8 ms·

> I didn’t have that longer-term vision in mind necessarily when times got hard. I wasn’t thinking about the company’s world-changing mission, and that’s someth

> I didn’t have that longer-term vision in mind necessarily when times got hard. I wasn’t thinking about the company’s world-changing mission, and that’s something I talk about with startups. To me this was the number one reason Pebble failed, I don’t think anyone in the management ever thought of it as more than a series of individual products. They didn’t need a “world changing mission”, they needed a business model with some kind of long term strategy to get off the crowd funding platform. If you are asking your customers to pre find your manufacturing runs after 6 years then something has gone wrong. Shame because it seemed like a great product and everyone I know who had/has one really liked them.

purrcat259 9y ago
It really was. I still have my Pebble classic on my wrist, and patiently wait for a similarly priced and spec'd (B&W eInk screen, HR sensor, simple look) watch to the Pebble 2 so I can retire it. I was genuinely bummed when they announced they aren't going ahead with Pebble 2 shipments because of their closure.
- mateuszf 9y ago
  Hi, I'm wondering about buying a used Pebble 2. Does it make any sense though? Isn't it using some services now maintained by Fitbit which they can shut down at any point?
  - deadonarrival 9y ago
    You can still buy them new [1] but fitbit is discontinuing support and services on June 30th. [2] 1. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KM4NCP8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_mB-IAbQ18Y38T https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KM4NCP8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_mB-I... 2. https://dev.fitbit.com/blog/2018-01-24-pebble-support/ https://dev.fitbit.com/blog/2018-01-24-pebble-support/
  - stevewillows 9y ago
    While the servers are going down in June, projects like https://rebble.io https://rebble.io are moving toward replacing those services. For the last release of the Pebble app, they included a dev mode which allows us to change the path for the store. We'll see how it goes, but I bought a Pebble 2 HR a few months ago and love it. This is my third Pebble.
    - mateuszf 9y ago
      Thanks. Just ordered Pebble Time Steel
      - stevewillows 9y ago
        If you ever find that the screen starts to tear, check this post on reddit for a quick fix. https://redd.it/4fgn6e https://redd.it/4fgn6e It most likely won't happen, but if it does, its an easy fix.
- wlesieutre 9y ago
  Someone linked me this last time Pebble came up: https://us.amazfit.com/shop/bip?variant=336750 https://us.amazfit.com/shop/bip?variant=336750 Heart rate data is stuck in their ecosystem and it doesn't have any open ended app capabilities, but for $60 on GearBest it's definitely interesting
  - albertgoeswoof 9y ago
    This actually looks amazing, 30-45 days of battery life! thanks!
  - madez 9y ago
    > Heart rate data is stuck in their ecosystem Unless you live in a country where every user can demand the release of the data about them. In Germany (and AFAIK all of the EU) for example, that is the case. Besides that, I consider unfriendly design like that a big reason not to buy a product. Why buy a product you know you need to send legal letters to the developer just for properly using it?
  - blutack 9y ago
    Gadgetbridge claims decent compatibility - does anyone have any experience? https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/wiki/Amazfit-Bip https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/wiki/Amazfit-...
PakG1 9y ago
I bought a Pebble 2 and it was delivered just before the sale to Fitbit. It's great value for money, and I love the battery life. It's too bad they couldn't figure out a way to become more independent.
spullara 9y ago
The buttons on my original Pebble fell off in the first 5 minutes I owned it.
- mtrimpe 9y ago
  Not to mention Eric's precursor to the Pebble called inPulse where they basically just shipped everyone a plastic brick, pretended nothing was wrong and then stopped supporting it. ScamFunding the Pebble...
  - IntronExon 9y ago
    In 2018 that just gets you praise for your “hustle” I think... followed by a YC partnership.
    - jacquesm 9y ago
      Not just in 2018.
- jtruk 9y ago
  Same thing happened with the first Pebble Time Steel I bought. I took it back to the shop and swapped it. This one's been perfect for years, so I put it down to a batch problem.
brucephillips 9y ago
It also contradicts PG's advice that startups should hill climb.
Cyberdog 9y ago
> If you are asking your customers to [pre-fund] your manufacturing runs after 6 years then something has gone wrong. From what I understand, their later crowdfunding campaigns were more about building hype than actually raising funds. They could have made the watches without them, but since they were known for making such a splash on KickStarter, they went back again for later rounds. Was that the right thing to do? Did it project the right image for their company? That's up for debate, I suppose.

purrcat259 9y ago

It really was. I still have my Pebble classic on my wrist, and patiently wait for a similarly priced and spec'd (B&W eInk screen, HR sensor, simple look) watch to the Pebble 2 so I can retire it. I was genuinely bummed when they announced they aren't going ahead with Pebble 2 shipments because of their closure.

mateuszf 9y ago
Hi, I'm wondering about buying a used Pebble 2. Does it make any sense though? Isn't it using some services now maintained by Fitbit which they can shut down at any point?
- deadonarrival 9y ago
  You can still buy them new [1] but fitbit is discontinuing support and services on June 30th. [2] 1. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KM4NCP8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_mB-IAbQ18Y38T https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KM4NCP8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_mB-I... 2. https://dev.fitbit.com/blog/2018-01-24-pebble-support/ https://dev.fitbit.com/blog/2018-01-24-pebble-support/
- stevewillows 9y ago
  While the servers are going down in June, projects like https://rebble.io https://rebble.io are moving toward replacing those services. For the last release of the Pebble app, they included a dev mode which allows us to change the path for the store. We'll see how it goes, but I bought a Pebble 2 HR a few months ago and love it. This is my third Pebble.
  - mateuszf 9y ago
    Thanks. Just ordered Pebble Time Steel
    - stevewillows 9y ago
      If you ever find that the screen starts to tear, check this post on reddit for a quick fix. https://redd.it/4fgn6e https://redd.it/4fgn6e It most likely won't happen, but if it does, its an easy fix.
wlesieutre 9y ago
Someone linked me this last time Pebble came up: https://us.amazfit.com/shop/bip?variant=336750 https://us.amazfit.com/shop/bip?variant=336750 Heart rate data is stuck in their ecosystem and it doesn't have any open ended app capabilities, but for $60 on GearBest it's definitely interesting
- albertgoeswoof 9y ago
  This actually looks amazing, 30-45 days of battery life! thanks!
- madez 9y ago
  > Heart rate data is stuck in their ecosystem Unless you live in a country where every user can demand the release of the data about them. In Germany (and AFAIK all of the EU) for example, that is the case. Besides that, I consider unfriendly design like that a big reason not to buy a product. Why buy a product you know you need to send legal letters to the developer just for properly using it?
- blutack 9y ago
  Gadgetbridge claims decent compatibility - does anyone have any experience? https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/wiki/Amazfit-Bip https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/wiki/Amazfit-...

PakG1 9y ago

I bought a Pebble 2 and it was delivered just before the sale to Fitbit. It's great value for money, and I love the battery life. It's too bad they couldn't figure out a way to become more independent.

spullara 9y ago

The buttons on my original Pebble fell off in the first 5 minutes I owned it.

mtrimpe 9y ago
Not to mention Eric's precursor to the Pebble called inPulse where they basically just shipped everyone a plastic brick, pretended nothing was wrong and then stopped supporting it. ScamFunding the Pebble...
- IntronExon 9y ago
  In 2018 that just gets you praise for your “hustle” I think... followed by a YC partnership.
  - jacquesm 9y ago
    Not just in 2018.
jtruk 9y ago
Same thing happened with the first Pebble Time Steel I bought. I took it back to the shop and swapped it. This one's been perfect for years, so I put it down to a batch problem.

brucephillips 9y ago

It also contradicts PG's advice that startups should hill climb.

Cyberdog 9y ago

> If you are asking your customers to [pre-fund] your manufacturing runs after 6 years then something has gone wrong. From what I understand, their later crowdfunding campaigns were more about building hype than actually raising funds. They could have made the watches without them, but since they were known for making such a splash on KickStarter, they went back again for later rounds. Was that the right thing to do? Did it project the right image for their company? That's up for debate, I suppose.