Browsing the Web from your wristwatch may not be ideal, but it’s now completely possible if you’re using the Galaxy Gear. Tech savvy tinkerers have developed the first custom ROM for Samsung’s watch.
The hack comes courtesy of XDA forum member fOmey, who posted a ROM that bypasses a few of Samsung’s limitations to run third-party apps, widgets and wallpapers. The ROM also enables the Galaxy Gear to connect to the Web via any nearby smartphone that supports Bluetooth tethering.
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Screenshots of the custom ROM running on a Galaxy Gear show the Google homepage on the watch’s 1.6-inch screen, new live wallpapers, weather and time widgets. It’s not clear how smoothly the ROM works, but the XDA post provides full instructions along with FAQs.
In our review, we gave the Galaxy Gear high marks for its clear call quality and battery life, but lamented it for its limited compatibility and lack of Facebook and Twitter apps. Despite generally lukewarm reviews of the Gear, developers appear to be fiddling with the watch to expand its capabilities. We look forward to seeing what else they create.
