Return of the Pebble (Watch)

[ajprice]

The Pebble e-ink watch is coming back, updated by Eric Migicovsky (Pebble founder) with new chips and better battery life.

https://ericmigi.com/blog/introducing-two-new-pebb...

https://repebble.com

I never had a Pebble the first time around, but these look interesting, the apps and watch faces are still around, after being bought out by Google own Pebble (via Fitbit) and the OS is open source now. https://rebble.io have kept the apps and watch faces going. $150 for Core 2 Duo (Pebble 2, b/w screen) or $25 for Core Time 2 (Pebble Time, colour screen).

[tangerine_sedge]

ajprice said:

The Pebble e-ink watch is coming back, updated by Eric Migicovsky (Pebble founder) with new chips and better battery life.

https://ericmigi.com/blog/introducing-two-new-pebb...

https://repebble.com

I never had a Pebble the first time around, but these look interesting, the apps and watch faces are still around, after being bought out by Google own Pebble (via Fitbit) and the OS is open source now. https://rebble.io have kept the apps and watch faces going. $150 for Core 2 Duo (Pebble 2, b/w screen) or $25 for Core Time 2 (Pebble Time, colour screen).

I had a few over the years, they were much superior to any other smartwatch for ages, but they all failed in the end - they were just not robust enough.

I'll probably buy one of these new ones

[phil4]

I had one way back... worked well and liked it.

However things moved on, and "smart watches", meant you could run useful stuff, and do things interactively. Even without a phone.

Much as I liked it then, I don't think I'd get one now unless I was going through a "digital cleanse".

[dapprman]

I am intrigued as to whether the new phone software will work with the old watches. I stopped using my Pebbles when Android effectively locked the software out (about a year after iOS did the same). TBH I do prefer my present Garmin, but that has a ~3 week battery life, where as my Pebble Classic was just under 2 and my Time Steel, just over 1.

What does concern me over the new watch is once more Eric Migicovsky is going the crowd funding route. Last time the company failed as a result of his mismanagement. it was only a few years later when it came out that the Kick Starter money for the Pebble 2,0 was actually been used to cover existing costs/debts and not for the new watch. Sure he may be more sensible this time and I do hope it goes well, however this could also be another Fisker.

[ajprice]

They've updated the bigger colour watch to something similar to the Time Steel 2, which is nice. Colours still TBC but there will probably be black or silver cases, and coloured edge button options.

And they're officially called Pebbles now, not Core 2.

[eeLee]

I have two of these somewhere......thanks for this, I now have some researching to do

[ajprice]

Pebble Round 2 announced for preorder and shipping in May.



The big old bezel from the Round 1 is gone, and the battery is said to be 2 weeks not 2 days like the 1 was. It doesn't have a heart rate monitor or speaker, but it's a bit cheaper than the Time 2.

I'm going to stick with my Time 2 preorder, but this does look good.

[dapprman]

For those who still have old Pebbles and only stopped using them as the software was no longer supported and would not run on newer versions of Android and iOS, well I tested the new software with my TPS and it works just fine, though of course I have lost my old watch faces and apps. Still worth being aware of if you do miss your old Pebble. Note that was on Android but I assume the same will be the case with iOS.

[fooman]

E-ink always seemed like the correct technology for a watch I hope it works out.

[Monsterlime]

Like others, I have brought my old Pebble Time Steel out of retirement, and it has been excellent. Battery life on it is still amazing (which I am honestly shocked about) and with new supported software etc, I don't need a new one, although am tempted.