2d ago

Why We’re Bringing Pebble Back - Eric Migi

ericmigi.com Why We’re Bringing Pebble Back

Eight years later, you still can’t beat a Pebble

I know this isn't Android per se. But Google has now opened up Pebble OS. And it seems like there will be a pebble revival. I just want a pebble time round 2.

31 comments

Let's fucking go

o fucking please! My Pebble Steel is really showing its age.

I hope the companion app will be open source, or the watch will be compatible with Gadgetbridge
- looks like the os is open source, and they made a developpement companion app that's also open source. So even if their companion app is proprietary it doesn't seem like it'd be too hard to add gadgetbridge compatibility

Just like you're bringing small phones back?
https://ericmigi.com/blog/i-want-an-iphone-mini-sized-android-phone (2022)
- That blog post explicitly said he didn't want to make it himself!
- Nowhere in that blog post does he announce he's making it.
  He just asks for interest so that he can explore whether it's feasible to attempt manufacturing of it. He explicitly states there that he'd need a lot of help to even attempt to make it a reality.
  Very different from claiming he is making it and that it's a real product.
- 🏃🏻‍♀️🔥👖🔥🚒
- I was hoping so bad that it would come but it never came... we need a proper open source smartphone but there is so many variables in it sadly. Though with the recent developments in mobile linux and using a translation layer for android apps maybe something is possible. The problem is something being open source isnt enough to penetrate the tech space, it has to be better than the alternatives, which with phones means it has to either be ridiculously powerfull or extremely cheap, which are both hard to achive in such a saturated space. Even linux is only popular because it is actually better than the alternatives.

I'd be down for a smart watch with like a week of battery life, with a backlight on lift, and I guess NFC for paying.
I know I won't get that combo, but I can dream.
- Some garmin models check all of those boxes. And the NFC payment doesn't require you to gave you phone with you.
- "I hear you, and I get what your saying. If I understand you correctly, what you really need is AI in a watch! Dont even need NFC, the AI will do the Payments for you! Its gonna be amazing. And if the AI is good enough, we can just drop the screen entirely!! How cool will that be!! I got our best engineers on it, releasing next quarter, $599. Pro version packs a vape at $799. Single use battery as well, save you needing to charge it!! "
  Turned your dream into a nightmare, you're welcome :)
- other than the NFC the PineTime can do this
- You won't get that combo in the west. Xiaomi fitness bands have support for NFC payment in China but not in the western market.
  
  Garmins do.
- I think the closest would be the TicWatch, though you'd be using an old Wear OS version and likely never get any updates for it.

oooo that's cool.

Wow, this is awesome!
I don't want much in a smart watch, really just notifications and some nominal ability to interact with them (snooze/dismiss reminders, pause/skip what's playing, etc).
An ePaper screen fits my use-case just fine. Easily readable in most situations, and crazy low power draw.
- You should look at garmin watches

GIVE ME A PEBBLE AND I'LL BE HAPPY AGAIN
Edit: pebble is the only smartwatch I've ever loved and a new pebble would be on my wrist in no time. Just give it to me now. Please do it. Please. Do it. Come on. You can do it!

Long battery life (one less thing to charge. It’s annoying to need extra cables when traveling)
I can charge my Samsung watch with my Samsung phone while charging my phone with single cable. I still would want longer battery life, but extra cable isn't the issue for me.
- I can charge my Samsung watch with my Samsung phone while charging my phone with single cable.
  Yeah about that.....
  
  If I remember correctly, Samsung has removed that functionality on the new watches and phones.
  
  Samsung has removed that functionality on the new watches and phones
  At least I got that on my Fold 6 and Watch4 Classic working perfectly 🤔
  And seems like S25 also has Wireless PowerShare
  
  Aw man, I was just about to ask how that works because it sounds super convenient and I'd never heard of it.

Long battery life is why I went back to my good old trusty non-smart watch. Let's see how this Pebble 2.0 will work out. I'm interested.

You got banglejs too

This is launching at the perfect time. not only do I still have my pebble time within reach of they resurrect those with new firmware and the like. But my Fossil Hybrid I've been using as a pebble replacement for the last 5 years just went EOL and they're not making new ones.

Didn't the same guy pretend he was going to create a small phone before?
- No.
  He put out a blog post detailing his wants in a phone, and asked the community for help, saying he'd need a lot of it if the project were to even get off the ground.

31 comments