QiLaunch Wear - update

I've posted before about the QiLaunch Wear which is currently in beta.  It's a navigation app, designed to make it quicker and easier to activate programs on your smart watch.

Around a week ago, they announced a new beta version with a few changes...

1. The icons have been made bigger, so they are easier to select
2. The anchor point has been moved to the 12 o'clock position, so both right and left-handers can use more easily
3. The sensitivity has been changed too

They also said another 2 changes would be out soon.  However, I received an update but none of these seemed to be in it.  Certainly the anchor point is still at the 3 o'clock position, which is the most obvious.  I'm looking forward to trying out the changes, when they arrive, and I'll update you when they do.

I've also signed up today for a further beta, this time for a phone app with the "Spread" module, with dynamic expanding radial menus.  Apparently I will be given pre-access before the rest of the world to this new mobile app, and receive other information as well, so that's good.  They say that they are simultaneously working on a watch version of the module, so more on that to come later.

QiLaunch Wear - beta testing

A while ago I posted about navigating to and launching apps, which was talking about the Quantum Interface project called "QiLaunch", which is currently in beta.  At the time, I'd signed up for the beta, but not heard anything back.

Well now I'm on the beta, and I've played with the app!  It clearly has potential, but I struggled to use it on the round screen of my Moto 360, as there wasn't much room to maneuver.  

The version that I've played with has been code-named "Carousel".  This has a vertical scrolling list of the shortcuts, which gravitate towards your finger as you drag it towards the one that you want to launch.  They are working on some updates based on the beta feedback at the moment.

I've also just signed up for a second round of beta testing, this time for the "Spread" version.  The description I've been given is...

You will get first peak at an entirely different and new concept to use on your phone and tablet devices - a first in the world scrollable, expanding dynamic radial menu system

They've hinted at 8 planned modules in total, which sound like they'll all be combined together as options in a single app.  We'll see over the next few weeks and months.

Wear update - June 2015 (1.1.1.1956917)

There have been a few announces about the latest Wear update, including the Android Developers blog and on Google+, but here's my experience.

I was notified about the update late last night, but you need 80% battery before it will install (which is a nice feature, my phone once ran out of battery during a particularly grueling Android update!) so I charged it overnight and installed the update this morning.

Everything went smoothly with the update, and then my apps all updated as well, no problems there.  So, the new features...

Wifi

This was off by default.  You can access the settings on your watch by scrolling down on the screen, then swiping left till you get to them.  Scroll down until you find "Wi-Fi settings" and click on it.  You can add networks, but it will always open up Android Wear on your phone in order to enter the network security key.  This is a seamless process, and I quickly added my home network.  Obviously this will only work on devices that have the physical wifi hardware, but my Moto 360 does.  If you go into the phone app settings, there's also an extra option for "Cloud sync" now (assuming you've updated the app as well) which will now sync data between your watch and phone via the wifi - I found this was on by default.

Gestures

This was also off by default.  You can access the settings in the same way as above - this time you're looking for "Wrist gestures".  This is a simple ON/OFF toggle, so click to switch it on.  You'll then get a few tutorial notifications, guiding you through.  It's really simple though, you flick your wrist away quickly then turn your wrist slowly back towards you to scroll down through notifications, and you turn your wrist away slowly then flick your wrist quickly back towards you to scroll up.

There's more to the update as well, but these are my favourite new features.

Navigating to and launching apps

Navigating on a smartwatch screen can be tricky, pokes and swipes can go awry, and finding the right app at the right time can be fiddly at best.

I recently found a nice little launcher app called Wear Mini Launcher.  It can be configured to your liking, but in essence it provides a nice little tray with smaller icons squeezed onto the screen, which means there's a lot less scrolling to find the one that you want.  Mine is configured to show 9 apps on the screen at once, as opposed to the 3 apps which the standard menu displays.

I've recently heard about a new launcher called QiLaunch Wear from a company called Quantum Interface.  It's currently in beta, but they claim it is a much faster and easier way to navigate.

You place your finger on the watch face and the apps appear on the screen and start scrolling through. Simply click on the app that you want, with no need to scroll yourself.  It analyses the motion of your finger to predict your intent, the interface reacts to changes of speed and direction.

For an idea of how this might look, check out this YouTube video...

I'm interested in trying this out, so I've signed up for the private beta.  If I get accepted, I'll try it out and post again with my opinion.

Hello and welcome

I'm pretty new to the world of Android Wear, having been given a Moto 360 (which I'd been lusting after since it was first announced!) as a gift.  Here's an instagram picture of me getting it, about 3 weeks ago...

And yes, that is my hand :)

So I'm learning the joys of Android Wear, with a Moto 360 slant.  I wanted to share what I'm learning, some of the awesome apps I've found, and possibly writing my own apps (if I get that far!).  I'm not much of a vlogger, so I thought I'd stick with blogging.  

There are some very good vlogs out there, including my friend's Video Gadgets Journal, which isn't specifically for Android Wear, but he also has a Moto 360, and loves showing what it can do.

So this is it from me for now, just wanted to say hello - more posts coming soon!