Google's Android Wear software will let you leave your phone at home (if there's Wi-Fi)

Google wants to make smartwatches less dependent on smartphones.

For now, to use most smartwatches, you need to connect the device to your smartphone and keep your phone nearby. That's no longer going to be necessary for wrist-worn devices powered by Google's Android Wear software, the company said Monday. Instead, the devices will let you connect your watch to a Wi-Fi network and receive updates about emails and upcoming calendar appointments directly over the Internet.

You'll still need to allow your watch to pull information from your phone -- and have your phone connected to a cellular or Wi-Fi network but then you'll be able to receive notifications, send messages and use apps on your watch. That's no matter where your phone is  and your phone and watch don't have to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

http://www.cnet.com/news/googles-android-wear-watch-software-lets-you-leave-your-phone-at-home-as-long-as-theres-wi-fi/