'Pebble Time' Debuts on Kickstarter With Slimmer Design and Color Display

[Keirasplace]

That despite technical excellence (I don't think anyone doubts that Apple will produce a high quality part),

Apple has done nothing to show WHY anyone would want one of these. its been said many times in many threads, They did a terrible job at showcasing why you or I would have our lives changed forever by this watch.

Previously, with the iPods, iphones, and iPads, they were able to demonstrate, legitimate real world usage scenarios in which the devices would make a demonstratable impact in your life.

This is not something they've managed to do yet. It's apple fashion for fashion sake. From a functionality standpoint, they haven't delivered anything really above and beyond what elseis out there. They've just done it with the typical apple Fit and finish.

They still haven't explained HOW this will benefit us. Just repeating "it will change your life!" won't actually change our lives

There were more negatives about the Ipod, Ipad, Iphone than positives pre-launch too... So, I'm betting more that people like to whine a lot ;-).

 

[Tech198]

'It's Pebble Time'

This is about as simple looking at you'll get.

 

[Vulkan]

$7,110,172 @ 8:23pm CST

 

[SlCKB0Y]

A watch is actually more about design than about function. Apple got that right. The other contenders went too far the other way.

I don't even get this comment because I think the Apple watch looks pretty crappy. I also do not like the UI.

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add at least 6 months to whatever 'estimated ship date' is on kickstarter. Their original pebble was 11 months late getting to me and I was an early bird backer.

They have stated that they are much further along with the project this time around and I imagine that they learned an awful lot in the lifecycle of the first Pebble (a you forgetting that they had to adapt from the plan to make a few thousand Pebbles locally in the US to establishing a manufacturing base in at least 2 asian countries?). They are unlikely to make the same mistakes twice.

 

[fitshaced]

I don't even get this comment because I think the Apple watch looks pretty crappy. I also do not like the UI.

You also might not like a Rolex.

 

[kdarling]

Pebble is the most successful smartwatch manufacturer to date. They have sold over one million watches, as against 720K for the combined Android collection.

Different time scales, of course.

* Pebble = 1 million in two years (Jan 2013 - Dec 2014).

* Android Wear = 720K in six months from LG, Moto, Asus, Sony.

The most successful single manufacturer so far seems to be Samsung, partly due to their constant output of new models. Extrapolating from Canalsys reports, it looks like they sold about 900K in 2013, and over two million in 2014.

 

[samcraig]

Different time scales, of course.

* Pebble = 1 million in two years (Jan 2013 - Dec 2014).

* Android Wear = 720K in six months from LG, Moto, Asus, Sony.

The most successful single manufacturer so far seems to be Samsung, partly due to their constant output of new models. Extrapolating from Canalsys reports, it looks like they sold about 900K in 2013, and over two million in 2014.

True - but I think it's fairly safe to say that Pebble really re-ignited the industry in terms of a smart watch.

 

[kdarling]

True - but I think it's fairly safe to say that Pebble really re-ignited the industry in terms of a smart watch.

Agreed, I think the Pebble's Kickstarter success showed everyone that there was lots of public interest in a companion device.

 

[wesk702]

I'm getting both, but the best thing about the pebble to me is being able to go to sleep with it and wake up to a silent alarm on your wrist. Can't do that on android or possibly the apple watch without having it charge the whole day before bedtime.

 

[dljeffery]

...
I love that I don't have to pull out my 6s to check the time or to see who's calling/texting.
...
Original iPhone owners weren't happy for long. I'm glad I waited for the 3GS. Then the 4s. Then the 5s. Now the 6s. I think being in the even years (instead of the odd years) is wise with Apple.
...

What's this "6s" you keep referring to having?

Also, the 3GS was an odd year model. So was the 4S. And the 5S. The even year models were the 3G, 4, 5 and now 6 / 6 Plus.

 

[APlotdevice]

Nevermind.

 

[peterdevries]

I think being in the even years (instead of the odd years) is wise with Apple.

Yes, because the jumps from the 3G to the 4, the 4 to the 5 and the 5 to the 6 were incremental at best. /s

 

[dec.]

Pebble definitely is a pioneer when it comes to the wearables market and they already show that specs or design isn't all that matters. It will be interesting to see how things will work out over the close future.

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Agreed, I think the Pebble's Kickstarter success showed everyone that there was lots of public interest in a companion device.

I agree. Astonishing 68K backers showed interest in the first pebble (on kickstarter - edited to avoid expected semantics :-D )

 

[CFreymarc]

Good timing! Steal some of the thunder from Apple Watch, throw down the gauntlet with a seven day battery life. Talk about a simpler UI using a scroll of a chronology and native apps on the phone.

Just shy of eight million after the first day. Quite impressive!

The refresh in the display is great.

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Having a similar reaction to the 1st generation: skip the ugly plastic model and wait for the higher end option at a later date.

The Steel version of this might be a nice buy. But I don't think it will do enough head-to-head with the Apple Watch.

Pebble is not going head-to-head with the Apple Watch. If anything it is becoming the hipster smartwatch. I like their placement.

 

[dec.]

Pebble is not going head-to-head with the Apple Watch. If anything it is becoming the hipster smartwatch. I like their placement.

So is hipster a good or bad thing now? FLAvour of the weak?

 

[NeilHD]

Over $8m now.

 

[JoeG4]

I like both watches.. hmm, don't need them really though haha. But the Pebble is a good price for a punt.
I like the smaller watch designs which both watches seem to offer, Android square designs seem pretty big. Oh and the interface isn't slow:

I have a tough time with this. The apple watch looks nice in videos, kinda corny in pictures on apple's site. And it's way more expensive than I'd want to spend on a watch.

On the other hand, the pebble is $180-200. That's cheap! The Apple watch will start at $350 right?

And since it's epaper I imagine that little nyan cat thing can run all day and all night, if you want. The screen on the apple watch will almost always be a blacked out bit of glass.

The screen is small, I agree. I dunno, looks better to me than the original pebble did. I'm a big fan of how it works with any ole watch strap, and is just a regular watch instead of some fancy priceless heritage timepiece.

I guess it's because I always associated Rolex kinda watches with old people, and yachts, and stuff. Yeah, rich old people, but still old. I don't know that many people in their 20s that actually wear watches.

 

[FoxMcCloud]

This looks cool. Gorilla glass, steel bezel, fast colour ink, whole week battery. Nothing to sniff at really. Yes it doesn't look as adult as the Steel but maybe this is for the masses and a Steel version will come in due course.

Also, kick starter is great publicity and more than offsets the fees (kick starter and Amazon payment processor) in extra sales and mindshare.

 

[apolloa]

You're not allowed to 'defend' your opinion? That's pretty much what you're SUPPOSED to do on message boards.

Well that could depend on if you defend your 'opinion' as fact and as something everyone else should adhere to.

 

[Neodym]

Now show us a picture of the Apple Watch in the middle of the day when there is no charge left.

http://forums.getpebble.com/discussion/12373/battery-life:
"Pebble watch’s battery needs a BIG upgrade. When I use a watch face with just the time, I went 6 daysbefore depleting the battery to 20%. I changed the watch face to Simplicity with weather and I was down to 20% capacity in about 10hours."

It all depends on usage patterns and used applications. Not to forget that noone outside Apple has more than speculations and vague ideas when it comes to the effective battery life of the AppleWatch.

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The screen on the apple watch will almost always be a blacked out bit of glass.

You mean like ... any modern smartphone until you actually use it? Granted, may be tough for people who'd want an AppleWatch solely for showing off ...

 

[Neodym]

You use your phone ALL DAY for browsing the net, email, SMS, photos, and phone calls.

Some people actually work ALL DAY and don't have the time to make much use of their (private) phone. Of course your mileage may vary, but that isn't a one-way street!

For every scenario you give as demonstration that a device is extensively used during the day, I can provide a counter-scenario where it isn't.

 

[deckard666]

I'm getting both, but the best thing about the pebble to me is being able to go to sleep with it and wake up to a silent alarm on your wrist. Can't do that on android or possibly the apple watch without having it charge the whole day before bedtime.

I'd be very surprised it it took the Apple Watch longer than 30-60 mins to charge.

 

[samcraig]

I'm getting both, but the best thing about the pebble to me is being able to go to sleep with it and wake up to a silent alarm on your wrist. Can't do that on android or possibly the apple watch without having it charge the whole day before bedtime.

Oh I don't know. I use my LG G watch pretty heavily and can get almost 2 full days without recharging. And it doesn't take that long to charge (I admit to not timing it because I usually just throw it on the cradle before bed time and/or when I get home from work.

 

[dilbert99]

Asking for consumers to pay for R&D for this watch is pure greed by pebble.

Isn't the R&D already done, they just have to send an order to the manufacturer.

Your phone does everything a smart watch does.

My Pebble is always on, can go in the pool with me and when I shake it the backlight comes on, none of which my iPhone can do

This is confusing to me about the pebble's 'water resistance'. I would guess the Apple Watch is similar. But, swimming to me IS underwater. I don't understand.

Yes, the battery life of the watch IS awesome, but the GUI is very low res, and slow. So there are tradeoffs.

The Apple watch uses the term water resistant but can't be taken underwater, they should have used the word splash resistant in my opinion.

The Pebble watch will work underwater in a pool or shower.

There are tradeoffs with the Apple watch too.

I was looking forward to the Apple watch announcement and was really disappointed with the look of it. I was expecting something a lot thinner and nicer looking. Don't get me wrong, compared to the Pebble it is way nicer and over time the Apple watch looks have grown on me.

I'll either get the new Pebble watch or cancel and get the Apple Watch or use the new Pebble and wait for a later version of the Apple watch which I hope will be cheaper and not have so many trade offs.

 

[bobob]

I'm getting both, but the best thing about the pebble to me is being able to go to sleep with it and wake up to a silent alarm on your wrist. Can't do that on android or possibly the apple watch without having it charge the whole day before bedtime.

It takes a little over two hours to fully recharge an iPhone 6 which has an 1810 mAh battery.

Though still unverified, based on it's size, it's hard to imagine Apple squeezing much more than a 350 mAh battery in the Apple Watch.

If charging rates are similar, then the Apple Watch should be able to be fully rechared in approximately 30 minutes.

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The Apple watch uses the term water resistant...

The Pebble Time watch also uses the term water resistant.