Customer Ratings & Reviews

I've had my eye on the Samsung Galaxy Gear Smart Watch for some time. Quite literally--this is a very eye-catching watch and I was always drawn to the display of these watches at Best Buy every time I entered the store. But the full price seemed too steep to me for what the watch could accomplish, so I always moved on after admiring the watches. That is until Best Buy offered a one-day 50% off list price sale, and I immediately accepted that offer. And after using the watch for a little over a month, I feel it was well worth the money. I would highly recommend the watch to anyone who can find it at a discounted price, but would probably recommend against buying it at full price. It does some neat things, but not enough to justify the full list price. As I said, the appearance of the watch is striking and attractive. I figured as long as I was getting a somewhat frivolous toy, I might as well get it in a bold color, so I got the Wild Orange version. In the short span of a month, I have never received so many positive comments from people on any accessory or article of clothing I've ever worn. People would come right up to me and say, "Wow, is that one of those smart watches?" and then I would tell them about it. The main reason I got the watch was to avoid the hassle of pulling my Samsung Galaxy S4 phone out of my pants pocket every time I felt the buzz indicating an incoming email or text message. Especially when I am driving in the car and not able to get into my front pants pocket without undoing my seatbelt. This function of the watch alone is worth the (discounted) price. Both the phone and watch vibrate to indicate a new message, and if I am quick I can touch my watch to see the sender and at least the beginning of the message (depending on how long it is). If I don't look at the notification right away, I can easily swipe from the main clock screen one screen to the right to the notification screen, and then tapping on either the name of my email or text messaging app to get my messages. At least some of them. The system accumulates message alerts in an odd way that I do not quite understand yet. For example, right now, accessing my email alerts shows the following list: AAA Southern Pennsylvania 10:17 AM 2 new messages 9:32 AM 32 new messages 9:01 AM 33 new messages 9:01 AM 32 new messages 8:46 AM 31 new messages 8:46 AM 30 new messages 8:46 AM 29 new messages 8:31 AM and so forth. Clearly, some of these alerts are redundant, and it is somewhat annoying to see three different alerts for 8:46 indicating 30, 31, and 32 new messages. Couldn't the first two be automatically deleted from the display since the one indicating 32 new messages covers them? Also, unlike notifications of a single email, where I can actually see part of the email, notification lists only show the sender and subject line. What I have to do regularly to avoid this clutter is to manually delete these alerts. You would think that deleting emails from my IMAP inbox (from my computer or phone) would remove these old notifications, but it does not. I am one of those people who does not use my cell phone as a phone very often, but I've found the watch to be extremely useful when I do get an incoming call. Not only does it immediately show who is calling, but I actually have the option of accepting the call with my watch and conversing with the caller through the watch itself. Shades of Dick Tracy! This is a super-convenient feature, and people who've called me say that the audio quality is fine. If I actually phoned people, I could also use the watch to make outgoing calls, even employing voice activation. But like I said, I rarely use my phone as a phone so I have not tested this feature. The watch will also display missed calls as well as emails and text messages, which is a handy feature. Unfortunately, for some reason it is really difficult to get rid of missed call notifications. I think I had to reset the watch to do that, and Internet discussions have indicated that this is a flaw in the watch. Another very useful feature of the watch is that it notifies me of appointments that I have scheduled. I can dismiss or snooze these notifications. One highly touted feature of the watch that I'm not crazy about is its ability to play music from your phone. If it played the music on my watch, that would indeed be groovy. But, what it does is rather strange: It remote-controls the media player on my phone. So if I use this function, music starts to come out of my pants pocket. Weird. Also, the interface makes it very difficult to navigate and select songs. Might as well pull the phone out of my pocket when I want to play music. Another feature I found very useful on one occasion is the ability to find my misplaced phone with the watch. As long as you are in bluetooth connection distance, you can have the watch make your phone ring until you are able to find it. That worked superbly for me the one time I forgot where in the house I had placed my phone. The phone has other functions that seem pretty cool but that I have not used much or at all. The watch can take pictures or videos that are transferred to the phone. Have only tested it rather than used it a lot, but this function does work well. It's another feature that can make you feel like a detective or secret agent. I also installed a connection to MapMyRun, but haven't tried this one yet. And let's not forget the old-school function of a watch: To quickly see what time it is. I've not worn a watch for maybe 15 years because I've been able to get the time from my cell phone. I forgot how nice and convenient it is to be able to glance at my watch for the time (especially in meetings where it looks rude to pull out your phone to see what time it is). The face of the watch stays dark until you activate it by motion or pressing the button on the side. A bonus is that you also see the current temperature and weather conditions--a step up from an ordinary watch. In summary, this watch does not do a ton of things, and I would not consider it a must-have device. But it does do some pretty neat things and I would consider it well worth the price if you can find it on sale.

As indicated in my summary, research this tech before you go buy it. Definitely was a good buy for me as I got it on DOTD sale, and used BB points, so it was not a significant investment. Favorite features: Discreet reminders are nice for business. Hands free is pretty useful, but the speaker is a bit quiet. 3rd party watch styler makes custom watch faces a blast, though its selection of fonts, etc. is limited. Current update allows notifications from most 3rd party apps to appear on the watch. Least favorite 'features': Still a bit bulky, and strap may not fit everyone well. (Ok for me...) No button on left side for southpaws like myself - harder to press when wearing a jacket or long sleeves. Few options for using watch as input to phone. Battery needs charged daily. No calculator?!?! All told, I've been having a lot of fun with the watch. There's a disappointingly small selection of apps for it, but a couple of them are pretty cool, and 1 or 2 are even useful! ;) Since 2.0 is coming out in just a few weeks, waiting to compare the two is probably a good idea. I'm concerned that with 2.0 being non-Android for the OS, support for 1.0 may have already disappeared, so new apps and/or enhancements to existing apps are likely to be few and far between. With more development, there is some amazing potential - I wish, for example, that the music controller were compatible with multiple players, for browsing of music, art/song display, etc., but it is really very basic. So, if you get one, be sure to get it at a bargain price - I wouldn't pay any more than $150 for one at this point - they may be even cheaper in just a few weeks. But, if you have the dough and want to give one a try, there's a lot to like and enjoy!

If you are looking for a device that will supplement your phone in regards to making and receiving phone calls, camera and video options and notifications from email, texts and Facebook messages...look no further, this is the device for you. I give this device 4 out of 5 stars because of all these options. Samsung made a really good device. Go to your local Best Buy and try this cool tech gear device out for yourself.

Well, I am a little upset about the price, but you do get what you pay for - another quality Samsung device. I am very happy with the unit as a whole because this is what I've always wanted - a watch to deliver notifications and speakerphone. I just hope that more app developers make apps for this device to integrate with watch. I will say, don't get this wet - remember to take it off before washing your hands and get a screen protector.

This watch is great. I looked at the watch in store for a long time, trying to decide if I should buy and if it would be something I would use on a daily basis. After having this watch for a few months I use it for everything. I leave my phone on my desk at work, and use the watch for calls, text and getting all my notifications. Phone calls on the watch are just like using the speaker on the phone. The person on the other end can hear me and i can hear them clearly, which was a concern when shopping for the watch. The quick text response are usually also. I can preset a few responses, just enough until I can get to my phone. The watch is useful. If your undecided, like I was in the beginning, just go ahead a make the purchase. Just be prepared for all the, 007, power rangers, inspector gadget comments.

All together the Samsung Gear is a great product. The ability of the user to answer and make phone calls is a big plus. In addition, the user is also able to receive notifications when a txt message arrives, a phone call, and even missed calls. The user can also set up the Gear to receive additional notifications such as email. At the moment, there is only a limited number of apps available for the Gear but hopefully that will increase as time goes by.

I received the Galaxy Gear as a Christmas present and am very happy with it. I can quickly see what emails, phone calls, text, calendar events right on my watch. Can even send and receive calls and text. The only negative comment I might make (if I had to pay for it myself) is that it is pricey at 299.00, but I imagine that the price will start dropping to a more reasonable price in the coming months. Overall very satisfied.

This is my first smart watch. I am using it with my Galaxy Note 3 on android 4.4 (KitKat). I use it to tell time, look at texts I get without taking my phone out of my pocket, answer phone calls, screen calls, pedometer for all day. It also comes with calendar appointment, camera, weather features. I found this device most useful when driving or doing anything else that requires my hands to be doing something else. It allows me to not search for my phone and unlock it just to read a message. The watch also surprised me that it went along with many of my outfits; business, casual, and going out clubbing clothes. I do catch myself getting worried that I'm going to scuff or scratch the screen every now and then. Also its battery needs to be recharged every day if you don't turn it off at night, 2 days if you do. I have small wrists and the watch band fit me well with another notch for even tinier people.

I purchased this device on BBY's flash sale when select colors were 50% off (149.99) and I couldn't be happier with my purchase! I love the easy set up and constant connection with my device, I love that I can see my notifications for FB, Twitter, Gmail, SMS, etc. on my wrist instead of opening my phone and I love the great battery life that it has. My first gripe is the lack of application support still. It is a pain to wash hands multiple times throughout the day because I have to push the watch up my arm a bit before washing and hope that I don't get it wet. My second gripe is the lack of volume when on phone calls. I cannot hear people on the speaker unless I put it right up to my ear, which is inconvenient and I may as well use my phone for it instead. I find myself using this watch for more of a watch and notification assistant than a Bluetooth "headset" device. Overall it is a great first generation product and I look forward to the Gear 2 and Gear Fit!

I purchased the watch about a month ago and love it. While I am in a meeting if someone calls or sends a txt it is easy to just glance down at the watch to see if it is important. I no longer have to dig in my pocket to see if I need to take a call. This has been a great watch and I would buy it again in a heart beat.

This is great companion for the S4 or Note3. You can get all your notifications on the watch and then determine if you need to get the phone out to view/respond. You can also respond to text messages with either an Svoice response or a pre-determined text. Calls can be made/received from the watch with ease. Custom watch faces can be made with various apps. One nice feature is when the watch and phone are separated (approx 30 feet) the phone and watch will lock down with the pattern screen. Otherwise the simple swipe unlock screen is presented on the phone. I am sure most will dismiss this watch as a novelty/gadget, and balk at the price, but if you are into watches and gadgets this is a watch to own.

I love this watch and i am said that there is a new one coming out when i just got this one. I love being able to talk and see what is happening on my phone just from my watch.

I love the camera on this watch. Great to take pictures of people and I love how all my messages can notify me without having to pull my phone out of my pocket.

I've read all the reviews of this product that suggest the battery life is poor, but this simply is not true. In fact, I easily get 3 days of use by turning off the motion feature. This feature is the main culprit that drains your battery. The features I like the most are the convenience of getting your notification in a timely manner, the pedometer measuring your steps or use Map My Run for tracking your running/bicycling, and finally, the media control feature. I could go on and on, but simply put, I love it!

I primarily got this watch for the wrist notification because I carry two phones and it works great for that. The band was a little weird but once you figure it out it's fine. I have used the speaker phone a couple of times and found it to be okay but a little awkward in a crowd. Reading texts on your arm is kind of nice. The bluetooth range is great, I can put my phone on the charger and take calls on my watch. I waited for the price to drop before I got it only to find out the new version is due out in another month. You might want to wait...

Most companion gadgets that you've bought in the past or you will buy in the future are mostly for keeping with trends or being downright flashy. This is not the case with the Galaxy Gear. When you receive as many phone calls, texts, and e-mails as I do (I'm an accountant) there are times where you have to silence your phone on the fly or stop to actually respond to messages. Having notifications sent to a watch (and have the ability to silence or send a canned message) while you're typing up a response, review, report, etc. is a lifesaver when you can instantly discern what's pertinent or what can wait. I never thought one piece could change my cellular experience. This did it.

I like this watch more every day I use it. It notifies me of any notifications very fast. There is hardly any delay from when my phone vibrates to when the watch does. I love that I can actually read the message right from my watch and can reply with my voice or a pre entered message. OR if I just pull out my phone, the message will already be right on my phone and ready for me to type out a reply. It looks, sounds, and feels great.

The Gear with the latest software update is a very useful cell phone companion that delivers notifications to your wrist without the need to pull the phone. Also acts as an okay bluetooth phone (you can even make calls). For a first device its pretty good, but it portends to even better smart watches in the future.

Everyone was pretty harsh on this watch when it first came out. Upgrades on firmware are noticeable. I love it for the notifications. Don't have to go look at my phone when a text or email comes in. Can look at it on my watch. Also can answer calls and mic and speaker are quite adequate. Also S Voice works better than expected...can dial up contacts from watch and talk without needing to go to my phone. Great for hands free conversations!

Purchased this for my 16 year old son for Christmas. He was totally excited to receive it and has enjoyed wearing and using it. A handy way to get notified of texts, etc. He also likes the volume control for music a lot. It is a little bulky but not bad and has been a fun, fairly useful accessory for him.