Pebble unveils Pebble 2 and Time 2 smartwatches, 3G-enabled Core running accessory

Posted:
in General Discussion edited November 2019
Pebble on Tuesday launched two new smartwatches on Kickstarter, the Pebble 2 and the Time 2, along with a new accessory, the Core -- aimed at people who want to go running without their smartphone, as well as hacking enthusiasts.
Both of the new watches include heartrate sensors, supporting Pebble's recent entrance into the fitness tracking world. The Pebble 2 is thinner than its predecessor, equipped with a microphone, and uses Corning Gorilla Glass for its display cover instead of the first-generation model's plastic. Battery life is rated at seven days. The Time 2 is set to replace both the Time and the Time Steel, adopting the latter's steel body as the only material going forward. Pebble has also increased display size by 53 percent, shrinking bezels in the process, and promised 10-day battery life even with heartrate tracking on. The updated watches also support a framework called Actions, which should allow people to hit a button and quickly launch a shortcut for installed apps.
The Core includes GPS, 3G, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi receivers, and runs Android, despite not having a screen. Through basic buttons and audio feedback the device lets wearers track runs, stream Spotify playlists, and send an emergency SMS message with location info. If a person doesn't have Bluetooth headphones, audio can be pumped through a standard headphone jack. The device can also pair with Pebble watches and enable internet access for them. For any 3G use, owners will need a SIM card from a compatible carrier. GPS sync, meanwhile, will be supported in apps by Runkeeper, Strava, and Under Armour Record. Battery life is said to be just nine hours, but the device optionally supports the Qi wireless charging standard for extra convenience. Unusually Pebble is also targeting hackers with the device, offering them a hardware expansion port and early access to an SDK letting them reprogram the Core's two buttons. People might for instance be able to call an Uber, fly a drone, or even retrieve ODB data from a car, the company said. The Pebble 2 is expected to ship in September, while the Time 2 should arrive in November. The watches currently cost $99 and $169 through Kickstarter, but will be priced at $129 and $199 once they officially launch. The Core is likewise $79 now, but slated to jump to $99 when it launches in January 2017.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 14
    slurpyslurpy Posts: 5,382member
    The Pebble 2 still looks like something you'd find at the dollar store. Cheap plastic, massive bezels, ugly design.
    lkruppjbdragonnolamacguy
  • Reply 2 of 14
    williamhwilliamh Posts: 1,032member
    Those things are not that bad for the price.  Good battery life.  For me though, I think I would go for something like a cheap fitbit with no screen if I didn't go for a proper device like the Apple Watch.  I do wonder when these companies like Pebble will stop acting like college students with Kickstarters for their new products.  It's one thing for some guy or girl with an idea to launch a Kickstarter, but at some point you have to grow up.
    netmagecalibuckalecjbdragonpscooter63
  • Reply 3 of 14
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Their looks match their price.
    jbdragon
  • Reply 4 of 14
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    Gadgets time will soon forget.
  • Reply 5 of 14
    jkichlinejkichline Posts: 1,369member
    I have a Pebble Time Steel and it is great!  However I ended up getting an Apple Watch and love it!  Part of the reason is the "just works" moniker.  It helps me get activity in and measures heart rate without a lot of thinking.  The Time Steel doesn't have a heart rate monitor (I don't think) and just wasn't the same as the Apple Watch.  I loved the battery life, but the screen couldn't be seen indoors without backlight and even then it was dark.
    pscooter63
  • Reply 6 of 14
    macplusplusmacplusplus Posts: 2,112member
    Design sucks...
    ireland
  • Reply 7 of 14
    Maybe Pebble should have hired someone from Microsoft to improve that look. 
  • Reply 8 of 14
    slprescottslprescott Posts: 765member
    I love my Apple Watch but am also glad that companies like Pebble put ideas out there for consumers to consider.  In comparison to many of the iPhone clones, Pebble is pursuing its own vision in the wearables category.
  • Reply 9 of 14
    toysandmetoysandme Posts: 243member
    There is one feature I miss from my old Pebble. When forgetting my iPhone somewhere it would tell me, once I was about 30 feet from it. The stupid Apple watch might show the icon of my iPhone with a line across that tells me I'm out of range but it ain't smart enough to buzz me and tell me "hey buddy, you forgot your iPhone in the restaurant!" How do we fix that? Barking up the RIGHT tree might help: http://www.apple.com/feedback/watch.html
  • Reply 10 of 14
    Nobody here has commented about the Pebble Core! While I am a huge Apple fan, it never occurred to me how incredibly neglected they've let the old iPod lines become. They still sell the Shuffle, with no Bluetooth, no pedometer, no GPS, no streaming music, no Siri, only individual playlists loaded through iTunes Sync! Wow!!! While the Pebble Core may not be revolutionary, it definitely leapfrogs and makes the old school iPods interesting again (in my opinion.) imagine if Apple were to make a new iPod Nano or Shuffle, give it Heart Rate and pedometer and Bluetooth, you'd suddenly have relevance in iPod again!
  • Reply 11 of 14
    nolamacguynolamacguy Posts: 4,758member
    the Core, which uses GPS, has a 9-hour battery life. even with no screen. ouch. that's likely why we don't see GPS in the AW.
    edited May 2016
  • Reply 12 of 14
    loopychewloopychew Posts: 21member
    jkichline said:
    I have a Pebble Time Steel and it is great!  However I ended up getting an Apple Watch and love it!  Part of the reason is the "just works" moniker.  It helps me get activity in and measures heart rate without a lot of thinking.  The Time Steel doesn't have a heart rate monitor (I don't think) and just wasn't the same as the Apple Watch.  I loved the battery life, but the screen couldn't be seen indoors without backlight and even then it was dark.
    Both the Pebble 2 and the Time 2 apparently have heart rate monitors, which resolves one of your issues about it. That alone is tempting me to get a Time 2.
    edited May 2016
  • Reply 13 of 14
    no margins in ipod ....thats why its staying in watch
  • Reply 14 of 14
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,176member
    the Core, which uses GPS, has a 9-hour battery life. even with no screen. ouch. that's likely why we don't see GPS in the AW.
    If you can turn off GPS when you don't need it then why not include it as an option? My guess is it wouldn't be unlike our smartphones where we turn off GPS or limit location services if maximizing battery life is the concern. I know the most recent Garmin Viv HR has 4-5 days of battery between charges, but only 13hr. with GPS active.
    edited May 2016
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