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The Android Wearable Computing Revolution Begins

 July 20  | 0 Comments

Hello readers!! With this blog I would like to share with a wonderful technology that on the rise in recent time. This is Android Wear. After smartphones, smart watches are the next in thing. So what exactly in Android Wear, its functionalities and how can we design one, ourselves.

Come let’s explore.

Android Wear is a version of Google’s Android operating system which has been designed for smart watches and other wearable devices. Android Wear supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity.

In 2014 Google officially announced Android wear, a new version of Android operating system.

Android Wear runs on a variety of devices, like first-generation of Motorola, LG’s G watch and Samsung Gear among others. Android supports 4.3 (API18) or higher that adds additional Android Wear specific UI controls.

What is Android Wear?

The Android Wear is an operating system that supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. It uses Bluetooth to connect to devices running on Android 4.3 or higher versions. Once the connection is established, the wearable channels get updated automatically from the paired smartphone and/or tablet. The features include like Google Now cards, Gmail, Google Calendar and phone notifications for incoming calls and text messages.

The following can be done using Android Wear:

  • Send Text Messages, instant messages and emails.
  • Get Directions
  • Taking Notes using Google Keep.
  • Launching the Apps (“Open Facebook & Check Notifications”)
  • Set Reminders

Setting Up the Development Environment:

The Android Wear Development can be done by Android Development IDE – Android Studio.

Steps:

  1. If you don’t have Android Studio, then download the same from the link given below:

https://developer.android.com/sdk/index.html

2. Make sure that Java Development Kit (JDK) is installed.

3. Install SDK and software required for creating emulator for Android Wear.

4. Open Android Studio and click the icon shown below :

5. Click on the Launch Standalone SDK Manager. You will see the below mentioned screen.

 

6. Select the package ” Android Wear Intel X86 Atom System Image” and install this selected package. (Refer to the pic below)

7. Wait until Installation is complete.

8. After completion of the installation, create AVD for Android Wear from AVD (Android Virtual Device) Manager.

9. Click on “Create Virtual Device…

10. Select Android Wear device and click on Next button.

 

11. Click on the Next Button.

 

12. Choose the System Image and click on Next Button.

13. Select “Use Host GPU” option.

 

14. Click on Finish Button. (Refer to pic below)

15. Once the process is completed, you can start your emulator for Android Wear.

 

Your emulator looks like this. (Refer pic below)

 

How to create your own app for Android Wear?

Now you are ready to try your own app for Android Wear.

Here in the example below, we are starting the development of one sample app:

  1. First download the Demo App from below mentioned link:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1nhXmLvGnKDLXVlbXZkSzljNXM/view?usp=sharing

2. Then import the project in Android Studio from File -> Import Project -> Select your project and click on OK as shown below.

 

3. Now Run the imported project by clicking on Run button.

4. Run your application and your output will be as shown below :

 

So in this way we were able to build our own app for Android Wear.

Hope this blog was informative and you are now ready to create your own Android Wear app.

Keep visiting our site www.acadgild.com for more updates on Android and other technologies. Click here to learn Android from our Expert Mentors

 

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