Moto 360 One-Day Usage Review

Last weekend, I accidentally discovered that the Moto 360 was available for purchase. After agonizing for several hours, even though I knew it was an "experimental product," I still decided to buy it. I simply have no resistance to new technological products.

I had done some online searches beforehand, but they were all the same, with no user experience information whatsoever. I also didn't quite understand many of the functions. It wasn't until I got my hands on the watch that I understood how it works. Here, I'll share some of my experiences, hoping it will be helpful to those interested in the Moto 360.

First, let me complain about something. I bought a watch, a metal watch band, and a screen protector along with it. But when I received it, I found the screen protector to be terrible—it's yellow! And!! The Moto 360 already comes with a screen protector!! Okay... I can't return the screen protector, right? ...What a waste of .

Let's talk about the metal watch band. The watch comes with a leather band, which is very nice and comfortable, but I personally prefer a metal band (it's more professional-looking), so I bought a metal one. I should mention that not all metal bands suit this watch, so be careful when choosing one. I bought the PebbleSteel StainlessSteel, and it's very comfortable to wear. Below are two comparison photos (not taken by myself).

Now you probably understand why I bought another metal watch band. Let me also mention changing the band; the band I bought came with tools so I could change it myself. Just search for instructions on YouTube. It's basically taking it off and putting it on; it should only take 10 minutes.

Now let's get to the main point: what can the Moto 360 actually do? First, it's a smartwatch. Because it uses the Android Wear system, it can seamlessly connect with any Android phone. All you need to do is install the Android Wear app on your phone (Google support is required, which is a bit of a stretch for users in China).

Feature 1: Change various cool watch faces. This has probably been shown in all the introductory videos; there are only a few watch faces, but each one is very cool. You can also set the background color and hand color (I highly recommend using black as the background, because there's a black sensor at the bottom of the watch face, and a white background would look jarring). Once set, the watch will automatically change the color. No matter what watch face you choose, the display looks great and there's no sense of incongruity. Furthermore, the Moto 360 has sensors that can detect when you look at the watch, so it will light up when you want to check the time and remain completely black when you don't (the battery life is limited).

Feature Two: The notification system. This is the highlight of this watch. As mentioned before, it seamlessly integrates with Android, so its notifications are also seamless. What does this mean? It means you don't need to install any software on the watch; any interaction from any app on your phone will be displayed on the watch. For example, incoming emails, phone calls, text messages, WeChat, Weibo, Facebook, etc.—any information that appears on your phone will be simultaneously displayed on the watch. This also includes calendar and to-do reminders.

This is the core function of the watch, and I believe it is used in the following way:

Scenario 1: You're in a meeting or in front of a crowd, and it's inconvenient to use your phone. In this situation, you can use your watch to check and reply to text messages (if you don't know how yet), and read the news.

Scenario 2: You're busy and your phone is accidentally muted. In this case, any calls, text messages, WeChat messages, etc., will vibrate on your watch to alert you (you can simply pull down to turn off all notifications, which is very convenient). I think this is the most useful feature.

Scene 3: Showing off. Sliding around, very classy.

Function 3: Voice control. The watch's core operating system is voice control, using Google Now. While the domestic version is less reliable, I must say it's incredibly user-friendly and intelligent. The recognition rate is very high; this isn't solely due to Motorola, but rather the inherent power of Google Now. You can set your default voice-activated apps on your phone. For example...

Of course, it also integrates the seamless intelligence of Google Now. Those who have used it know how convenient it is; for those who haven't, consider this example. For instance, if you're going to pick someone up at the airport tonight, Google, based on your actions, calculates and automatically provides flight information, as well as the time and route you'll need to get to the airport, to your watch (or phone). Once you arrive at the airport, it automatically tells you the time and route home. If you like a bag or electronics, it also calculates and tells you which websites have sales... and so on. However, Google Now cannot anticipate the thoughts of Apple users.

Function 4: Pedometer, heart rate monitor, etc. I think these are useless functions.

Function 5: Android Wear software. This refers to user-developed software, such as social networking, games, etc. I've looked at quite a few, but most are pre-installed Android apps. There aren't many dedicated Android Wear apps right now, around a hundred. Most focus on finding my phone, finding my watch, and social networking. It's somewhat impractical, but it represents a great future. Just imagining it gives me a lot of ideas.

Another major issue is battery life. This is why it's still considered an experimental device, or rather, why most wearable devices are currently experimental – battery life is a key factor, including the earlier Google Glass. Under normal use, the Moto 360 can last about a day. Daily charging is recommended, but the logic is this: you can't sleep with your watch on, right? Place the charger by your bedside, charge it before bed, and pick it up when you wake up. This aligns with user habits.

It's worth mentioning that the Moto 360 seems to use wireless charging, requiring the included dedicated charger. This can be a bit inconvenient when traveling.

In summary: This is a pretty good toy. People who like high-tech gadgets and have the budget can buy it. If you're concerned about the cost, then forget it. It's still worth the price. (Apple users, don't buy it; you won't be able to use it.)