How to set up and launch an Android Wear app
Download the Android Wear app from
Google Play and open it. Go to the
app's drop-down menu and select
‘Pair new wearable’ once you’ve
turned your smartwatch on.Pair your watch
with your phone1
Back in the Android Wear
app’s main menu, scroll down to the
blue bar that reads ‘Browse
suggested apps’. This leads to a list
of Wear-compatible apps on Google
Play. Download your favourites.2 Download apps
The default watch face for Android
Wear displays the time, but tap on
the screen to launch Google Now.
From here you can search the web,
send messages and open apps.Launch with voice
commands3
Ifyou’dprefernottogive
spoken commands, tap to launch
Google Now and swipe up to manually
scroll through Android Wear’s
features. Scroll down to ‘Start...’ to
access the watch's app drawer.4 Launch manually
T
he fi rst Android Wear
smartwatches only appeared on
the shelves last June, but
Google is already reporting that there
are “tens of thousands” of apps for
the gadgets now available. But don’t
be overwhelmed! We have combed
the Play store so you don't have to
fi nd the 25 top downloads that you
should be adding to your wrist.
From taking photos remotely to
viewing online recipes without getting
your hands dirty, we show you how
Android Wear can enhance your
everyday life. We also reveal the top
apps to tinker with your timepiece and
add extra functionality, new watch
faces and more.
However, for those of you looking
for novelty apps, such as Android
Wear games and elaborate
keyboards, be aware that we have
employed the 30-second rule: If you
need to use an app for longer than
that time, you should switch to your
phone or tablet to carry out the task.
Like what you see here? Turn to
page 84 to fi nd out what we thought
of the two circular smartwatches, the
Moto 360 and LG G Watch R.The essential apps
to supercharge
your smartwatch
Feature
»^ 25 Android wear apps