Fossil Q Explorist Gen 4 FTW4012

I have waited a long time to buy a smartwatch. Mainly because I want a watch to look like a watch and not like those Casio digital watches from back in the day. I also wanted a screen on which you cannot count the pixels. And finally I wanted a complete watch, so with GPS and Wear OS etc. It took a while, but in the end I ended up with the Fossil Q Explorist Gen 4. This watch has everything I want. This smartwatch really feels like a watch. It all starts with shrinking the band. It is best to order such a tool for this. I did it by removing the strap from the clock and knocking the pins out of the strap with a short piece of a paperclip and a hammer. I can advise against it! When you have it on, it feels like a normal watch in terms of size, weight and material. Due to the high resolution, the dials are also very beautiful and notifications are also displayed very nicely. It does take some getting used to that it does not charge by movement like my other watches. Of course that doesn't work for a battery like this either, but it's a shame. The battery does not last very long. That's a known problem. You know that a watch with so many options and with an 'old' processor is not going to be very economical. So you can't really complain about that. Mine usually lasts all day. Fortunately, charging is quite fast, so if it is empty, you won't be without a watch for very long. Wear OS is not very intuitive to me. Now I have no experience with other smartwatches, but it was not the case that I immediately understood and could operate everything on the watch. I'm still finding things out. Like you have a PlayStore on your watch, but not all apps work without the same app on your phone. Like Shazam. And it also gives a very unclear message. I expected that there would be a few more apps for which you do not need your phone. I also find the communication between phone and watch not always that fast. My phone does ring 2 or 3 times before I see the name of the caller on my watch. This could also have something to do with my phone. Google Assistant, on the other hand, is very, very good. In 9 out of 10 cases he/she understands exactly what I ask of him/her and he/she can even understand my children. Very fun to play with and very useful for making appointments or navigating the city. What I really like about this (a) smartwatch is that you can change the clock, that I can control the music from my arm, that I can quickly see whether a message from someone is important, that I do or do not have that one conversation. do not record. I am very happy with it and I cannot recommend a better watch.

First of all, we're going to talk about the design and build quality of the watch. The classic metal design is very well accepted in my opinion. Personally, I really like the look and I am very pleased with the build quality of the watch; it feels sturdy, there is not too much slack in the circuits of the strap, the buttons are solid and the weight of the watch gives the impression that you are dealing with a quality product. Many people do not notice that you are wearing a smartwatch. Only when they see the display does the penny drop and most get excited. Another positive point is the watch strap. This can be made smaller by removing links and even fits on relatively thin wrists. This process is quite stiff, provided you use special tools. I therefore recommend that you have the strap custom made in the store and that you do not try it yourself. This saves a lot of time, effort and prevents potential damage to the strap. Another important thing is of course the software. The Fossil smartwatch uses Google's Wear OS, so you are assured of a well-functioning operating system, large app selection and a fairly solid update policy. Installation is very simple and you will have the watch up and running in no time. The connection to your smartphone is via the Bluetooth protocol, which means that you have Bluetooth on continuously to make use of the most functionality. This will drain your mobile faster, which is of course not ideal. The battery life of the smartwatch is about a day when you don't use it too intensively. If you are mainly interested in the lifestyle/sports functionality, it might be better to go for a sports watch as they usually have a longer battery life. Since I am not allowed to wear a watch during working hours, the use of the watch is limited to six hours a day. In these six hours I am mainly interested in incoming messages, controlling the music I play via my smartphone and the occasional Google Maps/Viewranger navigation. All these things can be controlled via the smartwatch. Experience shows that you have to set the notification policy properly because otherwise you will get too many uninteresting vibrations on your wrist. If there are too many vibrations, you will automatically look less at the watch or you will be more distracted; for example, I don't have to read every incoming mail immediately – it can also wait 15 minutes until I read the e-mail on my phone. The Google Maps functionality seemed very interesting to me at first. I have tried it while driving, cycling and walking. However, my advice is not to use it while driving or cycling; by looking at your smartwatch you get too distracted, which makes you a danger on the road more quickly. However, while walking it is interesting and convenient. You don't have to walk around with your smartphone in hand, but just take a quick look at the Fossil. Conclusion: The design is beautiful, the build quality is excellent and the Android Wear OS has its advantages. The battery life is a major setback and makes the watch uninteresting for people who work long days. The added value of a smartwatch is (for me!) very limited. I started the adventure with the idea that it meant that I would reach for my mobile less and have a 'just' glance at the latest notifications. Unfortunately, I started to feel that I was interrupted more often during my daily activities and that the watch was often a distraction. So if you strive for a less 'connected' existence, a smartwatch may not be for you. Nevertheless, I think that everyone should determine for themselves what the added value is of a smartwatch on the wrist. If you want to increase the battery life, the Fossil smartwatch is a very nice smartwatch.

The Fossil watch looks very sleek, and I really like that it doesn't look like a typical smartwatch watch. Many people therefore do not see that it is a smartwatch, until a notification comes up or because it glows in the dark. The installation was easy and was arranged quickly. After the watch was custom made, I could start wearing it. It's fun to explore the different features, such as the many different watch faces and the possible apps. As apps it is possible, for example, to navigate with Google Maps, and to put the loyalty cards of stores on it with Stocard. The watch is easy to use. The Google Assistant is nice and handy, although it can't talk back because there is no speaker in the watch. It is useful to quickly set a reminder or timer, or to call or WhatsApp someone. Google Fit also works, measuring heart rate, steps, climbing stairs and cycling. I sometimes have the feeling that it is not very accurate, because even if I do not have my watch on, I still get messages that I have earned 'heart points'. The battery of the watch is quickly charged, but the disadvantage is that the battery also runs out quite quickly. The battery will drain quickly, especially if you use apps intensively, for example during sports. I have turned off the function that the screen lights up when you look at the watch (so it only comes on when you tap it), and then the battery lasts much longer. If you don't mind this, then the watch has few drawbacks.