11 ms·

Pebble Time review: an underdog among smartwatches

199 points by yurisagalov 11y ago

lepht 11y ago
The Verge's review is also worth reading: http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/27/8661863/pebble-time-review-wearable-smartwatch http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/27/8661863/pebble-time-review...
- adricnet 11y ago
  I agree that was worth reading, but it seemed a touch harsh. There seems to be some disconnect between review objectives of 'is this a great product with growth potential' versus 'is this perfect for everyone' ... but maybe I just did not like the author's comparisons to toys as negative descriptors. Fairness: I backed Pebble twice on KS, am wearing one, waiting for my new Time to arrive, and still marvel at the OLPC XO-1, also derided as a toy but one of the most amazing computers ever built. I like viewable screens :)
  - hingisundhorsa 11y ago
    > still marvel at the OLPC XO-1, also derided as a toy but one of the most amazing computers ever built Sorry, I was with you until the moment you described a pretty standard AMD Geode GX2 SoC with a pretty poor transflective LCD as "most amazing computer ever built". Let me guess, you worked with Nicholas? the self-promoting self-described father of web tablets who claimed to have saved millions of children when really he just chewed up millions of UNDP funds that could have gone towards genuinely life-changing projects?
    - adricnet 11y ago
      Wow. I did volunteer some with OLPC early on, but no to all of that. I'm talking about the water proof, sandproof, nearly indestructible laptop with the always viewable screen over there on my shelf with awesome user serviceability that "retailed" to me for less than $200 USD. By comparison my modern Chromebook (via CodeStarter), similar street price today as XO-1 then, has a much nicer processor, raw specs but can be easily killed by cat, coffee, or child and is useless outside (screen vs sun) or more than 1 day from a power tap (batteries) and is almost unrepairable by users. I like it but it's not the same kind of thing at all, and it's out-of-the box Linux is much less hackable and educational ... hence CodeStarter. There's plenty of discussion around about the software stack (Sugar), the newer hardware (XO > 1), and no end of people discussing the organizations in Boston, Florida and elsewhere all over the Internet if that's what you were looking for ... but that really has nothing to do with what I said.
- pervycreeper 11y ago
  The subjective opinions offered in that review strike me as arbitrary and needlessly harsh.
smegel 11y ago
> Style-wise and feature-wise, the Pebble Time doesn't quite compare to most modern smartwatches. It doesn't have a touchscreen Because scratching at your wrist like a heroin addict trying to find a vein is the new cool? I don't get it.
- tertius 11y ago
  Less caffeine normally limits the scratching.
r0naa 11y ago
I really admire Pebble for they are the only company that is truly trying to make an accessible and efficient product. I don't believe that people will buy a computer, a smartphone, a tablet and a watch. Assuming that each of these devices remain widely used (as it is the case today) I think that people will make a choice to reach a balance. In that scenario, it is easy to see how an expensive watch that replicates smartphone's functionalities would be a commercial failure. Pebble on the contrary opted for having a finite, and comparatively small, set of functionalities but excel at those. Their choice of limiting the watch functionalities has two obvious positive effects: - It keeps the price low. I want a product that will last, that I can forget about (great battery life comes into play) and that does not cost an arm. I can't afford (or don't want) to pay for both a smartwatch and a smartphone costing >200$USD. In comparison I got my Pebble for 50$USD and it's working great. - It eliminates the redundancy that occurs between smartphones/smartwatches. Instead you have a "central nervous system": your phone and an assistant that makes interacting with that CNS easier: the watch. I would like to see some drastic improvements in the design though. It's kind of terrible and remind the early 2000s with the ave of Palm Pilots etc... Also, it would be great to improve the sensors so I can use my Pebble as a monitor of health (and my sleep!). I would actually spend money on a product that would monitor my sleep, bpms and wake me up in the morning at the "best" time.
- formatjam 11y ago
  > In that scenario, it is easy to see how an expensive watch that replicates smartphone's functionalities would be a commercial failure. I think in the case of watch and luxury products, this is different. Buyers don't buy watch for the functionality of checking time, but the design, status symbol and other values from luxury goods.
  - r0naa 11y ago
    > Buyers don't buy watch for the functionality of checking time, but the design, status symbol and other values from luxury goods. Well not all of them! Look at the wrists of the people around you. When I do so, I mostly see regular watches. Sometimes some of them have a fancy design but they all share common characteristics which are: * easy of use; doing one job very well; inexpensiveness The watch industry is so well established that almost anyone can afford an aesthetically pleasing watch at a reasonable price. I don't think that people will spend so much money on wearables that are so redundant with their already complicated smartphones. On the other hand, Pebble have a good product that does a great job at making everyday tasks easier. It's not a smartphone on my wrist, it's just an aid.. exactly like my old watch used to be. As I said above, the watch is solid and pretty inexpensive. IMHO I think that the only missing pieces are: variety of designs available, better embedded technologies. I will address the case of the "watch connoisseur" in the following paragraph. I will assume (safely?) that they although those consumes have a huge buying power, they are the minority. They buy watch for their personal pleasure and because they appreciate the often mind-blowing technologies that they embed. A high-end watch is more than a useful device, it is a piece of human craftsmanship. It is both a symbol and a status that has prestige. See Patek Phillipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGPjFFMD3c0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGPjFFMD3c0 I don't think that watch luxury brands are threaten by the ave of wearable devices and I would definitely not consider Apple as luxury company. To me they are kind of in the worst position: not expensive/complicated enough to appeal to the collectors and not cheap enough to appeal to "most" people unless they are already loyal to the brand.
carsongross 11y ago
I'm very glad to see pebble stay in the game. That said, this is a pretty tough watch for a traditional watch guy to look at. I hope that someone really nails the circular smart watch and embraces the rotating bezel as an input modality, like the 1st gen ipods or, more recently, Nest. I would love that, coupled with a traditional diver or tool watch look: http://cdn.monochrome-watches.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Rolex-GMT-Master-II-steel-blue-black-01.jpg http://cdn.monochrome-watches.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04... https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/75/b2/bf/75b2bf2d91d5b1ba33a43aa75f3b3a13.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/75/b2/bf/75b2bf2d9... Maybe motorola will get it, but I wonder if their design sensibilities are too modern...
- sirkneeland 11y ago
  Samsung (of all companies) is apparently working on that...
  - BinaryIdiot 11y ago
    It's a really safe bet that if there is a gadget / electronic category Samsung is working on at least 3 products in it. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not so much.
- benswieskowski 11y ago
  You should check out Olio Devices. I think it's clearly the best designed of all connected watches. https://www.oliodevices.com/ https://www.oliodevices.com/
emsy 11y ago
I love my original Pebble. I even like the cheap look, it seems like it's referring to an 80s Casio watch, without copying it (I don't quite like the Time's look but it's ok). But the main reason I love the Pebble is because it gives me freedom. Freedom from having to carry a charger when I'm 3 days away. Freedom from convoluted apps that already annoy me on my smartphone. But mainly Freedom to switch the mobile OS without my smartwatch becoming a useless chunk. When I first heard that the Time will feature voice functionality, I was excited. It's unfortunate that it can't have a deeper integration into the systems. I think the main limitation of the Pebble is not the look nor the price but that Pebble is neither Google nor Apple.
- rev_bird 11y ago
  Freedom #3 (OS-independent operation) is a really interesting observation, but the first two freedoms seem like they'd be solved with... a regular watch?
  - emsy 11y ago
    I still want the main benefit of a smartwatch: not having to pull out the smartphone to see what my smartphone has to tell me (I have very few notifications, but there are some occasions where immediate response is necessary).
modeless 11y ago
I tried one at Maker Faire. I was worried that the press photos were overselling the legibility of the screen, but in person it looks just as good as in the photos, and the animations are cool. I've been using a Moto 360 since release, so here are my thoughts: * Pebble Time can't match the saturated colors of the Moto 360's screen indoors; however always-on and sunlight readability are far more important. I definitely prefer the Pebble Time screen for a watch. * 7 day battery life: Don't care. I don't sleep with my watch on and with wireless or magnetic charging it's not a hassle to charge nightly. * The Moto 360 touchscreen is slow and unreliable. I much prefer the Pebble's physical buttons. * I prefer the Pebble's vibration motor to the Moto 360's. * I find the Moto 360's voice commands to be mostly useless. My phone has always-on voice activation and it's faster and more reliable to talk directly to my phone even while it's still in my pocket. I wouldn't miss this feature switching to Pebble Time. * I still prefer the Moto 360's design over any other smartwatch including Pebble Time. Most people assume it's an Apple Watch. That said, I think the Pebble Time looks reasonably good. Certainly better than any of the square Android Wear watches.
- GuiA 11y ago
  Have you owned an original Pebble, and if so can you comment on the vibration motor in the new Pebble compared to the old one? I owned an original Pebble for a while, and the vibration motor was absolutely awful. It felt bad on the wrist, and it was very audible. In quiet meetings, people would hear it and it would make me look like an idiot with a childish toy. I stopped using the Pebble after a week or two for a number of reasons, but this was the main one.
  - modeless 11y ago
    I do own an original Pebble, but haven't worn it for a long enough time that I don't remember how the vibration compares.
    - untog 11y ago
      Thank you for your useful input
wmeredith 11y ago
I admire Pebble as a company and a product, but are you still an underdog once you've raised 30 million?
- cjoh 11y ago
  If you're up against companies with centi-billion cash reserves, yes.
  - Someone 11y ago
    If you raise $30 million, you have a centi-billion cash reserve :-) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centi- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centi- vs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecto- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecto-)
- outericky 11y ago
  Raising $30m and selling $30m of product are different things. That said, Pebble has raised more than $30m [1]. [1] https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/pebble https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/pebble
  - clarky07 11y ago
    Not really. Crowdfunding on kickstarter isn't "raising money." It's presales. It's revenue. They've raised 15mil, and had 2 really successful kickstarter projects.
    - outericky 11y ago
      Correct. I should have scanned the sources.
kriro 11y ago
I own an Android phone and recently bought an LG Urbane Silver (leather) because it was the first smartwatch I saw that looked decent (subjective obviously) and can be worn with a suit on occasion. I didn't own a watch for ~10 years now and felt it was time to get one and more or less randomly decided to get a smartwatch...because why not. I was very sceptical and didn't expect much. If you just list the stuff I do with it it is indeed not much but I already rank it as an excellent purchase. Here's what I use most often (in case anyone is on the fence): - Tell the time: No need for a smartwatch but it's still great to be able to leave the cell in the pocket - Don't miss calls: I always have my phone on no sound/just vibrate and tended to miss a lot of calls. Fixed for good now - Quickly check Mail/IM: To see if there's something important to answer to. I feel a lot calmer because I always felt the urge to check my phone constantly. I now glance at the watch every now and then and feel a lot less "addicted". I actually use the quick reply stuff a lot for IM, too. - Maps navigation: I am travelling a good bit and usually ran around the cities with my cell looking all touristy. Maps on the watch is a lot more discrete - Timer: I use it as my Pomodoro Technique timer since my old one can't be used in a multiperson office without annoying people Battery time is ~2 day, 1.5 when I use it more. As long as it stays above 1 day I'm fine because I take off the watch when I sleep and just put it on the charger. p.s.: the Pebbles never did it for me style wise but kudos for them for pushing smartwatches further along.
adamwong246 11y ago
I thought the timeline app was the most interesting part
madez 11y ago
I backed the Pebble Time on kickstarter but recently canceled the pledge due to privacy concerns. Why do companies think that it is okay that devices, that customers carry all day long on them, phone anywhere unless they are told so and controlled by the user? By default, I do not agree to collection of any data about me, not even anonymised. I'm increasingly concerned that it seems that hardware companies try not to only sell the product, but also to never give up control of the individual products. What can we do about that? I'd happily buy an even considerately more expensive iPhone, if it'd only put me in ultimate control.
- apricot 11y ago
  I agree. It worries me that finding out exactly what data your device or software shares with whom is very hard to find nowadays. You buy something without really knowing what it does. This is not really new (how many people, even today, are aware that most color laser printers embed their serial number on every page they print?) but the rise of ubiquitous mobile computers equipped with a camera, an always-on microphone and permanent net access raises grave privacy concerns.
- delecti 11y ago
  Can you elaborate on what data you think Pebble is collecting?
  - madez 11y ago
    Yes, sure. From http://pages.getpebble.com/pages/privacy http://pages.getpebble.com/pages/privacy I quote We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code, area code, unique device identifier, location, and the time zone where a Pebble product is used. and We also may collect information regarding customer activities on our website, Pebble Android App, Pebble iOS App, account.getpebble.com services and from our other products and services. and We may collect smartphone device-specific logs which, for example, include your hardware model, operating system version and unique device identifiers. I'm not okay with any of these rules.
    - 11y ago
hyperpallium 11y ago
Smart watches are an accessory (like headphones), always an add-on, never a general-purpose computer. The UI is too limited. But people pay a lot for headphones (e.g. Beats by Dre, which Apple acquired). They'll pay even more for a fancy watch. The terrible problem for Pebble is they are an add-on to platforms owned by others, who now have their own add-ons. Historically, this doesn't end well for the pebbles of this world - even though they were first and did everything right - but it might. I think they should be able to integrate with Google Gear, and MS would be receptive too.
- ohitsdom 11y ago
  I think the headphone comparison is really weak. If you want to listen to any audio, in most settings you need headphones (at work, in public spaces). Smart watches do not fill that void. They may make certain tasks easier, but there are other available options (like just pulling out your phone to look at the time or to see who is calling).
  - rev_bird 11y ago
    If you're wearing Beats (or any expensive headphone setup), it's not just because you need to listen to audio in a library or something -- you've made a decision to spend a considerable amount of money on a product with functionality that could be replaced, on most levels, for < 10 bucks. I'm not saying there isn't a reason to buy quality headphones -- I spent like $80 on mine and love them -- but "nice headphones with noise-cancelling and extra padding and increased fidelity" doesn't seem like an outlandish comparison to "watch with extra stuff and it tells you the weather."
mladenkovacevic 11y ago
I think being able to track your sleep is almost more important than tracking your exercising. Not having to put this thing on the charger every night will be a must have feature.
- srwx 11y ago
  I have never understood this 'sleep tracking' gimmick. When I wake up I know how well I slept or didn't sleep. I can't see myself checking a graph on my watch after waking up feeling like crap and going "oh my watch says I slept fine. I must be wrong." or vise versa. It's about as useful as weather reports on the evening news that tell me what the weather was for the day - I know what the weather was, I was there.
  - mladenkovacevic 11y ago
    I don't think I agree. I frequently go to bed much later than I should and can function on very little sleep. But it's bad for me and probably makes me age much faster. A visualization of how much sleep I'm lacking in order to satisfy some basic sleep requirement would help towards alerting me to go bed earlier. Also if I'm doing something to improve my quality of sleep (meditation, no digital devices an hour before sleep) it is rewarding to see that I'm sleeping longer and deeper. Your reasoning can also be used to dismiss exercise tracking. You just exercised and you know you feel like you put in sufficient work. What's the point of knowing if you "competed a circle"?
    - srwx 11y ago
      As it happens I don't track my exercising either, I go to gym and do exercises simply because I know it's good for me and that as an IT worker my job is too sedentary. Maybe if I was working towards a competitive goal (run a marathon or do a triathlon) I would track as iterative improvement would be necessary but I'm not so I don't. Equally I don't have competitive goals for my sleep cycles.
      - mladenkovacevic 11y ago
nahiluhmot 11y ago
I'm curious, do people generally feel that smartwatches are the way of the future? I can't really imagine that a device with a screen the size of a thumbnail outperforming a smartphone for common use cases (scrolling through Twitter, reading emails, browsing the web, etc.) Although at-a-glance notifications and health/sleep tracking are potentially desirable features, it seems that the price will need to drop significantly before anybody besides hobbyists will adopt these.
- yellowapple 11y ago
  I think trying to use a smartwatch in lieu of a smartphone is the wrong approach, even if this is the approach the Apple Watch and Android Wear devices are leaning toward. Pebble's approach with Time (and, indeed, with its previous devices) is refreshing in this regard, since the focus is on amplifying the strengths of smartwatches instead of trying to work around their weaknesses relative to smartphones.
- djur 11y ago
  I recently started using a Pebble (the classic model). I don't traditionally wear watches. The core functionality -- being notified of text messages and phone calls with enough information to make a decision on whether I want to respond immediately -- is pretty much all I care about, although I have actually found myself surprised by how much I like being able to glance at the time without pulling out my phone. The Pebble doesn't even support things like reading emails, browsing the web, etc. and I wouldn't want to use such a feature. The battery life is good and it charges quickly -- mentally it's more in line with my Kindle than my phone as far as how much I think about its charge. If it runs out of batteries it isn't the end of the world anyway. My goal in getting it was to spend less time fiddling with my phone and concentrating more on life around me, while still not missing situations where a friend or loved one needs to get in touch urgently. A secondary motivation was to miss fewer calls (I am somewhat hard of hearing & frequently keep my phone's ringer off anyway for professional reasons, and I do not always feel my phone vibrate through my jeans). The Pebble has been very successful in that regard and I consider the $99 well spent. My hope is that even though Pebble is pursuing a somewhat higher-end market with the Pebble Time that they (or some other manufacturer) continue to produce a line of cheap, durable, minimalist smartwatches. I hope to be able to replace this one if it gets seriously damaged or becomes completely obsolete (if Bluetooth goes the way of the dodo, I guess). I have no interest in higher-end smartwatches.
seriocomic 11y ago
I was an original Kickstarter backer for the original Pebble. I loved it and it replaced my 8 other mechanical/quartz watches. When the Steel came out I backed that on day 1 as well. Its been my sole watch since it was shipped (the original now serves as a screen for Strava/RunKeeper on my bikes). When I saw the Time announced I was horrified by the design - it seemed so backwards and basic. I'm clearly at the polar end of the bell-curve when it comes to the design assessment of this watch as I feel as if it was almost a joke, a toy. I know that there's some specific technical improvements under the hood. But for me it's like trading in a Lexus for a Lada because the Lada has a better car audio system. Each to their own, now i'm awaiting the delivery of my rose gold Halograph - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/watchismo/the-halograph-an-unusual-mechanical-automatic-watc https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/watchismo/the-halograph...
outericky 11y ago
I like my original Pebble quite a bit. My use case might be different than most. I don't wear [edit: traditional] watches. Ever. Aside from a Pebble, I don't own a watch. I wear it when I travel, when I'm out and about meeting people / working, etc, where it would be both rude and annoying to check my phone every time it buzzed. A quick glance at my wrist is enough to know whether I need to respond soon or not. I appreciate it while driving and while riding my bicycle. That's 95% of my usage and I'm thankful I can go a full workweek on a single charge. One less charger to carry (and lose). And in those times where I don't want the notifications buzzing (in meetings) I turn off notifs, or I shut off bluetooth on my phone.
- wodenokoto 11y ago
  > I don't wear watches. Ever. ... I wear [my watch] when I travel ... You might want to rephrase that.
- IanCal 11y ago
  > when I'm out and about meeting people / working, etc, where it would be both rude and annoying to check my phone every time it buzzed. A quick glance at my wrist is enough to know whether I need to respond soon or not. Checking your watch while in a meeting / talking to someone is also rude, at least to me.
DogeDigital 11y ago
The specs are pretty great for it's price but the design makes it look similar to a watch out of a candy machine.
sandis 11y ago
Video review from The Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/27/8670645/pebble-time-review http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/27/8670645/pebble-time-review

199 points by yurisagalov 11y ago

lepht 11y ago

The Verge's review is also worth reading: http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/27/8661863/pebble-time-review-wearable-smartwatch http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/27/8661863/pebble-time-review...

adricnet 11y ago
I agree that was worth reading, but it seemed a touch harsh. There seems to be some disconnect between review objectives of 'is this a great product with growth potential' versus 'is this perfect for everyone' ... but maybe I just did not like the author's comparisons to toys as negative descriptors. Fairness: I backed Pebble twice on KS, am wearing one, waiting for my new Time to arrive, and still marvel at the OLPC XO-1, also derided as a toy but one of the most amazing computers ever built. I like viewable screens :)
- hingisundhorsa 11y ago
  > still marvel at the OLPC XO-1, also derided as a toy but one of the most amazing computers ever built Sorry, I was with you until the moment you described a pretty standard AMD Geode GX2 SoC with a pretty poor transflective LCD as "most amazing computer ever built". Let me guess, you worked with Nicholas? the self-promoting self-described father of web tablets who claimed to have saved millions of children when really he just chewed up millions of UNDP funds that could have gone towards genuinely life-changing projects?
  - adricnet 11y ago
    Wow. I did volunteer some with OLPC early on, but no to all of that. I'm talking about the water proof, sandproof, nearly indestructible laptop with the always viewable screen over there on my shelf with awesome user serviceability that "retailed" to me for less than $200 USD. By comparison my modern Chromebook (via CodeStarter), similar street price today as XO-1 then, has a much nicer processor, raw specs but can be easily killed by cat, coffee, or child and is useless outside (screen vs sun) or more than 1 day from a power tap (batteries) and is almost unrepairable by users. I like it but it's not the same kind of thing at all, and it's out-of-the box Linux is much less hackable and educational ... hence CodeStarter. There's plenty of discussion around about the software stack (Sugar), the newer hardware (XO > 1), and no end of people discussing the organizations in Boston, Florida and elsewhere all over the Internet if that's what you were looking for ... but that really has nothing to do with what I said.
pervycreeper 11y ago
The subjective opinions offered in that review strike me as arbitrary and needlessly harsh.

smegel 11y ago

> Style-wise and feature-wise, the Pebble Time doesn't quite compare to most modern smartwatches. It doesn't have a touchscreen Because scratching at your wrist like a heroin addict trying to find a vein is the new cool? I don't get it.

tertius 11y ago
Less caffeine normally limits the scratching.

r0naa 11y ago

I really admire Pebble for they are the only company that is truly trying to make an accessible and efficient product. I don't believe that people will buy a computer, a smartphone, a tablet and a watch. Assuming that each of these devices remain widely used (as it is the case today) I think that people will make a choice to reach a balance. In that scenario, it is easy to see how an expensive watch that replicates smartphone's functionalities would be a commercial failure. Pebble on the contrary opted for having a finite, and comparatively small, set of functionalities but excel at those. Their choice of limiting the watch functionalities has two obvious positive effects: - It keeps the price low. I want a product that will last, that I can forget about (great battery life comes into play) and that does not cost an arm. I can't afford (or don't want) to pay for both a smartwatch and a smartphone costing >200$USD. In comparison I got my Pebble for 50$USD and it's working great. - It eliminates the redundancy that occurs between smartphones/smartwatches. Instead you have a "central nervous system": your phone and an assistant that makes interacting with that CNS easier: the watch. I would like to see some drastic improvements in the design though. It's kind of terrible and remind the early 2000s with the ave of Palm Pilots etc... Also, it would be great to improve the sensors so I can use my Pebble as a monitor of health (and my sleep!). I would actually spend money on a product that would monitor my sleep, bpms and wake me up in the morning at the "best" time.

formatjam 11y ago
> In that scenario, it is easy to see how an expensive watch that replicates smartphone's functionalities would be a commercial failure. I think in the case of watch and luxury products, this is different. Buyers don't buy watch for the functionality of checking time, but the design, status symbol and other values from luxury goods.
- r0naa 11y ago
  > Buyers don't buy watch for the functionality of checking time, but the design, status symbol and other values from luxury goods. Well not all of them! Look at the wrists of the people around you. When I do so, I mostly see regular watches. Sometimes some of them have a fancy design but they all share common characteristics which are: * easy of use; doing one job very well; inexpensiveness The watch industry is so well established that almost anyone can afford an aesthetically pleasing watch at a reasonable price. I don't think that people will spend so much money on wearables that are so redundant with their already complicated smartphones. On the other hand, Pebble have a good product that does a great job at making everyday tasks easier. It's not a smartphone on my wrist, it's just an aid.. exactly like my old watch used to be. As I said above, the watch is solid and pretty inexpensive. IMHO I think that the only missing pieces are: variety of designs available, better embedded technologies. I will address the case of the "watch connoisseur" in the following paragraph. I will assume (safely?) that they although those consumes have a huge buying power, they are the minority. They buy watch for their personal pleasure and because they appreciate the often mind-blowing technologies that they embed. A high-end watch is more than a useful device, it is a piece of human craftsmanship. It is both a symbol and a status that has prestige. See Patek Phillipe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGPjFFMD3c0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGPjFFMD3c0 I don't think that watch luxury brands are threaten by the ave of wearable devices and I would definitely not consider Apple as luxury company. To me they are kind of in the worst position: not expensive/complicated enough to appeal to the collectors and not cheap enough to appeal to "most" people unless they are already loyal to the brand.

carsongross 11y ago

I'm very glad to see pebble stay in the game. That said, this is a pretty tough watch for a traditional watch guy to look at. I hope that someone really nails the circular smart watch and embraces the rotating bezel as an input modality, like the 1st gen ipods or, more recently, Nest. I would love that, coupled with a traditional diver or tool watch look: http://cdn.monochrome-watches.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Rolex-GMT-Master-II-steel-blue-black-01.jpg http://cdn.monochrome-watches.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04... https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/75/b2/bf/75b2bf2d91d5b1ba33a43aa75f3b3a13.jpg https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/75/b2/bf/75b2bf2d9... Maybe motorola will get it, but I wonder if their design sensibilities are too modern...

sirkneeland 11y ago
Samsung (of all companies) is apparently working on that...
- BinaryIdiot 11y ago
  It's a really safe bet that if there is a gadget / electronic category Samsung is working on at least 3 products in it. Sometimes that's good, sometimes not so much.
benswieskowski 11y ago
You should check out Olio Devices. I think it's clearly the best designed of all connected watches. https://www.oliodevices.com/ https://www.oliodevices.com/

emsy 11y ago

I love my original Pebble. I even like the cheap look, it seems like it's referring to an 80s Casio watch, without copying it (I don't quite like the Time's look but it's ok). But the main reason I love the Pebble is because it gives me freedom. Freedom from having to carry a charger when I'm 3 days away. Freedom from convoluted apps that already annoy me on my smartphone. But mainly Freedom to switch the mobile OS without my smartwatch becoming a useless chunk. When I first heard that the Time will feature voice functionality, I was excited. It's unfortunate that it can't have a deeper integration into the systems. I think the main limitation of the Pebble is not the look nor the price but that Pebble is neither Google nor Apple.

rev_bird 11y ago
Freedom #3 (OS-independent operation) is a really interesting observation, but the first two freedoms seem like they'd be solved with... a regular watch?
- emsy 11y ago
  I still want the main benefit of a smartwatch: not having to pull out the smartphone to see what my smartphone has to tell me (I have very few notifications, but there are some occasions where immediate response is necessary).

modeless 11y ago

I tried one at Maker Faire. I was worried that the press photos were overselling the legibility of the screen, but in person it looks just as good as in the photos, and the animations are cool. I've been using a Moto 360 since release, so here are my thoughts: * Pebble Time can't match the saturated colors of the Moto 360's screen indoors; however always-on and sunlight readability are far more important. I definitely prefer the Pebble Time screen for a watch. * 7 day battery life: Don't care. I don't sleep with my watch on and with wireless or magnetic charging it's not a hassle to charge nightly. * The Moto 360 touchscreen is slow and unreliable. I much prefer the Pebble's physical buttons. * I prefer the Pebble's vibration motor to the Moto 360's. * I find the Moto 360's voice commands to be mostly useless. My phone has always-on voice activation and it's faster and more reliable to talk directly to my phone even while it's still in my pocket. I wouldn't miss this feature switching to Pebble Time. * I still prefer the Moto 360's design over any other smartwatch including Pebble Time. Most people assume it's an Apple Watch. That said, I think the Pebble Time looks reasonably good. Certainly better than any of the square Android Wear watches.

GuiA 11y ago
Have you owned an original Pebble, and if so can you comment on the vibration motor in the new Pebble compared to the old one? I owned an original Pebble for a while, and the vibration motor was absolutely awful. It felt bad on the wrist, and it was very audible. In quiet meetings, people would hear it and it would make me look like an idiot with a childish toy. I stopped using the Pebble after a week or two for a number of reasons, but this was the main one.
- modeless 11y ago
  I do own an original Pebble, but haven't worn it for a long enough time that I don't remember how the vibration compares.
  - untog 11y ago
    Thank you for your useful input

wmeredith 11y ago

I admire Pebble as a company and a product, but are you still an underdog once you've raised 30 million?

cjoh 11y ago
If you're up against companies with centi-billion cash reserves, yes.
- Someone 11y ago
  If you raise $30 million, you have a centi-billion cash reserve :-) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centi- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centi- vs http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecto- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hecto-)
outericky 11y ago
Raising $30m and selling $30m of product are different things. That said, Pebble has raised more than $30m [1]. [1] https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/pebble https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/pebble
- clarky07 11y ago
  Not really. Crowdfunding on kickstarter isn't "raising money." It's presales. It's revenue. They've raised 15mil, and had 2 really successful kickstarter projects.
  - outericky 11y ago
    Correct. I should have scanned the sources.

kriro 11y ago

I own an Android phone and recently bought an LG Urbane Silver (leather) because it was the first smartwatch I saw that looked decent (subjective obviously) and can be worn with a suit on occasion. I didn't own a watch for ~10 years now and felt it was time to get one and more or less randomly decided to get a smartwatch...because why not. I was very sceptical and didn't expect much. If you just list the stuff I do with it it is indeed not much but I already rank it as an excellent purchase. Here's what I use most often (in case anyone is on the fence): - Tell the time: No need for a smartwatch but it's still great to be able to leave the cell in the pocket - Don't miss calls: I always have my phone on no sound/just vibrate and tended to miss a lot of calls. Fixed for good now - Quickly check Mail/IM: To see if there's something important to answer to. I feel a lot calmer because I always felt the urge to check my phone constantly. I now glance at the watch every now and then and feel a lot less "addicted". I actually use the quick reply stuff a lot for IM, too. - Maps navigation: I am travelling a good bit and usually ran around the cities with my cell looking all touristy. Maps on the watch is a lot more discrete - Timer: I use it as my Pomodoro Technique timer since my old one can't be used in a multiperson office without annoying people Battery time is ~2 day, 1.5 when I use it more. As long as it stays above 1 day I'm fine because I take off the watch when I sleep and just put it on the charger. p.s.: the Pebbles never did it for me style wise but kudos for them for pushing smartwatches further along.

adamwong246 11y ago

I thought the timeline app was the most interesting part

madez 11y ago

I backed the Pebble Time on kickstarter but recently canceled the pledge due to privacy concerns. Why do companies think that it is okay that devices, that customers carry all day long on them, phone anywhere unless they are told so and controlled by the user? By default, I do not agree to collection of any data about me, not even anonymised. I'm increasingly concerned that it seems that hardware companies try not to only sell the product, but also to never give up control of the individual products. What can we do about that? I'd happily buy an even considerately more expensive iPhone, if it'd only put me in ultimate control.

apricot 11y ago
I agree. It worries me that finding out exactly what data your device or software shares with whom is very hard to find nowadays. You buy something without really knowing what it does. This is not really new (how many people, even today, are aware that most color laser printers embed their serial number on every page they print?) but the rise of ubiquitous mobile computers equipped with a camera, an always-on microphone and permanent net access raises grave privacy concerns.
delecti 11y ago
Can you elaborate on what data you think Pebble is collecting?
- madez 11y ago
  Yes, sure. From http://pages.getpebble.com/pages/privacy http://pages.getpebble.com/pages/privacy I quote We may collect information such as occupation, language, zip code, area code, unique device identifier, location, and the time zone where a Pebble product is used. and We also may collect information regarding customer activities on our website, Pebble Android App, Pebble iOS App, account.getpebble.com services and from our other products and services. and We may collect smartphone device-specific logs which, for example, include your hardware model, operating system version and unique device identifiers. I'm not okay with any of these rules.
  - 11y ago

hyperpallium 11y ago

Smart watches are an accessory (like headphones), always an add-on, never a general-purpose computer. The UI is too limited. But people pay a lot for headphones (e.g. Beats by Dre, which Apple acquired). They'll pay even more for a fancy watch. The terrible problem for Pebble is they are an add-on to platforms owned by others, who now have their own add-ons. Historically, this doesn't end well for the pebbles of this world - even though they were first and did everything right - but it might. I think they should be able to integrate with Google Gear, and MS would be receptive too.

ohitsdom 11y ago
I think the headphone comparison is really weak. If you want to listen to any audio, in most settings you need headphones (at work, in public spaces). Smart watches do not fill that void. They may make certain tasks easier, but there are other available options (like just pulling out your phone to look at the time or to see who is calling).
- rev_bird 11y ago
  If you're wearing Beats (or any expensive headphone setup), it's not just because you need to listen to audio in a library or something -- you've made a decision to spend a considerable amount of money on a product with functionality that could be replaced, on most levels, for < 10 bucks. I'm not saying there isn't a reason to buy quality headphones -- I spent like $80 on mine and love them -- but "nice headphones with noise-cancelling and extra padding and increased fidelity" doesn't seem like an outlandish comparison to "watch with extra stuff and it tells you the weather."

mladenkovacevic 11y ago

I think being able to track your sleep is almost more important than tracking your exercising. Not having to put this thing on the charger every night will be a must have feature.

srwx 11y ago
I have never understood this 'sleep tracking' gimmick. When I wake up I know how well I slept or didn't sleep. I can't see myself checking a graph on my watch after waking up feeling like crap and going "oh my watch says I slept fine. I must be wrong." or vise versa. It's about as useful as weather reports on the evening news that tell me what the weather was for the day - I know what the weather was, I was there.
- mladenkovacevic 11y ago
  I don't think I agree. I frequently go to bed much later than I should and can function on very little sleep. But it's bad for me and probably makes me age much faster. A visualization of how much sleep I'm lacking in order to satisfy some basic sleep requirement would help towards alerting me to go bed earlier. Also if I'm doing something to improve my quality of sleep (meditation, no digital devices an hour before sleep) it is rewarding to see that I'm sleeping longer and deeper. Your reasoning can also be used to dismiss exercise tracking. You just exercised and you know you feel like you put in sufficient work. What's the point of knowing if you "competed a circle"?
  - srwx 11y ago
    As it happens I don't track my exercising either, I go to gym and do exercises simply because I know it's good for me and that as an IT worker my job is too sedentary. Maybe if I was working towards a competitive goal (run a marathon or do a triathlon) I would track as iterative improvement would be necessary but I'm not so I don't. Equally I don't have competitive goals for my sleep cycles.
    - mladenkovacevic 11y ago

nahiluhmot 11y ago

I'm curious, do people generally feel that smartwatches are the way of the future? I can't really imagine that a device with a screen the size of a thumbnail outperforming a smartphone for common use cases (scrolling through Twitter, reading emails, browsing the web, etc.) Although at-a-glance notifications and health/sleep tracking are potentially desirable features, it seems that the price will need to drop significantly before anybody besides hobbyists will adopt these.

yellowapple 11y ago
I think trying to use a smartwatch in lieu of a smartphone is the wrong approach, even if this is the approach the Apple Watch and Android Wear devices are leaning toward. Pebble's approach with Time (and, indeed, with its previous devices) is refreshing in this regard, since the focus is on amplifying the strengths of smartwatches instead of trying to work around their weaknesses relative to smartphones.
djur 11y ago
I recently started using a Pebble (the classic model). I don't traditionally wear watches. The core functionality -- being notified of text messages and phone calls with enough information to make a decision on whether I want to respond immediately -- is pretty much all I care about, although I have actually found myself surprised by how much I like being able to glance at the time without pulling out my phone. The Pebble doesn't even support things like reading emails, browsing the web, etc. and I wouldn't want to use such a feature. The battery life is good and it charges quickly -- mentally it's more in line with my Kindle than my phone as far as how much I think about its charge. If it runs out of batteries it isn't the end of the world anyway. My goal in getting it was to spend less time fiddling with my phone and concentrating more on life around me, while still not missing situations where a friend or loved one needs to get in touch urgently. A secondary motivation was to miss fewer calls (I am somewhat hard of hearing & frequently keep my phone's ringer off anyway for professional reasons, and I do not always feel my phone vibrate through my jeans). The Pebble has been very successful in that regard and I consider the $99 well spent. My hope is that even though Pebble is pursuing a somewhat higher-end market with the Pebble Time that they (or some other manufacturer) continue to produce a line of cheap, durable, minimalist smartwatches. I hope to be able to replace this one if it gets seriously damaged or becomes completely obsolete (if Bluetooth goes the way of the dodo, I guess). I have no interest in higher-end smartwatches.

seriocomic 11y ago

I was an original Kickstarter backer for the original Pebble. I loved it and it replaced my 8 other mechanical/quartz watches. When the Steel came out I backed that on day 1 as well. Its been my sole watch since it was shipped (the original now serves as a screen for Strava/RunKeeper on my bikes). When I saw the Time announced I was horrified by the design - it seemed so backwards and basic. I'm clearly at the polar end of the bell-curve when it comes to the design assessment of this watch as I feel as if it was almost a joke, a toy. I know that there's some specific technical improvements under the hood. But for me it's like trading in a Lexus for a Lada because the Lada has a better car audio system. Each to their own, now i'm awaiting the delivery of my rose gold Halograph - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/watchismo/the-halograph-an-unusual-mechanical-automatic-watc https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/watchismo/the-halograph...

outericky 11y ago

I like my original Pebble quite a bit. My use case might be different than most. I don't wear [edit: traditional] watches. Ever. Aside from a Pebble, I don't own a watch. I wear it when I travel, when I'm out and about meeting people / working, etc, where it would be both rude and annoying to check my phone every time it buzzed. A quick glance at my wrist is enough to know whether I need to respond soon or not. I appreciate it while driving and while riding my bicycle. That's 95% of my usage and I'm thankful I can go a full workweek on a single charge. One less charger to carry (and lose). And in those times where I don't want the notifications buzzing (in meetings) I turn off notifs, or I shut off bluetooth on my phone.

wodenokoto 11y ago
> I don't wear watches. Ever. ... I wear [my watch] when I travel ... You might want to rephrase that.
IanCal 11y ago
> when I'm out and about meeting people / working, etc, where it would be both rude and annoying to check my phone every time it buzzed. A quick glance at my wrist is enough to know whether I need to respond soon or not. Checking your watch while in a meeting / talking to someone is also rude, at least to me.

DogeDigital 11y ago

The specs are pretty great for it's price but the design makes it look similar to a watch out of a candy machine.

sandis 11y ago

Video review from The Verge: http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/27/8670645/pebble-time-review http://www.theverge.com/2015/5/27/8670645/pebble-time-review