No NFC !!???? Whyyyyyyyyyy
this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2025
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Pebble sounds cool but i really dont like square watches(except the retro casios and gshocks) and now its owned by google so thats shit as well.
Google dumped the Pebble OS code on GitHub when this whole "rePebble" thing (not Rebble) started. Now there's a new phone app coming out soon (or out now, depending on your platform and abilities) that handles old and new Pebbles and modern phone platforms.
None of this is from Google.
I think Google just owns the software because the product page for these watches say the guy invested his own money to get these produced.
...and now its owned by google so thats shit as well.
Google acquired it back in 2021, this move to open source it is a good thing.
How's navigation with Pebbles? If I start bike navigation in Google Maps on my phone, can I get turn-by-turn directions on the watch, and does it not suck?
I've pre-ordered the Core Time 2.
Pre-orders are something I never usually do, but given this is essentially just an improved version of an existing product, as opposed to a Kickstarter, I feel more confident. And I can cancel the preorder at any time (plus I'll see reviews of the cheaper model before the Core Time 2 ships).
The price made me wince, though. It's very expensive for the functionality. Technically cheaper than the original watches adjusted for inflation, but that ignores the current-day smartwatch market. Still, I loved the Pebble, so I think it's worth it.
Where’s my round?
Isn't there any way to pre-order without a credit card? I guess I'll have to wait until other payment options are available...
I'm still very confused about why we needed PebbleOS for this. It's been like 10 years and no one could come up with any comparable software? They whipped up the hardware design in a few months.
Because good software is hard. The PebbleOS is a gem, and no, no one could in 9 years.
It has the entire ecosystem of apps.
They didn't need it, it was just the tipping point
PebbleOS was awesome, though. Such a well thought out system for end-users, and it already has tons of apps. Developing for it (in C!) is also super easy because it has an amazing SDK.
From what I've read from Eric since this relaunch was announced, he just wants a new pebble and so do some of the userbase. This project isn't really intended as a viable, polished product. Rather it's a niche thing made for a Core audience of nerds.
Disclaimer: I'm one of the nerds this is intended for. I instantly pre-ordered a watch because it's a pebble. I7
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Made another post but it was removed for...reasons. Migi says you shouldn't expect your Pebble to last >5 years.
It reads to me like he's saying that if you expect 5+ years without maintenance if it's more than $100, you should look at a different product.
The top comments are someone saying that after five years they needed to repair it due to battery failure, and the founder saying the repair process is the same.
Five years is longer than the average lifespan of a liIon battery. Expecting to be able to skip repairs that long is unreasonable for a $150 product.
It reads like the founder actually giving realistic expectations. A $150 product will likely need repairs to last longer than five years, and you'll be disappointed if you expect otherwise.
Can you point to a similar product that costs about as much that fits your criteria?
It doesn't read to me like you will have to replace the battery, it reads to me like he's saying don't expect the device itself to last >5 years.
How does that read to you like him saying it's not replaceable?
Have you tried reading the rest of the comments?
Sure have!
He told someone not to buy it if they expect more than five years without repairs. That person seemed to think spending more than $100 should get them a product that lasts a lifetime, and was irritated the founder said he thought it was pretty good that a piece of low cost consumer electronics made it five years before needing repairs.
What part of that says to you that it's not reparable or won't last five years?
The comment that Eric replied to saying "please don't buy this" mentioned nothing about repairs. It was entirely about overall longevity of the device.
I still can't believe that no one else has made a smart watch with physical buttons and low energy use that has surpassed the pebble after all this time. I'm still cautious that this venture will pan out, but honestly there really hasn't been a smart watch released that matches my use case. Sleep tracking makes no sense if I have to charge the watch daily, as I'd probably charge it over night. Media control with screen buttons is awful. Fossil came close with their hybrid smart watch, but the layout of the media controls made no sense and couldn't easily be used without looking at the watch. Just let me check my calendar and texts and skip through ads in podcasts, and last over a week of battery and you will have my money.
Honestly daily charging isn't the worst I just usually charge my watch when I'm in the shower and getting ready in the morning pop it back on when I'm done and I'm good to go.
Don't love the closed-in ecosystem but Garmin watches with MIP display do almost all you just said.
- Touch screen + also Buttons for 100% touch-free interaction
- Battery life of around 3 to 4 weeks (depending on what you are doing)... more with the Solar models
- Media control is there, but don't really use that
Podcast ad skipping sadly not a thing.
Price might be an issue though. The top end models with all the whistles come at a smartphone flagship price point.
The Garmin Instinct is what I switched to when my Pebble died. Recently upgraded to the Fenix.
You can absolutely skip ahead through ads with the music controls. Automating it would be the job of the app.
You are right. I think I read that wrong. I thought automatic segment skipping like YouTube SponsorBlock. You definitely can fast forward using buttons.
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