A9 Smartwatch or similar Apple Watch rip-offs

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › A9 Smartwatch or similar Apple Watch rip-offs - anyone tried them?

jonathan18

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#177095 22-Jul-2015 11:21

Just wondering if anyone has tried one of those A9 smartwatches or other similar dodgy and cheap Apple Watch rip-offs?

Read of them here, and found them on Aliexpress here for US$66 including shipping.

Given the low price (but getting higher with every drop of the NZ dollar!), I'm interested in giving one a try - and despite being based on the looks of the Apple Watch this one will work with Android devices. I'm not expecting much from it (240 x 240 res for starters!), but it could be fun to play with, and could be useful in some circumstances.

Any experiences with this out there?

michaelmurfy

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#1349738 22-Jul-2015 12:09

They're complete bollocks.

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tchart

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#1349739 22-Jul-2015 12:12

michaelmurfy: They're complete bollocks.

Yup stay away. I got one a year or so ago. Connected via Bluetooth fine for calls but never ever worked for notifications. Seller was no help at all.Android app was complete crap and later versions required you to register and log into some server.

jonathan18

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#1349756 22-Jul-2015 12:34

Thanks for the warnings! Clearly they're everything I feared (but hoped) they wouldn't be...

Any recommendations as to what are the cheapest/best-value/acceptable smart watches out there at the moment? I'm not interested in spending stupid amounts, and don't want a new digital object to replace my analogue Eco-Drive watch, but still interested in trying out such a device. Thanks!

cooljoo

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#1349780 22-Jul-2015 13:35

Colleagues at work have the Fitbit Surge https://www.fitbit.com/nz/surge

$299 at the moment at Warehouse Stationary.

jonathan18

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#1349785 22-Jul-2015 13:39

cooljoo: Colleagues at work have the Fitbit Surge https://www.fitbit.com/nz/surge

$299 at the moment at Warehouse Stationary.

Thanks for the information.

Having also done a bit more reading and research, I'm also kinda interested in a LG G Watch R, given it seems fairly well-developed, battery life's ok, should have an upgrade to enable wifi before the end of the year, and it's also round (would prefer this to square/rectangle).

I've asked on the thread on this watch to see if anyone with one is interested in selling theirs - given many people got lucky with that really cheap deal on it a few months back, I'm hoping there are some not being used out there. (I'd trust members here above the potential risks of buying one off TM).

n4

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#1349787 22-Jul-2015 13:42

In general most of the first gen Android Wear watches are becoming available at decent pricing. If I was doing it now I would probably go for Asus Zenwatch at USD129. Have personally seen any good deals yet on the LG but haven't been looking.

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Handsomedan

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#1349809 22-Jul-2015 14:11

cooljoo: Colleagues at work have the Fitbit Surge https://www.fitbit.com/nz/surge

$299 at the moment at Warehouse Stationary.

I have a Fitbit Surge...love it.

It's not really a smart watch as such though.

Yes, it gives txt and call notification and you can read abridged txts on the screen, but it has no apps, can't do calls and is really an exercise companion device with HR sensor and limited phone functionality.

If you don't need to use an iOS device with it, I'd definitely look at the range of Android Wear smart watches...no good for me as i am firmly entrenched in the iOS camp, but for Robots...they're true smart watches...unlike the Fitbit

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tchart

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#1349836 22-Jul-2015 15:05

Pebble? I love mine :D

1eStar

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#1349885 22-Jul-2015 16:08

Sony SW2. There's a few on TM. $125 up. I have one. Arguably better than Android Wear offerings. A couple of caveats: my touch screen went faulty on my first unit. And lately my vibration motor has gone faulty, still working out if it's a software or hardware glitch.

michaelmurfy

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#1351498 25-Jul-2015 11:23

The Pebble is your best buy - is currently on Massdrop: https://www.massdrop.com/buy/pebble-smartwatch