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

[Pilgrim1099]

why would anyone invest into this kind of crap. Yu could by watch from 90's or invest into watch.

One watch lasts a few more days without charging, the other is less than a day. Which one would you buy? The one that lasts longer, not the one that's showy and dependent on the iPhone.

Being subjective won't get you far in life.

 

[Phooto]

Pebble has a few things going for it :

Uncomplicated
Battery life
Price
Easy development

The last one sold it for me. I wanted a watch for keeping track of rugby matches, i.e. time, score, cards etc. I developed and published an app within a day of getting my watch. Much easier to develop for than iOS, the additional complications simply are not needed.

It's not elegant, but then it doesn't pretend to be. Does the job well, and although I am an Apple fan, I won't be rushing for an Apple Watch, I'm not sure what it will do for me. I still want to look at my phone to look up contacts, diary etc., phone ring / text / twitter / Facebook notifications are all I would really want from the watch in addition to the time, maybe weather/temperature and the rugby app!

 

[Keirasplace]

Fine...

According to rumors, the Apple Watch will last less than 3 hours if you're actually using it. According to Tim Cooke, people should get comfortable with the idea that they'll be charging it every day.

Better?

It's still nowhere near the 7 days a Pebble gets.

The rumor was 4h active use, and now its 3h... Not content of the rumor, lets stretch it (using means using the screen). How long do you look at your Iphone screen per day... 4h?

If you actually use your watch screen 4h (or even 3h) a day I think you probably would be in dire need of watch rehab.

Also, again, which watch are you talking about; small one, big one, there's a substantial volume difference between them?

I have nothing against Pebble at all; it has its niche. But, this kind of straw man attack against Apple watch, smacks of desperation. You don't have to resort to trash the Apple Watch to appreciate your own. They both can live in their own little word.

 

[samcraig]

The watch is $199, and looks cheap. $150 more and you get a real watch. If the Pebble price was $99 or $129, I could see it. But right now, it's too expensive.

So for almost double the price you get a real watch. Two issues with that comment. One - the Pebble is a real watch. It tells time, it goes on your wrist, it has notifications, etc. Second - $150 "more" is a pretty significant jump. It's more than half the price of the purchase price.

Hah, as if the Pebble is even good at notifications. It is horrible. Bluetooth connection is utter garbage.

Hah! I've never had an issue with my notifications or bluetooth connectivity. Maybe it's your watch or your phone.

 

[bondsbw]

A small company that just made $1million in 30 minutes is over.

Apple makes money at 10 times that rate.

 

[mattopotamus]

doesn't make sense. Pebble is a profitable company now. They pulled in lots of profits according to the founders in the last two years.

There is zero reason to kickstarter.

How would you feel if Apple decided for the iPhone 7 to launch it as a kickstarter so that, despite Apple's billions in profits and cash on hand, they're still asking you, the consumer to pay for the development costs up front.

it's pure greed on pebble's part.

that is just it. They need to take sales now. They cannot afford to sell this after the apple watch launches. Kickstarter in February = millions. Start selling in May = hundreds of thousands. Kickstarter will easily destroy a pre-order through their own website.

 

[prowlmedia]

Already pledged an early bird preorder!

On second thought, reading the comments section on the Verge, I'm having a bit of pledger's remorse...

Same here. May unpledge... have 30 days to decide anyway.

I really don't like the fact they used Kickstarter again... It's still not a pre order and you don't get the same protection you do from a preorder. They are not even obliged to send you anything or give you a warenty... it's a reward. Of course this won't happen but still...

Also they and therefore us are paying 10% to kickstarter. They could have saved us that too. I do think Kickstarter is being used as a Marketing tool these days.

And well... the design sucks.

 

[lkwan]

haha

backers remorse...

I backed it and within 45 secs, i cancelled it when i realized ....

HELLO!!!! MY APPLE WATCH IS GONNA BE ON MY WRIST IN APRIL!!!

Another reason why I cancelled it is the Pebble's Track record.

The Original pebble shipped 9 months late!
The Steel was delayed 2 months!

I have zero confidence Pebble can ship this on time!

 

[Keirasplace]

Apple makes money at 10 times that rate.

All year long...

 

[mattopotamus]

Hah! I've never had an issue with my notifications or bluetooth connectivity. Maybe it's your watch or your phone.

mine has also been good. If I have a problem I usually just reset it by holding the back button, select bottom, and top bottom at the same time.

 

[Hattig]

Apple makes money at 10 times that rate.

Yes, and Apple is the largest company on the planet.

For a company 1/10000th the size, this is a great response, and getting the money by April will mean they aren't hanging around waiting for retailer payments to filter back to them months later (as they are a small company they are more likely to be victims of late payments).

 

[samcraig]

Yes, and Apple is the largest company on the planet.

For a company 1/10000th the size, this is a great response, and getting the money by April will mean they aren't hanging around waiting for retailer payments to filter back to them months later (as they are a small company they are more likely to be victims of late payments).

The fact that he made that comment is absurd. Responding probably futile.

There are thousands upon thousands of companies that wish they could have the success Pebble has had (in general) and is having now.

Perspective

 

[mateytate]

If that's seriously their best response to the Watch and Android Wear devices, I think they're in trouble.

I don't think this is their response to the Watch at all, its just a small company that is trying to make a decent product & carve a small slice of the market out for themselves. They are obviously getting bashed on here like any non-Apple product always does but they are different beasts with very different price points (personally I have a Pebble now but will wait for Apples so i'm not anti-Watch). Pebble have been shipping smart watches since Jan 13 so its not as though they are new, this one is a natural progression of their previous products not a rush to market to compete with the likes or Apple and Samsung. Apple fan boys cannot stand to see anything in competition with Apple, but the marketplace would be a very horrible place without competition or choice.

All I see on this thread is "Look at that horrid bezel", yes its bigger than Apples but come on, its much cheaper, the battery lasts a week and the things waterproof - it also provides notifications and tells the time.

Yes the Watch is a fancy design, will be powerful and have HD display, but is not waterproof and has less than a day battery - if any other company churned out a product like that is would be completely slated, but because of Apples marketing machine people are happy to overlook them (including me ). There were reports the Watch could cost 10k for the gold one which for a watch that wont see out the day and is not even water proof seems ludicrous, I think you'd have to be a maniac no matter how much cash you have (a fool and his money are easily parted!) to spend that much.

I think the Pebble will sell well (as it has done in the past) to the rest of the market who don't want an Watch, or just don't have that sort of money to spend. I think its a good effort.

 

[roadie.f]

Honestly, when I saw the early bird price for $159 I was prepared to buy it, but when I realized that early bird price was sold out, I am not that interested anymore. I think it's worth less than half of apple watch's value to me.

 

[bondsbw]

The fact that he made that comment is absurd. Responding probably futile.

There are thousands upon thousands of companies that wish they could have the success Pebble has had (in general) and is having now.

Perspective

No doubt. My comment was to put things in perspective. $1 million in 30 minutes is wonderful, but many companies out there do it every 30 minutes of every day of every month of every year.

I'd be more impressed if they can sustain even 1/100th that rate.

 

[spectrumfox]

If that's seriously their best response to the Watch and Android Wear devices, I think they're in trouble.

Their Kickstarter has reached over 3.8 million dollars as of 9:23am PST.

Thanks for your concern trolling, but I think Pebble will be just fine.

 

[Keirasplace]

I don't think this is their response to the Watch at all, its just a small company that is trying to make a decent product & carve a small slice of the market out for themselves. They are obviously getting bashed on here like any non-Apple product always does but they are different beasts with very different price points (personally I have a Pebble now but will wait for Apples so i'm not anti-Watch). Pebble have been shipping smart watches since Jan 13 so its not as though they are new, this one is a natural progression of their previous products not a rush to market to compete with the likes or Apple and Samsung. Apple fan boys cannot stand to see anything in competition with Apple, but the marketplace would be a very horrible place without competition or choice.

All I see on this thread is "Look at that horrid bezel", yes its bigger than Apples but come on, its much cheaper, the battery lasts a week and the things waterproof - it also provides notifications and tells the time.

Yes the Watch is a fancy design, will be powerful and have HD display, but is not waterproof and has less than a day battery - if any other company churned out a product like that is would be completely slated, but because of Apples marketing machine people are happy to overlook them (including me ). There were reports the Watch could cost 10k for the gold one which for a watch that wont see out the day and is not even water proof seems ludicrous, I think you'd have to be a maniac no matter how much cash you have (a fool and his money are easily parted!) to spend that much.

I think the Pebble will sell well (as it has done in the past) to the rest of the market who don't want an Watch, or just don't have that sort of money to spend. I think its a good effort.

You started well, but, the second half of your post kind of deconstructs everything you said. You didn't have to bash the Apple watch, but you felt you had too. Why?

The high ground is saying both products have their usage and their demo; that's it.

 

[0098386]

Apple makes money at 10 times that rate.

And are how much older, how much more established, how much bigger?

A company that is a few years old just made $4million in 2 hours now, in a market that Apple is supposedly set to dominate. That's good, wouldn't you say?

 

[dannyyankou]

Their Kickstarter has reached over 3.8 million dollars as of 9:23am PST.

Thanks for your concern trolling, but I think Pebble will be just fine.

You obviously don't know what trolling is.

Anyway, take 3.8 million dollars, change dollars to units, and multiply it by 5 and that's how man Watches will likely be sold in 2015.

 

[samcraig]

No doubt. My comment was to put things in perspective. $1 million in 30 minutes is wonderful, but many companies out there do it every 30 minutes of every day of every month of every year.

I'd be more impressed if they can sustain even 1/100th that rate.

Again perspective. Why do they need to sustain it (to make you impressed). They don't. They are not the size or have the product line that many of the companies you're referring to in your comment.

I would have thought that those who are such fans or at least customers of Apple would appreciate Pebble's scrappiness. I can ONLY imagine the comments that would have filled these boards back in 1975.

 

[0098386]

Hah, as if the Pebble is even good at notifications. It is horrible. Bluetooth connection is utter garbage.

My old Kickstarter Pebble seems to be getting them just fine and has across all devices its been paired with. Maybe your phone or Pebble has a problem? If you're in the EU they'll be covered under the 2 year warranty.

 

[Sandstorm]

The only thing I like about it is battery life.

 

[samcraig]

You obviously don't know what trolling is.

Anyway, take 3.8 million dollars, change dollars to units, and multiply it by 5 and that's how man Watches will likely be sold in 2015.

But who cares - why even make the comparison. Why the pissing contest.

I am sure Pebble is breaking out the champagne with the results of their campaign which is only a few hours old.

I swear...

 

[BvizioN]

How many layers of bezel does this thing have?

 

[spectrumfox]

You obviously don't know what trolling is.

Anyway, take 3.8 million dollars, change dollars to units, and multiply it by 5 and that's how man Watches will likely be sold in 2015.

It's called "concern trolling", and it's definitely a thing. Here, educate yourself.

Definition: A person who posts on a blog thread, in the guise of "concern," to disrupt dialogue or undermine morale by pointing out that posters and/or the site may be getting themselves in trouble, usually with an authority or power. They point out problems that don't really exist. The intent is to derail, stifle, control, the dialogue.