Wrong – Appliances catalogue

02 Jul

Mobvoi TicWatch E3 Review: Right Smartwatch, Wrong Time

July 2, 2021
Posted by Samson

Mobvoi TicWatch E3 with the front on the wrist.

“At almost any other time, the speedy Mobvoi TicWatch E3 would be a solid buy, provided style isn't high on your requirement list, but the lack of information on an update to the incoming Google / Samsung Wear platform means it's prudent is to wait and see before diving in. "

Snapdragon Wear 4100 makes it quick
Light and comfortable
Comprehensive, accurate health tracking

Plastic cover is not stylish
No information about a future Wear update

The Mobvoi TicWatch E3 is the second smartwatch to come out with the Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 4100 chip inside, and that's a big deal. The processor makes Google's Wear OS faster, smoother, easier to live with every day, and improves battery life. It's also the main reason you should consider buying the TicWatch E3, but the shadow of the new Google / Samsung Wear platform hangs over it too.

The situation puts the TicWatch E3 and anyone who thinks about it in a difficult position. Let's take a closer look at this to see if it is wise to wait and see what happens in the world of Android smartwatches over the next few months.

design

The best watches are “a part” of you, that is, something you want to wear every morning and enjoy all day, not just to check the time. The Mobvoi TicWatch E3 is not that type of watch. It's a piece of technology where design comes second after adding the latest processor.

Mobvoi TicWatch E3. Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

Understanding this and assessing whether you are okay with the compromise is the first step in deciding whether you can live with the TicWatch E3. It's not an ugly or uncomfortable smartwatch, just boring and plastic. Unforgivable when it costs $ 400, but more understandable at $ 200.

The TicWatch E3 looks different than the TicWatch E2, with short, square tabs that attach a 22mm quick release bracelet to the simple round plastic case. On the side there are two buttons set at the 2 o'clock and 4 o'clock positions that have a nicely muted action. The app menu opens at the top and the bottom button is set to Mobvoi's TicExercise app by default, but can be changed in the settings. The E3 is just under 13 mm thick, the screen measures 1.3 inches and has a solid rim that runs around the edge.

The screen is bright and colorful, but the massive frame is distracting, although the 2.5D glass makes wiping comfortable. It also feels durable and has an IP68 rating so it can be worn while swimming. The bracelet is easy to replace with another, and Mobvoi sells you some more colorful versions.

Mobvoi TicWatch E3 on the wrist, seen from the side. Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Ticwatch E3 is neither desirable nor hateful, it is just there on my wrist. I put it on and forgot it until it reminded me of it with a notification. This is both good and bad. The smartwatch is undeniably comfortable and lightweight, but I will never be indifferent to it because of its simple style.

performance

Why should you be interested in the TicWatch E3? The reason is the Snapdragon Wear 4100, a shocking rarity in the world of Wear OS smartwatches that can only be found in the Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 3. The fast, up-to-date chip has been replacing the ubiquitous Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 for far too long. The TicWatch E3 might not have the looks, but it definitely has the power.

Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

The Snapdragon Wear 4100 eliminates two of those annoying Wear OS problems, namely slow speeds and short battery life. It makes Wear OS dramatically more responsive than any smartwatch with Snapdragon Wear 3100. It flows and glides through tiles, quickly showing notifications as you scroll through the list, and even the tedious setup process is considerably faster than before. Paired with 1GB of RAM makes Wear OS comfortable to use, and that's a big step forward.

The TicWatch E3 might not have the looks, but it definitely has the power.

What about the battery life? Some Snapdragon Wear 3100 smartwatches struggle to make a day before charging and few last well into a second day. If you turn off the Ticwatch E3 overnight, it only takes two working days (with a single GPS-recorded workout) before it needs to be charged. And that with active all-day heart rate monitoring and the always-on screen that constantly shows the time. Not bad at all, and if you don't follow a workout, it takes about 36 hours. A handy essential mode turns on when the battery is almost completely discharged, so you can still see the time. However, charging is slow, taking around two hours to fully charge.

Software and fitness tracking

The Ticwatch E3 runs Wear OS – version 2.26, H MR2, which is installed on my test model – so it works in a familiar way, with swiping and tapping to navigate the menus. There is no rotating crown or bezel here, so the software is only controlled with your finger on the screen. By default, Mobvoi's menu system consists of a 4×4 grid of scrollable icons instead of the standard one-line scrollable list, but can be changed if necessary. I found it a little easier to find what I wanted, but missed the way the Wear OS menu system puts recently used apps at the top of the list.

I had a couple of issues with the reliability of the software. It was once completely blocked and required a hard restart to bring it back to life, and TicExercise refused to quit a workout and then lost the records when it finally gave up later in the day. Changing data, e.g. For example, when the TicPulse app reads your heart rate, it sometimes overwrites what is shown on the screen, making it impossible to read without exiting and reopening the app. None of these issues have been repeated, and a software update could fix these errors in the future.

The bigger problem with the TicWatch E3 is due to another software update. Fortunately, the E3 has the power to make Wear OS largely painless today, and notifications are delivered for the most part, but it's still frustrating when it doesn't or when you find that you need to have a specific Wear OS app installed, to get them. like Outlook. But the future is the problem. The Wear platform developed by Google and Samsung will be out later this year, and there is no news on when or if the E3 will get an update. When Digital Trends asked Mobvoi about its plans, the answer was:

"Mobvoi are a close partner of Google and have even received investments from them, but there is still no official confirmation of Google's update times."

Mobvoi's statement here puts the responsibility on Google, and while the wording suggests that an update is possible, it doesn't say that one will definitely happen or when. Even if your smartwatch won't stop working, the lack of information about an update for Wear today should be taken into account when buying it today, as it will make your new smartwatch feel old pretty quickly if it's not on the update list.

Health and Fitness Tracking

Mobvoi installs a variety of its own health and fitness apps, all of which you need to register with Mobvoi's services in order to get the most out of them. If you do not do this, some data will not be displayed. Most fitness apps replicate the features of Google Fit, and it's annoying that the SPo2 and heart rate monitor apps both require a Mobvoi login first. Other apps include an ambient sound app called TicHearing, a stress and relaxation app called TicZen, and an automatic sleep tracking app called TicSleep.

Heart rate sensor of the TicWatch E3, Andy Boxall / Digital Trends

You can use Mobvoi's TicExercise app or Google Fit to track workouts, and both can be activated with a press of the bottom button on the case. They both do the same job, and there is no advantage in using one over the other. Aside from TicZen, there's little reason to even dive into Mobvoi's apps. Why are they here? Mobvoi describes itself as a software company rather than a hardware company, so collecting data is important.

When comparing the TicWatch E3 with the Apple Watch SE, both heart rate sensors delivered the same measured values and the SPo2 sensor agreed with the Apple Watch Series 6. Step count and calorie consumption were also largely the same, which means that the accuracy of the TicWatch E3 is in line with others. Similar products. The smartwatch easily found a GPS signal during a walk and recorded location data.

The TicWatch E3 works very well as a casual fitness tracking wearable, but Mobvoi's own apps are mostly redundant for no apparent reason why you'd use them over Google's fitness apps.

Price and availability

You can purchase the TicWatch E3 today for £ 200 or £ 180 from Mobvoi's online retail store or from Amazon.

Our opinion

There are good arguments in favor of buying the TicWatch E3 now. It's not that expensive, it has the fastest processor inside, it's light and comfortable to wear, and Google's Wear OS software is better here than on almost any other smartwatch. It also does all the health and fitness tracking you could want.

But there are also a few good arguments against it. It doesn't have a lot of style and you won't want to show it off, and the frame around the screen is grossly large. The software has some stability issues, and most importantly, there is no information on whether it will ever receive an update for the brand new Wear platform later this year.

It's a difficult situation. It really is the smartwatch we were looking forward to, just launched at the wrong time. While the TicWatch E3 makes perfect sense if you're looking to buy a Wear OS smartwatch – it's not the most expensive example, so if you have to wait for an update later, it won't feel too bad – but patience will pay off here . There is often a sweet spot for new product purchases, and the arrival of the TicWatch E3 is exactly where it is wise to wait and see what happens to Wear and all of the new smartwatches we see in the second half in 2021.

Is there a better alternative?

All Google Wear OS smartwatches are in the same situation as the TicWatch E3 when it comes to an update to Wear. The new software will hit some existing smartwatches, but likely not all, and exactly when it will happen is completely unknown. If you own an Android smartphone, check out smartwatches without Wear OS, like the Amazfit GTR 2 for $ 180 or the GTR 2e for $ 140, or a wearable like the Fitbit Versa 3 for $ 230, until more is known about Wear and its updates.

If you own an iPhone, the Apple Watch SE for $ 270 or the Apple Watch Series 6 for $ 400 should be high on your list. Apple Watch integrates perfectly with iOS, has superior features when connected to an iPhone, and is fun to own and use.

How long it will take?

The plastic housing and the watertightness according to IP68 as well as the easily exchangeable rubber strap make the TicWatch E3 very durable. Google provides regular updates to Wear OS, but few include noteworthy new features. As already explained, there is no information about when or whether an update for Wear will arrive on the TicWatch E3. The TicWatch E3 will last at least two years, but the software threatens to feel very out of date before the end of 2021.

Should you buy it?

No. It is wise to wait and see what the new Wear platform and the new hardware released with it bring before deciding. The TicWatch E3 is a good buy, but we recommend waiting a few months to have all the latest wear information at hand before making a decision.

Editor's recommendations

12 Feb

Blog

I Was Wrong | Breaking Muscle

February 12, 2021
Posted by Samson

When we are strung together, we should say these three words with our tails between our legs and a strong flicker to our confidence. I'm not going to get on my high horse and go through a Pinterest list of virtuous bullet points of how personal growth starts here and how courage is found in those moments, blah blah blah.

My reason for writing this is that I was wrong a lot.

I know what it feels like to be a young coach who has one of those epic moments when the thought of "Ohhh shit, I think I screwed it up" rushes down your back like a fire station alarm.

And in that moment, you see your career, approach, and entire belief structure flash before your eyes.

It's a slap in the face for sure, but one that has a ton of benefits.

I hope you can put your ego aside and admit that some of your trusted may hold you and your clientele back.

Toes up

My career began in the spring of 1999. According to the dictionary definition of the word, I was a map-wearing meathead.

I loved the weight room, started my college career in strength and conditioning, and couldn't have been happier. I thought it was great to start work at 4am. Less sleep meant I could be in the gym longer. When I stopped training at 7 or 8 p.m. it was perfect.

I didn't want a relationship or family anyway. I was that guy.

One of the coaching cues we've used for years was toe up! Toes in our squats or deadlifts, basically any closed chain exercise.

The intent was good in that we were trying to get the lifters to shift their weight back. We knew much of the back chain would appear online when the heels are buried.

It was the day and age that all problems were attributed to rear chain problems.

"Do you have chronic migraines?"

"It's because your back chain is weak."

"Break up with your wife?"

"There are problems with the rear chain."

"Do you have erectile dysfunction, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic nosebleeds, sleepwalking, or severe acne?"

"A regular diet of RDL should fix everything." – Yes, so we preached.

And we preached it. And then something funny happened. We had a lot of lower back problems, especially when squatting. These complaints were also in recent years when political correctness was not an issue.

We have attributed every injury or chronic problem to the child's lack of toughness or softness.

Then, seven years after my career, I heard a friend of mine give a lecture at a kettlebell class I took on the big toe and how he has a direct neurological relationship with the glutes:

The big toe
Grab it
Glutes come up

Wait what?

The glutes are part of the rear chain, but it's like the rearmost of the rear chain.

Oh shit, I think I screwed this up.

After experiencing this myself, my mind raced through the kids I had trained up to this point, including the soft-ass kids with lower back problems. Have I been holding back my athletes (by the thousands at this point)?

Could I have been the reason all of these kids had lower back problems? The cold hard truth is very likely yes.

A message

I've told this story before on this website, but it needs to be repeated. With this popping up over and over again, I really wanted to become the second coming of my mentor, Mike Kent.

Coach Kent is a national coaching treasure. There is no one like him and every athlete he has ever met has loved him. I was one of them and I really wanted to be like him.

Problem is, I couldn't see how adaptable he was to different groups.

I became the soccer version because I played soccer for Coach Kent, and I thought that version was the silver bullet to get any athlete to work.

Was i right? I was golden in football:

They loved the way I trained them.
I was tough but playful when the time was right.
I pushed her and didn't want to listen to anyone or complain for a second.
I challenged them as men and asked them to reach outside of themselves during each training session.

In retrospect, I was kind of a tyrant and they ate it up.

Insert our women soccer team. You can imagine what's coming – the same recipe. I trained hard, made no excuses, refused to let her complain, and pushed her harder than ever.

And I've lost every single one of them. When I say lost, I mean I earned the nickname The Weight Room Nazi.

You hated me.

They hated getting into the weight room, and I got to the point where my skin would crawl knowing they were up to date for the day.

Instead of inspiring them or showing them how to dig deep, they continued to descend into disinterest and carelessness. It was the worst.

That was the reason::

You were a bunch of spoiled rich kids?
You had some poor coaches in front of me that the athletes let the athletes run over them, and now you finally had someone demanding hard work?
Have I met young women relatively new to weight training?
They didn't believe that blood makes the grass grow. And maybe the ladies thought if you say such a thing you sound like an idiot.
Most of all, these 25 young women weren't soccer players, and my approach was what failed?

Oh shit, I think I screwed this up. I will let you decide.

Death of the ego

There is right, and then the insecure, desperate, and manic need has to be right. Most of us live somewhere in the middle.

And the whole reason for writing this article is to challenge you to a soul search.

I didn't promise Pinterest moments, but I've been in the game for nearly 22 years and I salute the whoops-a-daisy moments. I've learned enough and seen so much that sometimes I feel like I've seen it all.

And then I realize that I don't know everything.

Our ego works for a number of reasons. Some are productive, but most are toxic. And as coach or trainer, we have chosen an important decision-making profession. We are the last word, the long arm of the law.

Most of us have a lot of education (degrees and certificates) and are confident in our thinking. Because of the physical nature of our actions and the incredible adaptability of the nervous system, the body adapts and gives us recognition when we don't deserve it.

I dont know

Dr. Susan Puhl (may she rest in peace) was my lecturer in advanced movement physiology and my chair during my thesis. She was as smart as she came and was a blast in the classroom.

I love telling this story about my first group presentation in her class.

We took up the subject of height and its effects on the human body. The instructor divided us into small groups and we spent an entire evening presenting our sections.

Each group had 3-5 people and we were responsible for each section individually for a few minutes. We were all a little nervous, and then the first student gets up and starts her serving.

Within the first few minutes, Dr. Puhl her a question. At that moment the lady gave an answer that she believed could pass.

Dr. Puhl commented: "Wrong – try again. "

The young lady made one more attempt to work her way through the answer.

All we heard from the back of the room was, "No, the wrong answer, please try again. "

The student's share should be a few minutes. But the exchange lasted 20 minutes as she sobbed in front of 18 strangers.

Round and round they went. The more this girl tried to shit, the more Dr. Don't pull them off the hook.

In the middle of this debacle, I began to sink into my seat because I was up next, feeling the fate that might come my way.

Another guy in my group named Victor was already scared of the presentation, so I'm pretty sure he was sitting there in a puddle of his urine.

Just before this poor girl's soul was about to leave her body for good, Dr. Peel the dogs off.

Dr. Puhl said: "Do you know why I don't stop?" And the wet mess of someone in front of us said, "No, why?"

Your answer was straightforward.

"It's because you clearly don't know but refuse to admit that you don't know. So you'd rather think of answers than admit that you don't know. I would have liked to have accepted that and let you move on, but instead I wanted to see how long you would shake off guesswork than swallow your pride and let us all know that you have no answer. In the future, the answer is simple; the answer is, I don't know. "

– Dr. Susan Puhl

From that moment on, things changed for all of us. As you may have thought, while standing up and answering questions, I stumbled upon myself to give the reliable and bulletproof answer, I don't know.

I appreciate the need to be right. I understand the image we are trying to maintain and we don't want to look unprepared. But do you know when to stop talking in circles and try to pull an answer out of nowhere.

And never bullshit. Let them know you don't know, but you will find out and get back to them with a response as soon as possible.

What we've always done

Do you know how many studies were in the very first issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research? Four.
Do you know how many studies were featured in the last issue of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research? Nineteen.

What the hell does all of this have to do with this article??

By the time I showed up, I was nerd spending my evenings and weekends at the library in Eastern Kentucky reading all the research I could get my hands on. I've read every word in the first five volumes (34 currently) of this publication.

Because of this journal and related scientific journals, the profession has accelerated discoveries and improved old ones.

When I started, the profession was in diapers. Well, I mean, the evolution of strength science is like a rocket ship. We are developing at breathtaking speed.

The reason I'm bringing this to you is because I was guilty of myself, maybe more than anyone.

The phrase "What we've always done." rolls right off your tongue.

It's also the greatest answer of all. It tells us that you are lazy. It gives me all the information I will ever need about you.

I experience this as we speak, a professional night of the soul. I'm on the last nine of my careers and what we've always done doesn't make a lot of sense.

Yes, there are mainstays in my system, these exercises or groupings that would be the hill on which I would die. But many of the things I have been preaching for two decades are losing their luster. Why? Because I tinker with other things.

I hear fresh voices and watch some brilliant people do unconventional things that are downright better at getting the results they want. This openness is contrary to what I've always done.

To give you some insight, a lot of the traditional exercises like squats and dead and how we performed them don't work.

I'm a big procrastinator. When we do this in the weight room, we do it in the field. And to be honest, I am struggling to lie to myself that the transmission is how I need it or how I envisioned it. Was it all a lie? In real time I'm telling you, oh shit, I think I screwed this up.

I stand on a mountaintop of epic proportions in the world of admitting that I was wrong. I question the structure of my system.

Not because I was wrong all along, but because there are better options now.

You can't be wrong if it's the best choice available, but when a better alternative has shown its face it's a real crossroads.

I'm not exactly sure where I'll be in a year. Stay tuned and find out.

Look, we all have to face the music at some point. The day will come when you discover that something you prescribe to your clientele is not working. And that's okay. It's pretty liberating to be honest.

I'm too old to waste any more time.

My reputation has never really been my concern and I'm certainly not afraid to tarnish it now. It's easy for me to admit when I'm wrong and say "I don't know" (great love for you, Dr. Puhl). It gives me room for something better.

I want to be excellent and I don't have time to throw away.

Embrace being wrong. It happens. Do what is asked of you, and then move on. You will do better.