A New Face for Pebble • Hacker News Board

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#101

Post by stragulus » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 8:41 PM UTC

unwiredben wrote: post #100

lemevi wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the screen is anything like the Pebble Time it wont be beautiful. I love my PT but depending on the watchface the screen isn't easily readable in anything other than outdoor or very bright indoor lighting. There's a light up button, that helps. The colors are also very muted. The value of a Pebble watch in my opinion is all in its practical utility, where it really shines. I have been careful to manage what sends…

Reports are that the Pebble Time Steel, which uses the same screen tech, is much more vibrant than the Pebble Time due to the optical bonding. The PT Round looks to also use that same technique due to its thinness, so I expect it will look quite good.

Aha! I do own the Pebble Time Steel and couldn't identify with the issue of the poorly readable screen. I find it reads very well in direct sunlight, and when it's dark there's always the light button. I guess this explains the complaints.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#102

Post by unwiredben » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 8:42 PM UTC

fla wrote: post #69

oniony wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The new Time Round has a two day battery life, FYI. Even more reason to not buy it.

It's very surpising, I thought they were gone for a full power-efficiency design. Android watches also have this type of autonomy if not used too much.

It's a limit on how large the battery can be in a watch that's this thin. It's half the size of the Pebble Time's battery, so half the expected run time.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#103

Post by unwiredben » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 8:43 PM UTC

yellow wrote: post #18

slg wrote: post #12

It looks like half the area of the watch is bezel.

I wonder if the bezel allows for a normal square display underneath?

Internal Pebble developer on their Slack said it's a round LCD under the bezel, not a masked-off square one.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#104

Post by stronglikedan » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 8:46 PM UTC

Zarel wrote: post #53

differentView wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do people who wear those watches just wet their finger tips when washing their hands?

Splash resistance generally means it's fine in the shower and while washing hands, just not while swimming. Or, at least, that's how I've always interpreted it.

Same here. A certain amount of pressure will allow water to penetrate the seal (e.g. submersion), but it will hold up if it just gets wet.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#105

Post by fao_ » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 8:49 PM UTC

Zarel wrote: post #53

differentView wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do people who wear those watches just wet their finger tips when washing their hands?

Splash resistance generally means it's fine in the shower and while washing hands, just not while swimming. Or, at least, that's how I've always interpreted it.

Hmm, interesting. I've always been over-cautious where 'splash-resistant' is concerned (As in, not allowing any water to get even remotely near); I'd never thought to consider that manufacturers probably over-compensate where water-resistance is concerned, to save them time fufilling warranty claims afterwards.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#106

Post by lightbritefight » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 8:49 PM UTC

Zarel wrote: post #53

differentView wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do people who wear those watches just wet their finger tips when washing their hands?

Splash resistance generally means it's fine in the shower and while washing hands, just not while swimming. Or, at least, that's how I've always interpreted it.

Water, but no water pressure sounds about right.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#107

Post by unwiredben » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 9:02 PM UTC

hadrien01 wrote: post #94

Still no Windows Phone compatibility. And their SDK page [1] isn't very helpful to understand what's its purpose, including if it's useful to create an app communicating with the device for incompatible smartphones. [1] https://developer.getpebble.com/round/

I've seen some Windows developers getting advice on the protocols used to talk to the watch on their Slack channels. I don't think you'll see Pebble implement a Windows host app, but they've not been too hostile to the idea.

The watch-to-phone communications methods are the same with the Pebble Time Round. It looks like the differences are all in how the UI of the watch is rendered, and those are pretty major. However, outside of the screen, the hardware is very similar to the already-deployed Pebble Time.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#108

Post by fryguy » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 9:31 PM UTC

Kiro wrote: post #98

wanderfowl wrote: post #50

It's pretty, but they're continuing to compromise core features (waterproofness, battery) which make Pebbles unique, while their software and abilities and displays lag far behind the pack (partly due to vendor lock-in). I loved my OG Steel. But they won't compete against the Apple Watches and Moto 360s of the world by mirroring their shortcomings and price while providing none of the deep integration, apps, and feat…

> continuing to compromise core features What did they compromise on Pebble Time? Battery time was improved.

The pebble time round only has 2 days, and isn't waterproof.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#109

Post by jammur » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 9:35 PM UTC

TeMPOraL wrote: post #93

jammur wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does Pebble do that Apple Watch or Android Wear doesn't? I know many more "geeks" with Apple Watch or Android Wear than Pebble.

5-7 day battery life and always-on, e-paper-like color screen. This enables you to use Pebble as an actual watch, or in general as an information radiator - you don't have to interact with it in any way to see the data you need; you just have to look at it. They had these features (sans color) before Apple Watch / Android Wear even existed! What personally made me buy Pebble over Android Wear / Apple Watch was not po…

> 5-7 day battery life and always-on, e-paper-like color screen. This enables you to use Pebble as an actual watch

I'm not sure why the "always-on" aspect is an advantage. The Apple Watch display turns on when I raise my wrist to look at it. Always-on seems more like a vanity feature than actually useful. If you aren't looking at it, it serves no purpose to be on.

The battery life has never been a problem for me. I put the watch on it's charger when I get in bed, and take it off when I wake up. I don't think I've ever hit > Apple's strategy of building an expensive toy.

I don't believe that is the intention at all. I think Apple is trying to create a truly useful device, with a much broader scope than Pebble. Personally, the Apple Watch has been very useful for me. I would be very unhappy if I had to give it up. My Apple Watch watch feels significantly more utilitarian than my phone.

I also think you're underselling the fitness aspect. I've been much more active since I got my Apple Watch. The importance of physical activity is hard to understate.

Also, I visited my doctor recently and she was a bit worried that my pulse was high. I showed her the graph of my pulse over the last week, and she was no longer worried. In the future, when we can measure thinks like blood pressure and blood glucose, it will significantly improve people's health. That's clearly where Apple is headed.

I love Pebble as a company and I think they make a really great product. However, it's wrong to say the Apple Watch is nothing more than a toy. It's already had a decent impact on my life, and I think that impact will be exponentially larger in a few short years.

Re: A New Face for Pebble

#110

Post by jammur » Wed, Sep 23, 2015, 9:43 PM UTC

djsumdog wrote: post #89

jammur wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What does Pebble do that Apple Watch or Android Wear doesn't? I know many more "geeks" with Apple Watch or Android Wear than Pebble.

It doesn't really do anything the other two don't. The bid difference that I think people are trying to state is that no one really uses any of those other features. Not really. Pebble gives you notifications, time ... new ones give you heart rate monitors (I think?). You don't get those other features no one else cares about, but you do get like five days of battery life. I'm still on my Pebble Steel and I still rea…

> The bid difference that I think people are trying to state is that no one really uses any of those other features. Not really.

I'm curious which features you are referring to? I have no need for 5 day battery life on my watch. Would it be great? Hell yeah. However, I also have no problem tossing my watch on the charger when I get in bed, just as I do with my phone.