Pebble again turns to crowdfunding to take on Apple Watch with new color display model

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  • Reply 41 of 133
    mpantonempantone Posts: 2,033member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Slurpy View Post

     

     

    I'm pretty sure you are guaranteed the promised item if funding reaches it's goal. 

     

    https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/597507018/pebble-time-awesome-smartwatch-no-compromises

     

    Yeah..I think we're good in that respect. 

     

    Honestly, it was genius of Pebble to do this. The $$ they will raise will be insane. 




    It's basically the same dollars that they would get if they sold the watch normally when it was built and available for shipping.

     

    Pebble simply gets the cash up front to fund development and manufacturing costs, rather than go to a bank for a business loan or ask a venture capitalist, who will provide the funds in exchange for equity. This way, Pebble gets an interest-free loan from people who don't get any equity or shares in the company.

     

    The other main benefit is that Pebble can gauge early market interest by crowdfunding. If they limit the production run to what was ordered by Kickstarter folks and added a few more, then they don't risk having excess inventory. A key is if they can bring the watch to production in a reasonable amount of time.

  • Reply 42 of 133
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

     

    very few people swim with their watch.  But if thats your deal, thats your deal.  Apple ain't going to make a more bulky watch to make sure the .000001% who swim with their watches are happy.

     

    Whats next?  Swimming with your phone in your pocket?

     

    Even if it was water proof I would not constantly dip an $500 electronic device hundreds of times in the water.


     

    A watch that has fitness-tracking features, but can't take a dip in the pool with you is limiting IMHO. A traditional watch for active folks that is water resistant to at least 30m is a pretty much a given. If a smartwatch can't handle this basic function, it's useless to me. Talking about swimming with a smartphone in your pocket is just silly talk. I'm currently waiting for the Withings Activite Pop to become available. Been visiting the Best Buy webpage everyday to check to see if it's in stock yet.

     

     

    http://www.bestbuy.com/site/withings-activit-pop-activity-tracker-watch-gray/2291064.p?id=1219535314259&skuId=2291064

  • Reply 43 of 133
    mazda 3smazda 3s Posts: 1,613member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

     

    you made my point for me.  Triathletes is a niche market.  Probably less than 0.01% of the population


     

    Triathletes aren't the only people that swim with watches on.



    Regardless, the Apple Watch isn't for everyone. To me, it's limiting. To everyone else that can find a place for it in their daily lives, more power to 'em. Don't see what the big fuss is.

  • Reply 44 of 133
    eightzero wrote: »
    I'm kind of curious: how many triathletes are there in the US? Worldwide? (I'm honestly interested how big the consumer base is for what you describe.)

    I never looked it up, so I did now. Yes, yes, Wiki, but still...

    "USA Triathlon is the largest multisport organization in the world. It sanctions more than 4,300 races every year with nearly 500,000 members. It is composed of athletes of all ages, coaches, officials, parents and fans working to strengthen multisport."

    But don't be misled by this though:
    "USA Triathlon (USAT) is the national governing body for the multisport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon"

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Triathlon

    This all is kind of non info as this mainly accounts for registered triathletes, and not the 'leisure triathlons' that are also being held. There's another poster here who is planning on doing a tri, albeit a short one. (they come in different flavours of distance, fortunately)

    Worldwide? I have no idea.
  • Reply 45 of 133

    No hardware stats are given.. is this more powerful? Have to be to support color.. then again, they don't say how MANY colors.. so far.. from the video, it could be just 256 color display.. 

     

    Then again, they get an awesome 7 days out of it.. likely the tradeoff for that kind of battery life with an always on display. 

  • Reply 46 of 133
    mazda 3s wrote: »
    A watch that has fitness-tracking features, but can't take a dip in the pool with you is limiting IMHO.

    Your opinion should be humble, IMO.

    Hope you get your order soon; 'nothing' more frustrating than having to wait for it to be delivered.
  • Reply 47 of 133
    sflocalsflocal Posts: 6,092member

    It's got to be a burden for Pebbles to know the 800lb. gorilla that is Apple may very well evaporate any possibility of them making a decent business with their wearables.  Kudos goes to them for trying.  I think in the back of their minds they're waiting for the right time to cash out, get bought out, or whatever and then take the money and run for the hills.  They are not looking at long-term survival.



    And then there's the Android watch... a piece of garbage that I will be so happy to see Google one day "quietly" forget about like they do everything else.

  • Reply 48 of 133

    LOL!

    They should get a crowd to knock them straight off the market. With bats and crow bars no less.

  • Reply 49 of 133
    Bad move. Mess with fire, you get burned. I think Pebble would have been better to stick with their core strengths and not tried to directly compete with Apple.

    I don't think they did. This watch is for the Android/Linux/Slashdot crowd.
  • Reply 50 of 133
    Best Buy. Who shops there anymore?
  • Reply 51 of 133
    foggyhillfoggyhill Posts: 4,767member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by PhilBoogie View Post





    I never looked it up, so I did now. Yes, yes, Wiki, but still...



    "USA Triathlon is the largest multisport organization in the world. It sanctions more than 4,300 races every year with nearly 500,000 members. It is composed of athletes of all ages, coaches, officials, parents and fans working to strengthen multisport."



    But don't be misled by this though:

    "USA Triathlon (USAT) is the national governing body for the multisport disciplines of triathlon, duathlon, aquathlon and winter triathlon"



    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Triathlon



    This all is kind of non info as this mainly accounts for registered triathletes, and not the 'leisure triathlons' that are also being held. There's another poster here who is planning on doing a tri, albeit a short one. (they come in different flavours of distance, fortunately)



    Worldwide? I have no idea.

     

    I'm guessing if you actually do a triathlon, you already have a proper watch you use just for that. At least, people I know do that have one. No Samsung, Sony, Apple or Pebble watch will serve this market anytime soon.

  • Reply 52 of 133
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,177member
    sflocal wrote: »
    And then there's the Android watch... a piece of garbage that I will be so happy to see Google one day "quietly" forget about like they do everything else.
    There is no "Android watch". Google has an OS for wearables, but doesn't spec a watch design. BTW, LG announced a good-looking smart watch the other day.
    [VIDEO]
  • Reply 53 of 133
    foggyhill wrote: »
    I'm guessing if you actually do a triathlon, you already have a proper watch you use just for that. At least, people I know do that have one. No Samsung, Sony, Apple or Pebble watch will serve this market anytime soon.

    You guess correct. And the availability is coming from the usual suspects: Garmin, Suunto, Polar, TomTom, Timex, Bryton, Magellan, Bia (comparison tool here)

    And it indeed doesn't look like smartwatch manufacturers will be developing a Triathlon watch anytime soon, if ever. Though I must say the above mentioned brands are increasingly adding smart functions to their high end models ($450 and up, mainly Garmin and Suunto) They allow iOS notiifications to be displayed on your watch, like SMS, calls, FB, Twitter et cetera. Strange that they support Android months after iOS...
    gatorguy wrote: »
    There is no "Android watch". Google has an OS for wearables, but doesn't spec a watch design. BTW, LG announced a good-looking smart watch the other day.
    [vid]

    Looks nice! Strange that they only show a watch face, while being a smartwatch. Why no 'smart' functions to display? (no need to answer that, I presume no one knows)

    Health getting better?
  • Reply 54 of 133
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

    Good luck. Just for $150 you get so much more with an Apple Watch.  I think this will appeal to the Kindle Fire crowd.

     

    this has no chance against Apple Watch


     

    Remember $349 is the starting price.  Is that only for the smaller one and the larger one is more money?  And then shoots up from there.  Plus the Apple watch you have to charge up Daily unlike this one that will last a week.   I've been saying for quite some time now why there hasn't been a Color E-Ink display used on Smart Watches yet?  Do you really need to play a video on your Smart Watch?  NO!!!  Color e-ink works just fine, and if it's really as good as I'm seeing in that video, it's a winner.    Other then the Bezel size seems a bit large, but it's smaller then the last one and looks nicer then the last one.    

     

    I'm not really into watches.  A whole million sold up to this date for Pebble is not bad for a small company like that, and still far better then anyone else.  Apple selling 5 million in a quarter?!?!?!  I think if it turns out like they're advertising, it will be a great smart watch at a reasonable price.  What I thought was funny was the whole it Works on iOS, Samsung and Android part!!!  I was a little confused on that part.   There's still a ton of unknowns on the Apple Watch at this point, so to say it's better really is being a Apple Sheep.  At least wait until there's some real Reviews on a released product that you actually know prices also!!!  Something The Pebble Watch gave out and Apple months later, just the cheapest, basic price that can goes up a whole hell of a lot higher.

  • Reply 55 of 133
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,177member
    sog35 wrote: »
    Yuck.  Round watch face.

    There is a reason desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets have rectangular faces.
    ...and the hands go 'round and 'round. :rolleyes:

    There's a reason rectangular-shaped watches aren't as popular as round ones. Watch hands don't travel in a rectangle.
  • Reply 56 of 133
    crowleycrowley Posts: 10,453member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by sog35 View Post

     

     

    Yuck.  Round watch face.

     

    There is a reason desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets have rectangular faces.




    And there is a reason why you don't strap a desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet to your wrist.

     

    Are you against circles in all circumstances?

  • Reply 57 of 133
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,177member
    philboogie wrote: »
    Health getting better?

    Yes sir it is. Everyday is better than the one before. Can't wait until I can ditch Boost altogether, but according to my oncologists I'm way ahead of the curve already so it won't be long. Thanks for asking! :)
  • Reply 58 of 133
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,305member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Adrayven View Post

     

    No hardware stats are given.. is this more powerful? Have to be to support color.. then again, they don't say how MANY colors.. so far.. from the video, it could be just 256 color display.. 

     

    Then again, they get an awesome 7 days out of it.. likely the tradeoff for that kind of battery life with an always on display. 


     

    Do you really need more then 256 colors on a Watch?  Not really!!!!  Does anyone plan to watch Videos on their watch?  Talking about a battery killer.  This is why I don't get why Apple didn't just go with a color e-ink display on their watch?  I would much rather get 7 days of life then around 12 hours or whatever it is, 1 Day.  e-Ink has gotten pretty quick in updating the display.  It can be ON all the time like they said in video, because once the display updates, it's  not using the battery at all until another screen update.    It's more then fast enough to show time, show text messages and other things like that.  You don't need a screen that shows 16 million colors at 30 frames per second on a watch!!!  

  • Reply 59 of 133
    gatorguy wrote: »
    philboogie wrote: »
    Health getting better?

    Yes sir it is. Everyday is better than the one before. Can't wait until I can ditch Boost altogether, but according to my oncologists I'm way ahead of the curve already so it won't be long. Thanks for asking! :)

    Very glad to hear! I've lost many friends, and still have many fighting cancer. So my thoughts are with you, and anyone here going through the same.
  • Reply 60 of 133
    Good for them as this is the most successful Kickstarter campaign, but I can't help but wonder who would be investing in this product at this point? I assume it's mostly non-iPhone users or people that are in no way inclined to spend $350 on an ?Watch (regardless of what it can do), a I'd assume that excluding those options one would at least hold off until we find out more about ?Watch in the next 2 months before making a final decision. Personally, I’m still leaning toward the Fitbit Charge HR, but I’m going to wait before I put my money down.
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