Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Fossil Men's 42mm Collider Stainless Steel and Leather Hybrid HR Smart Watch, Color: Black, Brown (Model: FTW7008)

Top positive review

The perfect blend of analog and smartwatch

Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2020

I am an analog watch person. I refused to give up actual watch hands and classic looks. I also refuse to be slave to a nightly charging mandate, requiring me to take off my watch. However, I have longingly watched other smartwatch owners glance down at their wrist to view an unheard text notification, or check their heart rate. Why can't I have both!?!

- Well, as luck would have it, Fosil must have read my mind! This watch provides me with the best of both worlds. The analog hands are always there , working as a watch should. Time is set by the watch-phone pairing, so I know it will always be accurate. The hands glow pretty well, so night time viewing is generally available. If I need read more than just the time at night, a double-tap on the screen provides a blueish light for 10 seconds or so, allowing messages or settings to be viewed.

The battery is great, and after 12 days of continuous wearing and use, it still shows nearly half charge remaining.

I shower with it daily, and no water issues have arisen.

When you receive a text message, the hands move to 9 and 3 temporarily, to allow for unobstructed viewing.

The face has a few different configurations available, and you can also have a photo in the background. The screen is basic black pixels (think calculator style) so don't expect much in that regard. In general, the face options and functions are fairly limited and basic. This is not trying to be an Apple watch, so don't attempt to compare the two. This is a great analog watch, that can also notify and display your messages, while also tracking your heart rate and sleeping patterns.

If you have always wanted a real watch, with smartwatch features, this is it!

The watch band can be removed with a simple pinch of a clasp, so swapping between different band styles is super easy.

The phone app is a bit basic, and doesn not offer a ton of ability, but it does let me choose what apps I wish to he notified by, as well as loggs my heart rate and sleep info. While I have no actual inside knowledge on it, I would suspect some additional functionality to he added to the app/watch down the line from Fossil.

I have worn two different $350 citizen watches for the last 8 years, and I feel like I am still wearing the same watch, just with secret smartwatch capabilities now. Same side, weight and style as I am used to.

I am very happy with this watch, and highly recommend to others.

22 people found this helpful

Top critical review

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Nicholas Gaylord

Beautiful design but has a major flaw

Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2019

I really liked almost everything about this watch. The analog movement is beautiful, the feature set is minimalistic which I actually like, and all in all the materials and build quality really impressed me. In terms of the fitness-tracking, the heart rate monitor seemed mostly okay, though I would have liked to be able to adjust the frequency for the continuous heart rate monitoring. It was definitely a lot more accurate when it took my pulse more frequently in workout mode. And, as others have noted, I really do wish it would be possible to receive notifications from any app on my phone, instead of just a whitelisted set. The battery life is every bit as amazing as they claim.

The problem though, which is leading me to return the watch, and which I have observed equally severely in two separate watches, is condensation. Any exposure to temperature change produces a very significant buildup of condensation on the inside of the watch crystal. I've never submerged my watch, and never exposed it to anything more than my sweat during exercise and a few drops of light rain. Moreover this has worsened over time as I have worn it, suggesting that the seals of the watch body are nowhere near adequate.

169 people found this helpful

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Nicholas Gaylord

Beautiful design but has a major flaw

Reviewed in the United States on December 15, 2019

Color: BlackVerified Purchase

169 people found this helpful

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Dr. StrangeBrew

The best available. A nice watch with the battery life and features I need. However...

Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2019

Color: Black, Dark Brown

Update two days after my initial review... After further consideration, I am changing this review drastically. I want to love this watch so much, but this thing has really been getting on my nerves.

I am still considering this the best hybrid available, btw. I’m so confused!

I am annoyed enough at the software for this watch that I am knocking down to three until Fossil fixes them (then I’ll move up to four stars). I'm not sure this watch was really mature enough to be released. But it can get there.

The software fixable (hopefully) problems:
1. How the heck do you get the light to go on consistently? You can flick it, hit it hard with your (other) hand, whatever. I just can’t get it to go on consistently. UGH! I’m assuming that this isn’t an inherent hardware issue, and that Fossil can turn up the sensitivity to improve...
2. How do I get tomorrow’s weather? I can get today’s, and a three day forecast two days out, but nowhere can I find tomorrow’s weather.
3. Let me invert the text/background. It would be so much easier for me and my old eyes to see if it was just inverted. During notifications, put the whole thing like that. Let me choose. Shouldn’t be hard to do. If you have young eyes this might not be an issue. I’m having a really hard time reading notifications due to the white on black choice (that I cannot change).

Not fixable hardware issue that will keep this watch from ever getting five stars from me:
I'm not sure if they are using older technology for the e-ink or something. Contrast is not nearly as good as something like a Kindle Paperwhite. (Note: according to one of the answers for a question for this product, the crystal is tinted brown on the brown one. That would reduce contrast.)

...and now, my previous review (with some edits because it went against what I typed above)... This has a better summary of my opinions on smartwatches, the features of this one, etc.
———————————
I have owned this watch for about two weeks now. I like this watch, and see it as, perhaps, the best smart watch I have ever owned for my preference for features.

I am really into hybrid smartwatches. I want a watch with real hands. I want days or weeks between charging. I want a watch that looks like a normal watch. I want a watch that I can look at only briefly in order to find out what the message was, or who’s calling, or whatever. I do not want a watch that has apps built into it, or listens for “Hello Google,” has games on it, or whatever. If you’re into those things, look elsewhere. This does not run on Android/Google Wear, or Rizen, or Pebble’s OS, or anything like that.

I used the Withings Steel HR for a long time. It almost fit the bill. The problem with it was that the display was too small. When there was a notification, I had to stare at it for a long time and watch it scroll across. Really rude when I was talking to someone. Loved the watch, but would give 4 stars due to that behavior. I was waiting for something that solved that issue.

So, I got this watch after a long period of anticipation. The watch fits the bill. It gives good notifications that I can look at quickly. It has long battery life. It is a good looking watch, and not obviously a smartwatch. Let me break these down further for you:

The good:
1. Appearance: It looks like a watch. A nice watch. Not the sexiest thing I’ve ever owned, but a nice looking watch. It does not look like a smartwatch. It’s not incredibly large. The info on the display is subtle due to the dark background. Yay!
2. Battery life: This watch meets the manufacturer spec’s. I think it might even be better than specified. I don’t get that many notifications, so my use might be light, but after a week, It was easily over 50%. Yay.
3. Notifications: FINALLY! I can see (most of) what the notification is without hitting buttons or waiting for it to scroll. Yay.
4. Features: The features on this thing are surpass what I need. I like the weather (see more under cons though). I like the fact that it can control music (not a feature I use). I like the fact that I can ring my phone when I’ve lost it in the couch. Yay!
5. Very coolness : I love what they did with the hands... When you are doing anything with it, the hands point to the 3 and the 9 so you can see all parts of the screen that have info on them. Brilliant! Also, you can have it such that when you turn/flick your wrist, the hands circle around once. It looks cool, and it lets you see any one of the items on the screen. It has always bothered me that "real smartwatches", if you set them up with virtual analog hands, will still cover the date. Just let me see the date!!! This watch always lets you see it. AWESOME!

Cons:
1. Responsiveness: This watch is e-ink. E-ink is not quick. Be patient, and understand that e-ink is not yet a responsive technology.
2. Light: I can’t figure out how to get the light to come on consistently. Still working on that. If I figure out the trick, I’ll update this review. Hitting the watch harder isn’t it. Flicking it with my finger is inconsistent. Tapping it on the top left a strange amount (people will go “What did you just do???”) seems to do it pretty consistently.
3: User interface: It’s kinda weird. When a notification comes up, you have to hit the middle button to see it more. Why the heck can’t you just use the upper and lower buttons to scroll it right away??? Dismissing the notifications is weird too. It seems as though the best method is to just hold the middle button for a little bit.
4: Old person use: I’m currently roughly (the_current_year - 1973) years old. My eyes are not what they used to be. Sometimes it is a bit difficult to see what’s going on, especially with the light text over dark background, which leads to:
5: Customization: Why can’t I switch it from white text on black background to black on white? It would be much easier to look at. It might not look as sexy, but I sure would find it easier to use.
6: Weather: I can’t figure it out. It seems to show the extended forecast starting two days out. It’s Friday. I want to see weather for the weekend. It shows me the weather starting on Sunday? Where is Saturday? Perhaps I’m looking in the wrong place, but clearly they didn’t put it in the right place. (Note that weather is a functionality beyond what my requirements are, but it really is nice to have. As long as I don’t care what the next day’s weather is!)

So, as you can see, I definitely have some complaints about it. These might be deal killers for you, but for me it’s the best available. Looks like a normal watch, gives decent notifications, has long battery life. That’s what I want. When a better hybrid comes out, I’ll switch to that, but I don’t see that coming anytime soon.

131 people found this helpful

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AmaAddict

Great idea, terrible implementation

Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2019

Color: Black, Dark BrownVerified Purchase

Let me start off by saying that I was really looking forward to this watch. As a Pebble owner, I was looking for something that offered me basic notification management and fitness tracking while giving me a long battery life. On paper, this watch looked perfect. But, unfortunately, I ended up returning it for three main reasons:

1. The app is required and is guarded by a license agreement with a forced arbitration clause. So what? Well, it matters a great deal. The watch is useless without the app (you can't even set the time), and forced arbitration clauses prevent you from being part of a class action lawsuit. If they ever withdraw the app or if the watches start catching fire or whatever, your only recourse will be to start arbitration with them in Dallas, TX. Unless you individually are willing to go through the time and effort to do so, you'll never be able to recoup your losses. Fossil knows this, which is why they are hiding behind a forced arbitration clause.

2. The app is buggy. A few hours after I installed the app, my phone let out it's "dying" noise to let me know the battery was just about gone. This was odd since I had fully charged it at lunch and hadn't used it much. When I picked it up, it was super hot and in the battery logs, it showed that the Fossil app had used 43% of my battery.

3. The watch is buggy. In my first day with it, it lost Bluetooth connectivity three times and each time required reinstalling the app and factory resetting the watch to get it to re-sync. Even worse, there's no indication from the watch that it's lost signal. This means that you're likely to miss important notifications because you're unaware that your watch disconnected. At least on the Pebble, you can put an icon on the watch face to indicate if you're connected or have it buzz if it loses connectivity.

In summary, stay away. Maybe their next model will get the bugs out.

79 people found this helpful

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Omar Mohatarem

Had such high hopes but sadly misses the mark - feel like a v1 Beta product

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2020

Color: BlackVerified Purchase

Let me start by saying I had such high hopes for this smart watch - great looks, 2 week battery life, customisable faces; it looked like it was the complete package. Sadly, after about 6 weeks I've switched to a Fitbit Versa 2. Want to know why? Read on.

Pros:
1 - Battery life is about 10-12 days. Pretty much way ahead of any competitor
2 - Looks. This is a sharp looking watch. The only thing I don't like about the looks are the hands are very old fashioned.
3 - Crisp e-Ink display looks great especially outdoors in the sun (where virtually every other smartwatch struggles)

Cons:
1 - Poor build quality. The watch case and screen picked up scratches within a few days of usage suggesting poor quality materials. As a reference my cheap plastic Garmin Vivomove HR hardly picked up any dings in a year of usage. I expect more from a company thats been making watches for so long
2 - Limited notifications. I knew going in that only certain apps could display notifications but in practice this proved to be just too limiting since Fossil are extremely slow to add new apps. As an example Slack is on the list of approved apps, but not the enterprise Slack app. Similarly, Careem is the premier ride hailing app across the MENA region but it's not on the list. Considering how capable the screen on this watch is to display notifications, I don't understand this restriction!
3 - Useless in the dark. Yes you can double tap the screen to enable the backlight but if your hands are busy then it means theres no way to read the incoming notification effectively making the watch unreadable in the dark. This could have been solved easily with a light sensor that automatically turns on the backlight for notifications in the dark.
3 - No disconnection notifications. The watch doesn't let you know when its disconnected from the phone (like the Garmin Vivomove HR does). This is an extremely useful feature and theres no reason not to have it
4 - Battery life. Wait - how can this be a pro and con? Firstly I've never gotten to 2 weeks battery life, let alone more than that. Secondly, I travel for work so anything less than 2 weeks effectively means I have to charge it every week (if I don't want to carry a charging cable) which was the same situation I was in with my Garmin Vivomove HR.

For all these reasons, I've switched to a Fitbit Versa 2 for now. Yes, the battery life has taken a definite hit but overall it feels like a more polished product. Most of the issues I've described above are fixable so I have high hopes that the v2 watch will be better - lets wait and see

4 people found this helpful

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Jesse Hickman

Really Want to Love It But It's Definitely a Beta Product

Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2020

Color: SmokeVerified Purchase

I absolutely love the look and weight of this watch. The battery life is absolutely amazing. The software does what you need it to as long as you're expecting a super smart watch.

However, as others have said, there are some severe manufacturing build issues that you'll want to consider before purchasing. Condensation is a very real problem and it'll only increase with the summer months. The biggest issue that I've come to find though is the e-ink screen. After four months, it's began to turn grey and fading with bad burn-in - so much so that it's becoming hard to read and it has to be sent in. After having a pebble and other e-ink devices, I have never seen deterioration like this and this quickly. I can only assume that it's related to the poor sealing job that results in the condensation. I am giving it another try with this watch because I like the idea so much about it but the execution leaves much to be desired it may seem.

Other misc notes:
- The watch hands do light up if you get enough sun but if you're not in the sun all day it's probably not going to work for you.
- The key to the light is to double tap the upper-right of the watch face. It works almost 95% of the time when doing it like this.
- The crystal is weak. Get a glass protector or you're going to get scratches.
- Download the custom build of app from gitlab called fossil_smartwatches_alelec_android. It's a fork of the official app and adds QOL improvements like automated syncing on phone unlock, DND sync, etc. I've used it for months and it's totally safe and better than the official app.
- It does not let you know when the watch has disconnected from the phone so sometimes you'll go hours without noticing. It's a stupid thing to leave off and a seemingly easy fix.
-Development is slow and has been non-existent since the beginning of April despite programming very easily being able to be done remotely.

3 people found this helpful

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Mark Read

Great watch on paper, not so much in reality.

Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2020

Color: Black, Dark BrownVerified Purchase

I missed having a normal mechanical watch, but was not willing to give up being able to received notifications from my phone on my wrist. That's all I really need from a smart watch, apart from step tracking I just don't need anything else, so the Fossil Hybrid HR seemed perfect.

Firstly, it's a great looking watch and the e-ink display is subtle enough to make it look like a normal mechanical watch and not so much like a smart watch. Whilst the customization is pretty limited, it does exactly what I need and not much more. The battery life is great and I'm getting pretty much what the specs state.
The interface can feel a little clunky and slow, but that doesn't bother me too much and is the trade off of having an e-ink display to prolong battery life and make it look a little less electronic.

Unfortunately though, in practice it has some flaws which detracts quite significantly from the upsides.
* The e-ink display is very visible in bright sunlight, which is something that other smart watches struggle with. However, in slightly dimmed light, such as indoors on an overcast day, it can become quite difficult to read unless you have the eyesight of a 20 year old. Notification titles are shown black on white which is a lot more visible than the notification text, which is white on black and is just impossible to read for my aging eyes unless I'm outside in bright sunlight.
* The bluetooth range isn't great, so move too far away from the phone and it'll disconnect. It also disconnects quite frequently whilst in close proximity to the phone for no reason and rarely reconnects automatically. There's also no notification, haptic or otherwise, to alert to the fact it has disconnected. The first you know about it is when you notice you've not received a notification. Quite often manually reconnecting using the Android app will result in it just attempting but never actually achieving. I have to turn off bluetooth and back on again before it will reconnect successfully.
* I have found the step counter to be not overly accurate. Performing a comparison between this watch and my Samsung Galaxy S3, I found that the results were out by a couple of hundred steps. Also, very bizarrely, the Fossil Hybrid HR records that I am walking in my sleep, despite the fact that I was not actually wearing the watch. and it was just sitting on my side table the whole night. Every morning when I put the watch on it shows that it has already registered anywhere between 10 and 50 steps.
Whilst it could be claimed that the Galaxy S3 is the inaccurate one, with these phantom steps being registered I'm going with the Fossil being at fault here.
* I don't use the sleep tracker at night, as mentioned I take the watch off and place it on my side table. However during the day I have noticed that during periods of inactivity it frequently records that I have fallen asleep at times when I know I've still been awaken, and at times when I have actually dozed off it will show me still being asleep anything up to an hour after I have actually woken up.
* The only way to sync data from the watch to your phone is to open the app and perform a manual sync. I know this is to prolong battery life but it's a bit of a hassle. Would be nice to at least have the option to periodically sync automatically throughout the day at the cost of a bit of the battery life.

Whilst the visibility of the notifications and the inaccurate step counter are annoying, I'm still reluctant to return the watch as the design is exactly what I wanted and I'm hoping that over time Fossil can somehow rectify the shortcomings.

One person found this helpful

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Sensei

Nothing Special but I like it

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2021

Color: Black, Dark BrownVerified Purchase

5/11 Update: I have worn the watch continuously for 1 week and it has been accurate with the power currently at 59% remaining. I'm a senior and the readings can be a visual challenge on the watch face in low light. It could be better but it's not a deal breaker. In the next app update they need to allow you to adjust the size of the font on the watch face. I don't use it for my notifications because I don't want an app sending a list of my associates to only GOD knows where. It's not a bout hiding. It's about what do I choose to share and with who. The watch holds your activity and sleep data and downloads it when you sync. I do this two or three times a day. When I wake up to check my sleep quality and when I want my step's updated. I have several watches (8+). This is definitely my new go to and I imagine it will be until something better comes along. This is nice and will be my final update unless I have something negative to report. One more thing. I am more active since having this watch because the data is in front of my face. Also, there is nothing plastic or techy about this watch. It gives you the clean masculine look of a gentleman of substance. That clean, well put together look. The watch is the period by which people will define your appearance. Just that little umph that nobody can put their finger on.

5/6 Update: Very accurate and I like it a lot. What I really like is the way it syncs and downloads the info when I activate the BT on my phone. I still give it a three because I can't turn off the BT on the watch itself. If I could do that it would be a four. The text of the complications is a little small and needs to be addressed in a future update. I still don't understand why an account is necessary. Oh and the sleep function is the best I have experienced. Very accurate.

Don't know what I was expecting but I know this watch was refurbished and sold as new. It was packaged as new but there was a old notification from Alex Anderson on it before I synced it. Will I send it back?

I haven't decided but I wouldn't buy it for what it offers.

I really want the ability to turn off the bluetooth and only sync it when I need to in order to reduce ef radiation exposure.

It's just an expensive pedometer in my humble opinion.

I've only had it a few hours and Ive gone through every feature but sleep tracking. I don't think that is a feature that means much to me.

I'd give it a 4 if I could turn off the bluetooth. That is what I'm pondering and will heavily weigh in or whether or not I return it along with reliable function over a one to two week period.

I also don't like the fact that you have to set up an account and share data to that account. I don't trust China or any company that does business in China. I'm very uncomfortable but what isn't from China these days. I am really struggling with not being able to turn off the BT in the watch. That is kinda a deal breaker for me.

Helpful

Rick

Not terrible but still had to return

Reviewed in the United States on January 21, 2022

Color: SmokeVerified Purchase

The watch itself looked sleek, very nice. It felt cheap though. Rattle in the bracelet that sounds like a cheap walmart watch. The actual operation of the watch I loved. The hybrid smart watch with analog hands is great. App is a little lacking but severe issues with the weather app. Always read the same, no matter what and night and day were backwards. Temp never altered. It was 3 degrees out and night, watch said it was 43 and sunny. I tried EVERYTHING to fix it, even deleting the app, letting the watch die and charging up and setting it back up from scratch. Did nothing. Still 43 degrees. Tried all the online methods I could find and still no luck. Got frustrated enough to send it back. Picked up the new Citizen CZ hybrid. Same app, same "e-ink" dial face with two weeks of battery and voila. From day one, everything worked perfect. Feels heavy duty, nice stainless watch. Was definitely more expensive, but overall, much happier with the Citizen. If you can figure out the weather app, the Fossil is still a good buy, they really do look great.

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Xeth Waxman

Meh Watch, Terrible App

Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2021

Color: Black, Dark BrownVerified Purchase

First off, the watch - this wath is nicer in pictures than it is in person. The pictures show a lovely medium brown shade that blends with the brown leather strap to create a very elegant and simple look, whereas in person the watch face is so dark that it's basically black. In addition, the strap is the stiffest leather strap I've ever had, and it was barely large enough to fit around my wrist. I'm not a huge guy or anything, but I had to use the very last hole - and due to how stiff the leather is, that little left-over nub was constantly popping out of the retainer. The digital pieces of the watch were nice, but very small in font - if you don't have 20/20 vision, this watch will require glasses.

The App though...the app is absolutely terrible. It crashes 30 - 40% of the time you use it, after only a few minutes. The heart rate tracking is pretty inaccurate when compared to an apple watch or a fitbit, and the sleep tracking is even worse. Because this is a "hybrid digital" watch, you *NEED* the app, since not all of the data is available on the watch face. That proves to be the watch's undoing - it requires the app, and yet the app is wholly unsuitable.

I returned the watch.

Helpful

TheChrisCarman

Stylish, useful, but woefully inaccurate step tracking.

Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2020

Color: Black, Dark BrownVerified Purchase

if I could buy a nice analog watch with a digitally addressable e-ink display that had no health tracking functions for $60-$100, I probably would. This device costed $195 at the time of purchase, and for my extra $100+ I got an accurate heart rate monitor, a look into my daily sleep routine, and an inaccurate step tracker that is consistently THOUSANDS of steps beyond what I have walked in a single day. Fair deal.

I see issues with the backlight in other reviews, but I get it to turn on very consistently with three quick taps with my fingertip.

Update: After 5 months the rings around the watch band that hold down the tip of the outer watch strap have deteriorated and fallen off. They basically rotted away. Definitely an issue. Very disappointed.

2 people found this helpful

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