The LG Watch Urbane

The trend of wearable technology has taken a huge rise ever since the advent of Android watches in the Technology market. In this review, we bring to you the LG’s brand new product which has acquired quite a lot of attention from the world of technology. Let us get into it and analyze this product with comparison to the present technology as well as latest innovations.

The LG’s Watch Urbane has a stunning design as it looks extremely fashionable and aesthetically pleasant to the eyes. As compared to its competitors, the Sony SmartWatch 3 and the Moto 360, it is strikingly more attractive as more attention was paid on the design rather than the specifications. However, there are serious issues about the price at which this product is being sold. The value for money is not the best as smart watches priced way below are available in the market with equivalent features and functionality. But then again, it is what LG is trying to accomplish. This product is merely intended and focused for the cult which prefers looks on everything else. These fashion-savvy customers are always willing to pay more for the product which makes them look elegant and classy.

Build & Design

The Good:

• Let us delve into the subtle aspects of the design of the Watch Urbane. For convenience, we shall compare this watch with its predecessor, the G Watch R.
• The LG’s Watch Urbane typically comes with a golden color as compared to the silver G Watch R. Both have similar layouts and shape with Watch Urbane having a smoother texture and refined hardware. The Watch R comes with a matte black polished metallic face that gives it a decorative and expensive feel to it. The Watch Urbane on the other hand, possesses a pretentious golden rounded dial which still makes it fancier than the Watch R.
• The Watch R made a big style statement when it came to the market because of its high quality casing and advanced appearance. The Watch Urbane did not fail to impress us either. The most brilliant aspect which makes this watch stand out from the rest is the classical façade which makes it look like a real watch. LG has done a lot to remove the abstract watch faces and introduce analog style. Moreover, The Watch Urbane introduces five new watch faces that offer different visual services. The choice regarding faces varies and is subjective to priorities.

The Bad:

• The size of the Watch Urbane is same as the Watch R.
• The quality of the band is not convincing as the leather is rigid and color seems dull apparently.
• Some of the faces LG provide do not provide concise information. Most of the faces render redundant information which can be irritating sometimes.

 

Display

 

• The device uses the P-OLED display which is the same as what the Watch R uses.
• The power consumption is very efficient.
• Looks fine in sunlight.
• Slight modifications to the bezel make swiping gestures easier than Watch R.

 

• On the downside, the Watch Urbane does not have an ambient light sensor.

 

 

Battery Life

 

The watch Urbane normally would last 48 hours on mild-heavy usage. However, I have experienced some issues with battery consistency. The reason is still unknown and the onus is on LG to address this issue as soon as possible.

Android Wear 5.1

 

In this section, I will walk you through the key aspects of Android Wear 5.1 on which Watch Urbane runs. There are some improvements in the UI design:

 

• Android now offers more prominent color for some applications.
• Text density is increased by decreasing the font size.
• The pull-down notification bar has been revamped.
• An all new activity launcher which offers three action panes.
• The launcher pane contains all the indigenous and third-part applications.
• The favorites pane shows you the contacts list with all the basic features from the previous operating system.
• The accessibility menu has a setting to change font size now along with triple tap zoom gesture.
• The “OK Google” prompt has been removed.

Drawbacks

• The lock screen is unstable as the wrist detection lock does not work sometimes.
• The pattern-only lock is a big hassle as the screen is not big enough
• Scrolling leaves smudges on the screen which is already too difficult on a smaller screen in the first place. Although, the scrolling can be done by flicking the device, some users just find it awkward to use it habitually.

 

But why buy a smart watch in the first place?

 

Before I present my final verdict on the Watch Urbane, I would like to shed some light upon the very existence and prospects of wearable technology. There has been and continues to be big a debate on whether smart watches have a place in our daily lives or is it just a style statement. There is a need to address this issue as we analyze both the sides of the issue.

I for one am particularly skeptical about the future of smart watches. For some reason I do not find them useful at all especially when we have such advanced phones. Moreover, the technology is still nascent and I believe there is a long way to go before wearable technology becomes ubiquitous. Furthermore, it is still premature to say that which sections of the society would be attracted towards smart watches. Elder people prefer to wear their conventional watches and would find it difficult to adapt to new ways.

However, it is necessary to balance out the argument. In the past two years, we have seen significant improvements technologically as well as aesthetically. People have started to rely on smart watches as many companies have jumped in and the competition has increased. The freedom to use your smart phone without even touching it impresses quite a few people specially who are business oriented. Managing emails, responding to messages and voice assistance are key features that are quite useful.

It is still difficult to state convincingly as to whether smart watches tend to make our lives easier and simple. We will have to see what comes out of this in the years to come.

Conclusion:

 

Coming back to the topic, we shall weigh in the pros and cons of the Watch Urbane in this section. This following information is a mix of facts and my personal opinions.

Pros	Cons
Arguable, this is one of the most gorgeous looking smart watches ever introduced in the android market. It definitely adds to your social status.	The Watch Urbane will cost about $350 which is a bit on the higher side
The battery life is pretty decent as compared to its counterparts	There is no GPS availability
Comes with an improved operating system with many new features
Better screen in terms of size and quality
Wi-Fi compatible

 

The only major shortcoming I see is the price. Many people would prefer a decent smart phone in 350 bucks over the Watch Urbane. But then again, as we have discussed before, this watch is targeting the materialistic people. With the latest android in the place, enhanced functionality and a unique style, the pros certainly outweigh the cons as far as I am concerned. I would definitely go for the watch Urbane as my next smart watch. I shall rest my case here and leave it to your judgment.

Do tell us about your experience and what you think about this product.

DA

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