Two Android Wear smartwatches launched with new features

Two rival smartwatches launched Monday — more highly evolved iterations of the technology that can serve as pedometers and allow users to check and send emails and texts and see Facebook notifications while their phones are charging or are in their pockets.

Both smartwatches, LG’s G Watch and Samsung’s Gear, use voice commands as opposed to touch and run Google’s Android Wear system — which depends on having a companion phone of Android 4.3 or later and moves app notifications to the watch’s face, Wired reported.

“These are the first truly useful smartwatches to hit the market. They aren’t for everyone, they can be annoying, and both have lots of rough edges to the interface. But if you find them intriguing and have $200 to spend, go for it,” Wired wrote.

The devices support Google Now — an intelligent assistant that keeps track of appointments and errands and can alert users via alarms on the watch.

“You can set a reminder to do something, using real language. For example, you can tell it, ‘Remind me to grab my dry cleaning when I get home today,’ and it will parse that successfully, flashing an alert as you approach your doorstep,” Wired reported.

Samsung’s Gear Live starts at $199 and boasts fitness features that can count steps and measure heart rate. There is no camera or speakerphone, so to make calls, users will need a Bluetooth headset paired with their phone.

There aren’t many icons or buttons on the screen, as seen on previous smartwatches. Instead, users swipe left for more information or right to dismiss notifications.

LG’s G Watch, at $229, is more expensive and is said to have a third more battery capacity than Samsung’s smartwatch, although neither lasts more than one or two days per charge, depending on use.

The G Watch counts steps but has no heart rate sensor, camera or speakerphone.

Motorola has the first round-faced smartwatch in the works, and Apple is expected to release its own smartwatch this fall.

Al Jazeera and wire services