10 Apps to Add Value to Your Android Wear Device

by Don Reisinger

Lyft, an app that lets users quickly find others around them to hitch a ride to a particular destination, has added Android Wear compatibility. With the feature, users can view information from the app on their wrists and pick a driver based on reviews from others. It’s a free app, too, so if you’re looking for a ride, it’s worth checking out.

With Android Wear, Fancy, a free app that lets users create a curated catalog of goods that they have an interest in and can buy, is just a little more usable. Users can now start Fancy via a voice command and Android Wear. Users of the wearable operating system will also see notifications pop up on their wrists whenever Fancy calls and then respond to them from the device.

Allthecooks Recipes is another free app that brings some nice functionality to the Android Wear wristwatch. Rather than leave the smartphone on the counter or keep taking it out of the pocket, users can see recipe details on their wrists, thanks to Android Wear. In other words, while users are cooking, they can quickly glance at their watch to see what ingredient or task is next. Not bad.

No surprise here, but Google’s free Maps application has officially added Android Wear functionality. That means users will be able to get directions to their destination, see notifications and more. Google Maps’ Android Wear installation is a must-have for anyone planning to walk around town with a smartwatch on.

Interestingly, Pinterest, the social network that lets users “pin” items they like to different galleries, has added Android Wear functionality already. Upon downloading the free app, users can get notifications on their smartwatches about places they have already pinned. The app uses Android Wear’s location-aware feature set and its notifications to make Pinterest a little more useful when walking around town.

Glympse has made its way to Android Wear. The free app lets users wearing a smartwatch send their location to their Favorite Phone Contacts. In addition, the Android Wear installation also lets users view where friends are and check out other services, like Facebook and Twitter. Glympse has gone quite far in its Android Wear integration compared with the other firms in this roundup.

Contacts+, yet another free app available in the Google Play marketplace, has found a fun way to share contacts with Android Wear. When two users with Android Wear devices bump their watches together, contact details are exchanged. The Android Wear installation also includes the ability to see text messages sent via Contacts+, as well as birthday reminders.

Google Keep, the search giant’s free app that lets users keep track of their thoughts and type them in for later use, has added Android Wear compatibility. The app now lets Android Wear owners take notes and see reminders from their wearable device. In addition, the operating system can let users view and check off lists they’ve created.

Level Money is a free app that analyzes spending behavior and integrates with statements from more than 2,000 banks. It uses Android Wear as a notification platform. Smartwatch owners will be able to see the latest transaction notifications on Android Wear and can swipe across the device to see transactions and other “spendable” items.

Banjo has added Android Wear compatibility to its social news and music curation service. The app shows notifications on Android Wear devices to let users know of breaking news on a wide range of topics. The app also includes support for the latest social posts related to a particular event or news item, and shows that on the Android Wear display. Like the others, Banjo is available for free.