we handpicked for you

Samsung Gear S3 review The Gear S3 is packed with features and has gotten bigger to accommodate all that it can do, but should you buy it? Here's our Samsung Gear S3 review!

ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe review Is ASUS' latest flagship enough to take on the growing list of high-end but affordable smartphones? We find out, in this ASUS ZenFone 3 Deluxe review!

CM 14.1: what is it, how to get it and what devices are supported by CyanogenMod If you want to know what CM 14.1 is, how to get CyanogenMod on your phone and which Android devices can actually get it, we've got you covered.

ASUS ZenWatch 3 review One of the best Android wearables just got better but with smartwatches floundering, is the ASUS ZenWatch 3 the saviour and a must-have? Here's our review.

The best tech gifts for any budget Whether your budget is big or small, Android Authority has your back when it comes to picking out perfect tech gifts for your loved ones.

Google Wifi review Google Wifi is an easy-to-use home networking system using mesh technology to blanket your house in a strong Wi-Fi signal. Here is our full review.

Will anyone be sad to lost Samsung's physical home button? Physical smartphone home buttons seem to be on their way out, but will anybody mourn their loss? We take a look at the pros and cons.

The LG G6 could be waterproof and charge wirelessly The upcoming LG G6 may feature water-resistant properties as LG could drop the modular accessories feature of its last flagship, the LG G5.

Google officially rolls out Android 7.1.1 Nougat to current Nexus and Pixel devices Google has finally released the consumer-ready version of Android 7.1.1 Nougat. The update is rolling out now for all current Nexus and Pixel devices.

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge will jump straight to Android 7.1.1 Nougat Samsung has revealed that the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edge will jump from Marshmallow straight to Android 7.1.1 Nougat when the official update arrives.

Don't miss these videos

Watch more Android videos on our YouTube channel.

More hot news

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Google Pixel XL International Giveaway with DU Caller

Welcome to the Sunday Giveaway, the place where we giveaway a new Android phone or tablet each and every Sunday!

A big congratulations to last week's winner of the Google Pixel XL Giveaway: Karan S. (USA). Enjoy your new Pixel XL.

This week we have partnered with DU Caller to giveaway a brand new Pixel XL.

DU Caller accurately recognizes incoming calls by taking advantage of the world's largest phone number database. DU Caller also prevents spam and scam calls while protecting against leaks of private data and financial information.

Download from Google Play.

 

Enter giveaway

Google Pixel XL International Giveaway!

More Giveaways

Winners Gallery



Terms & Conditions
  • The giveaway is an international giveaway (Except when we can not ship to your Country.)
  • If we can not ship to your country, you will be compensated with an online gift card of equal MSRP value to the prize.
  • We are not responsible for lost shipments.
  • We are not responsible if your giveaway prize malfunctions.
  • You must be age of majority in your Country of residence.
  • We are not responsible for any duties or import fees that you may incur.
  • Only 1 entry per person, do not enter multiple email addresses. We will verify all winners and if we detect multiple email addresses by the same person you will not be eligible to win.
  • We reserve all rights to make any changes to this giveaway.
  • This giveaway is operated by AndroidAuthority.
  • The prize will ship when it is available to purchase.


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samedi 10 décembre 2016

CM 14.1: what it is, how to get it and what devices are supported by CyanogenMod

cyanogenmod-nexus-6p

cyanogenmod-nexus-6p

When you say 'custom ROM' it's hard not to think 'CyanogenMod'. For many people the two terms are virtually interchangeable while for others CyanogenMod is at the very least at the top of the ROM pyramid. So what is CyanogenMod and how can you get CM 14.1 on your device?

What is CyanogenMod?

Cyanogen is the online handle of Steve Kondik, the man behind the first CyanogenMod ROM from way back in 2009. A custom ROM is essentially just firmware for a device that isn't what it came out of the box with.

Many ROMs are based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP) – the source code behind stock Android – with some looking a lot like stock Android, including CyanogenMod, while others get pretty crazy pretty fast. These variations on what Google releases are called forks of Android, and include things as varied as Amazon's Fire OS, CyanogenMod and the Nokia X platform.

Not all of these forks are compatible with Google apps, but some, like CyanogenMod, can have Google's app suite sideloaded after the ROM is installed. The reason Google apps don't just come bundled with CyanogenMod is because CyanogenMod hasn't licensed them, but they work fine all the same. Of course, if you want to "de-Google" your phone, CyanogenMod works fine without Google apps too.

See also:

Understanding the differences between CyanogenMod, Cyanogen OS & Cyanogen, Inc.

July 7, 2016

What is CM 14.1?

CM 14.1 is simply the latest version of CyanogenMod, based on the Android 7.1 Nougat source code. CM 14, as the name probably implies, is based on Android 7.0 and CM 14.1 is Android 7.1.

Generally, when you're flashing a custom ROM you're going to want the latest version, because that's largely what custom ROMs are about – getting the latest version of Android on a phone that is no longer supported by the manufacturer. But even once you've decided to dive in and flash a particular custom ROM, you still have a few more options to choose from.

If you're feeling really adventurous, you can flash Nightlies, which are daily releases of whatever the ROM team has been working on that day. Nightlies represent the "bleeding edge" of the ROM scene and include the very latest features available, but it must be noted that they quite often come with bugs and instability. As such, they're not recommended for flashing on your daily driver.

After Nightlies you have Experimental builds which can also be pretty buggy and then Snapshot builds, which tend to be released every few months when a milestone feature has been added. Snapshots are what most folks flash, as they offer a generally bug-free and stable experience but still get updated regularly.

cm-14-1-nightly-updates

cm-14-1-nightly-updates

What's in CM 14.1?

Everything you'll find in Android 7.1 Nougat and then some. As mentioned above, CyanogenMod tends to look very much like stock Android, but with various additional features and options sprinkled throughout.

Split screen mode, quick app switching, bundled notifications and Quick Reply, DPI scaling for resizing on-screen content at a system level and the new-look Settings menu are all on board, just like in stock Nougat. But CyanogenMod offers much more than stock. Besides the Trebuchet launcher experience, CM 14.1 also offers way more customization than stock Android.

There's LiveDisplay, which is a kind of adaptive screen mode that changes your screen temperature and colors automatically depending on time of day and ambient conditions. Expanded desktop, on the other hand, automatically hides the status bar and/or navigation bar to give you a more immersive experience round the clock.

CM 14.1 also offers battery and notification LED controls, pre-set AudioFX audio settings, power-saving performance profiles with automatic optimization, customizable button layouts and shortcuts, a customizable power-off menu, enhanced privacy settings, system profiles that can be triggered automatically and a fully customizable status bar. And it's still not even finished.

See also:

Android Nougat update: when will you get it?

2 weeks ago

What devices support CM 14.1?

The CyanogenMod team are constantly releasing new ROMs for an ever-increasing list of supported devices. Some of these devices are new, like the Nexus 6P or OnePlus 3, while others are seriously long in the tooth like the Galaxy S3. But whether you're turning to CM simply for a change of pace or as a means to keep your old Android chugging along as long as possible, the list just keeps growing.

Because that list is almost comically long, we won't list all the devices supported by CyanogenMod here. We typically cover the more significant and popular devices to get CM 14.1 support, most of which you can see below, but if you want to search for your device specifically, head to CyanogenMod's download page and use the list on the left to locate your device's code name and see what your options are.

cyanogenmod-cm-14-1-splash-screencyanogenmod-cm-14-1-splash-screen

How to flash CM 14.1 on your device

First up, you'll need an unlocked bootloader. The process for this varies depending on your handset, so just do a little Googling. A lot of phones simply require you to enable Developer Options (go to Settings > About phone and tap Build number until Developer options appears in the settings) and then flip the toggle for OEM unlocking.

The bootloader unlock process is then (usually) as simple as firing off a fastboot command through a command window. Again, check the specifics for your particular model. You'll also need USB Debugging enabled in Developer options and you're highly advised to do a full backup before proceeding. A fully charged battery isn't a bad idea either.

You'll want to install a custom recovery on your phone (we recommend TWRP) because this is what you use to flash CyanogenMod and the Google apps package on your phone. Then, all you need to do is download the particular CM 14.1 ROM you're after along with the Gapps package you'll want to flash in recovery afterward.

There's little point providing more detailed instructions than these, as there are several methods available and all phones are slightly different. But if this basic outline sounds simple enough to you, then just Google the flashing method for your particular phone model, read the comments to ensure it works, and proceed carefully.

As always, there are some risks involved and there's always the possibility of bricking your phone if you get something wrong. As such, I wouldn't recommend you try this for the first time on your fancy new phone, but if you have an old device lying round that has CM 14.1 support or even an older version, then why not roll up your sleeves, take a deep breath and have a crack at it. Happy flashing.



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With Android Wear critical, open source AsteroidOS offers smartwatches a life line

asteroidos-lg-g-watch

asteroidos-lg-g-watch

Android Wear has been on life support for a while. We're still waiting for the miracle cure of Android Wear 2.0, but the clock is ticking, the doctors seem pre-occupied and various relatives have already given up hope as smartwatches limp ever closer to the precipice. But smartwatches may just have a new hope: a new open-source wearable platform called AsteroidOS.

See also:

Best smartwatches

November 10, 2016

AsteroidOS is the brainchild of French computer science student Florent Revest. It is not even based on Android Wear, but is a standalone Linux-based wearable OS that has been designed specifically to make it as portable as possible. AsteroidOS' open-source nature also sidesteps the one great failing of Android Wear: it can be freely modified by developers and manufacturers.

asteroidos-smartwatch-platform-2

asteroidos-smartwatch-platform-2

AsteroidOS is still in alpha phase and as such is far from perfect, but the demo video shared recently on YouTube demonstrates how solid it looks already, complete with several default apps like a calendar, alarm clock, timer, calculator, weather, stopwatch and music app. You can even already pair it with your Android phone via Bluetooth and receive notifications. Check it out in action below.

The immediate goals of Florent and the team of developers who have spent the last year developing AsteroidOS is to improve its battery life and add support for more sensors.

Jolla, the company behind SailfishOS, has already lent its support to the new wearable platform, indicating it might not be long before the OS gets even more support from larger partners (not to mention smaller devs) looking to breathe new life into smartwatches. Of course, whether AsteroidOS is enough to salvage wearables is anybody's guess.

asteroidos-smartwatch-platform-1

asteroidos-smartwatch-platform-1

If you've got an Android Wear watch gathering dust in a drawer somewhere and would like to give AsteroidOS a spin, you can already grab builds for the LG Watch Urbane, original LG G Watch, Sony Smartwatch 3 and Asus Zenwatch 2.

You can find flashing instructions on AsteroidOS' community page and find all the relevant technical info on Florent's Github page, but do be warned that only the original G Watch currently has support for Bluetooth pairing.

Do you think Android Wear 2.0 will reinvigorate smartwatches? Or are wearables dead in the water?



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Win $5000 in Amazon credit plus an HTC Bolt and more in new Sprint competition

sprint-snow-sweepstakessprint-snow-sweepstakes

Sprint has been busy this week, what with its massive Pokemon Go promotion and silently delivering RCS functionality to more of its phones. But this new holiday competition takes the cake: Sprint is offering customers a chance to win $5,000 of Amazon gift cards, an HTC Bolt, Amazon Echo and a year's subscription to both Amazon Prime and Amazon Music Unlimited.

There are HTC Bolt phones for 20 runners-up but one lucky winner will walk away with the entire grand prize mentioned above. There's nothing much to entering either, simply visit Sprint's "Snow Place Like Home" sweepstakes page and enter to win.

ENTER SPRINT SWEEPSTAKES

You can enter once per day, every day, and score extra daily entries just by following @Sprint or @SprintLatino on Twitter and tweeting a picture of your family's favorite holiday tradition using the hashtag #SprintSnowSweepstakes.

You'll have to be over 18 to be eligible of course and must be a "Sprint wireless customer in good standing with service starting on or before 10/9/16". The sweepstakes are open as of now and you can enter right up until 11:59 PM EST on Friday, December 23. You can read the full details of the competition here.

Good luck and all the best of the holidays to you and yours.



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Action Launcher 3 adds unread badges, scrolling dock pages and free QuickPage

action-launcher-3-unread-badges

action-launcher-3-unread-badges

Alternate launchers are hugely popular with Android users. Launchers instantly change the look and feel of your device and make it more fun to play around with. Action Launcher 3 is one of the more popular ones available and has been downloaded millions of times across the globe.

See also:

Nova Launcher Beta adds support for Android 7.1 app shortcuts

October 27, 2016

Action Launcher 3 has now received its December update which offers quite a few new features that will enhance the user experience even further.

The handy Quickpage, a home screen with support for widgets that's always accessible with a swipe from the right hand edge, used to be an Action Launcher Plus feature but is now included in the free version. Unread badge count support has also been added (but only for Plus users) as well as scrolling dock pages.

action-launcher-3-quickpage-update

action-launcher-3-quickpage-update

As for design changes, Action Launcher 3 now has a new "Round (exclude white plates)" icon style, which imitates the look of the newest version of Android (removing the white circular background from irregularly shaped app icons). It also brings Quicktheme support for customizing page indicator color, infinite dock and home screen scrolling and new page indicator styles.

If you're currently using Action Launcher 3, do tell us how you feel about it in the comments section. If you don't have it installed on your mobile device yet, feel free to download it by clicking the button below.

Action Launcher 3


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