Reviews of WatchMate

By: Vesper Marine

List of user reviews and ratings for WatchMate

Total ratings

3.08 (Rating count: 60)

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Review summary

Users find WatchMate useful for AIS tracking and anchor watch features, complimenting Vesper Marine hardware and improving over time. However, Android users report frequent app crashes, unreliable firmware updates, and alarm sounds that are too quiet. The app provides less feedback and functionality compared to the iOS version, particularly regarding firmware updates and remote monitoring capabilities.

Pros

Provides effective AIS tracking and vessel monitoring.
Useful anchor watch feature appreciated by users.
Regular improvements and firmware updates enhance functionality.
Easy to use once initial setup and connection issues are understood.
Complementary to hardware products like XB-8000, enhancing boat safety.

Cons

Android app stability issues with crashes and bugs reported multiple times.
Firmware update process is unreliable or fails, especially on Android.
Alarm sounds on Android are too quiet and provide insufficient notification.
Android app lacks user feedback during firmware updates compared to iOS version.
Limited remote monitoring capabilities for AIS and NMEA 2000 data on Android app.

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User Reviews

Recent rating average: 2.80

All time rating average: 3.08

Upgrade to see all 18 reviews

22% (4)

Date	Author	Comment
2024-03-10	Da*****	All good. Great product and app
All good. Great product and app
2023-07-07	Cr*****	Android app alarm is almost inaudible. I have been using this for many years, and just learned how to set the anchor alarm--by reading the detailed instructions only the for iOS app! I would like to use the alarm on the phone near me when I sleep at anchor, but the alrm sound is a single beep and 3 vibrations. NOT LOUD ENOUGH!. I seem to remember the under weigh alarm for nearby vessels being a loud ship's horn sound. How do I get a louder anchor alarm on the Phone?
Android app alarm is almost inaudible. I have been using this for many years, and just learned how to set the anchor alarm--by reading the detailed instructions only the for iOS app! I would like to use the alarm on the phone near me when I sleep at anchor, but the alrm sound is a single beep and 3 vibrations. NOT LOUD ENOUGH!. I seem to remember the under weigh alarm for nearby vessels being a loud ship's horn sound. How do I get a louder anchor alarm on the Phone?
2023-06-19	Br*****	Not possible to remotely monitor ais or nema 2000 data. Dont waste money on the xb 800 it can only LOCALLY monitor your ais and nema data. If you have any need to remotely monitor your vesel info this will not work. Just buy the vesper cortex dont be an idiot like me.
Not possible to remotely monitor ais or nema 2000 data. Dont waste money on the xb 800 it can only LOCALLY monitor your ais and nema data. If you have any need to remotely monitor your vesel info this will not work. Just buy the vesper cortex dont be an idiot like me.
2022-06-16	Ge*****	Great app but I Uninstalled it after it repeatedly shut down. My phone says it has a bug.
Great app but I Uninstalled it after it repeatedly shut down. My phone says it has a bug.
2022-05-29	Go*****	Another company that just doesn't take their responsibility to their customers seriously. Firmware update does not work. When you enable automatic updates, the app crashes on startup. I won't be purchasing any more Vesper Marine products, and will be telling all of my fellow mariners to avoid the company at all costs.
Another company that just doesn't take their responsibility to their customers seriously. Firmware update does not work. When you enable automatic updates, the app crashes on startup. I won't be purchasing any more Vesper Marine products, and will be telling all of my fellow mariners to avoid the company at all costs.
2021-10-28	Ba*****	Unable to update. I press the update button, the status bar goes to 99%, and then the update fails. Every time.
Unable to update. I press the update button, the status bar goes to 99%, and then the update fails. Every time.
2020-09-20	Br*****	Installed, but won open only Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite Tab. Why...??.?.
Installed, but won open only Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite Tab. Why...??.?.
2019-11-30	A *****	Come on Vesper, your Android app is terrible compared to your IOS app. A simple example is firmware updates. The Android app gives no feedback about install status and even if the current firmware is up to date. Just a big red "Update" button that looks like it does nothing when you press it. It's almost like a professional developer worked on IOS and the Android app was a "Learn to Program 101" project.
Come on Vesper, your Android app is terrible compared to your IOS app. A simple example is firmware updates. The Android app gives no feedback about install status and even if the current firmware is up to date. Just a big red "Update" button that looks like it does nothing when you press it. It's almost like a professional developer worked on IOS and the Android app was a "Learn to Program 101" project.
2019-02-11	A *****	There was a bit of a learning curve trying to figure out how to get the wjfi connection to work, but once I figured out that "not connected to Wi-Fi " really means "not connected to internet" and ignored the warning the connection has worked well. The portability is very handy. I have do have a question though ... my AWS reading sometimes shows a small s or small p next to the degrees for wind angle. What do those symbols mean? Okay, got it. P for Port, S for Starboard! Thanks!
There was a bit of a learning curve trying to figure out how to get the wjfi connection to work, but once I figured out that "not connected to Wi-Fi " really means "not connected to internet" and ignored the warning the connection has worked well. The portability is very handy. I have do have a question though ... my AWS reading sometimes shows a small s or small p next to the degrees for wind angle. What do those symbols mean? Okay, got it. P for Port, S for Starboard! Thanks!
2018-09-29	A *****	Edit:::: Working perfectly for a while now, forgot to come back and update the rating.
Edit:::: Working perfectly for a while now, forgot to come back and update the rating.