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Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

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Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#51

Post by hauget »

teekert wrote: post #33
hauget wrote: post #4

If they could get rid of that horrible bezel design, more people would probably buy their product. I still can't understand how they shipped the round with that HUGE bezel. WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?! Did no one want to tell Eric that that was a bad idea or was he just stubborn in wanting to ship it like that? Also, what was up with their terrible website design? SEE THIS FOR CONTEXT --> https://web.archive.org/web/201…

Look at the useable screen estate on these: https://www.google.nl/search?q=casio+watches&source=lnms&tbm... You're comparing it to the wrong product. I think their vision is spot on compared to other manufactures, I can't understand why Apple/Google don't pursue a watch with this type of screen and battery life.

(1) The usable screen on those watches WORKS FOR THOSE WATCHES. Form follows function sir. (2) I don't want them to literally transplant PebbleOS onto those watches. No. That would be stupid. What I am saying is that Pebble is a watch company first and a tech company second and that it would benefit from having solid watch designs complement their amazing app ecosystem and OS. (3) Apple/Google won't pursue this because they are NOT in the business of making watches first. Apple Watch for example COMPLEMENTS an iPhone and is useless without it. Same for Android Wear.

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#52

Post by hauget »

mirsadm wrote: post #28
adrianN wrote: post #12

I never understood the appeal of smart watches. Aren't they like tiny screens for the phone in your pocket? Why can't you just use the phone? I don't own a smart phone either, but I understand why you would want one. But with smart watches I'm at a complete loss. Can some smart watch owner please explain what they like about having the watch?

I've got an Android Wear device that sits in a drawer because it is pretty useless. Charging it every night is more hassle than it's worth. I don't like wearing watches though. However now I wear a fitness tracker (Garmin Forerunner 235) because it is useful to me. It lasts 5 days on battery, it has GPS built in so I don't take my phone when I run anymore, it tracks my sleep and has all day HR monitoring and best of…

Big fan of the Forerunner series! I only wish there was some type of app ecosystem for it. I'm a heavy countdown timer user and carry a normal digital watch just for this feature alone.

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#53

Post by henson »

It's interesting how a large majority of people, even those most technologically-inclined and most likely to be early adopters, just don't warm to the idea of a smartwatch.

Maybe it's the fact the hardware and software experience just isn't up to scratch, or in my personal case, maybe people just don't want that experience. It's not the awkward stigma of talking to or interacting with your watch in public, but it's the unnerving feeling of connectedness and intrusion.

In fact, I wrote an article about just this last year: http://jh47.com/2015/04/09/Freedom-for-wrists/

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#54

Post by nfriedly »

mirsadm wrote: post #28
adrianN wrote: post #12

I never understood the appeal of smart watches. Aren't they like tiny screens for the phone in your pocket? Why can't you just use the phone? I don't own a smart phone either, but I understand why you would want one. But with smart watches I'm at a complete loss. Can some smart watch owner please explain what they like about having the watch?

I've got an Android Wear device that sits in a drawer because it is pretty useless. Charging it every night is more hassle than it's worth. I don't like wearing watches though. However now I wear a fitness tracker (Garmin Forerunner 235) because it is useful to me. It lasts 5 days on battery, it has GPS built in so I don't take my phone when I run anymore, it tracks my sleep and has all day HR monitoring and best of…

If you're not using your Android Wear, then I'd recommend that you sell it on swappa (or wherever, but I like swappa). You'll get a few bucks, and (hopefully) someone else will be happy to use it.

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#55

Post by girvo »

feld wrote: post #32
adrianN wrote: post #12

I never understood the appeal of smart watches. Aren't they like tiny screens for the phone in your pocket? Why can't you just use the phone? I don't own a smart phone either, but I understand why you would want one. But with smart watches I'm at a complete loss. Can some smart watch owner please explain what they like about having the watch?

My wife and I would be very sad if Pebble went away. Even "crippled" with iOS it is a huge improvement. * my phone is permanently on silent. Only my watch vibrates. I've found this to be much more professional. * good step tracker * I have an app that wakes me up between REM cycles. It's glorious! * I always know the time, you know, like watch people do * battery life and water proof -- I never take it off... One rea…

Morpheuz is brilliant :) I adore my Round, and my Steel (original) before it. I'll be very sad if Pebble goes away

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#56

Post by jrmurad »

adrianN wrote: post #12

I never understood the appeal of smart watches. Aren't they like tiny screens for the phone in your pocket? Why can't you just use the phone? I don't own a smart phone either, but I understand why you would want one. But with smart watches I'm at a complete loss. Can some smart watch owner please explain what they like about having the watch?

Assuming it counts as a "smart watch", I have one of these: https://www.martianwatches.com/notifier/

$60 when I bought it, now $30. Charge lasts a week. Customizable vibration patterns and text for different kinds of notifications from my phone. It works fine as a watch even when the rechargeable battery is dead. It has a normal clock face so it's always on and visible from all angles. It doesn't look weird or bulky on my small wrist. I'm less likely to miss or ignore calls/texts/email etc when the phone is in my pocket.

I don't know why this watch is not more popular or why there aren't more manufacturers making similar devices.

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#57

Post by jon-wood »

malinens wrote: post #17
jon-wood wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It is indeed a tiny screen for the phone in my pocket, which allows me to interact with my phone without necessarily having to take it out. Here's a few ways in which I use it: * In the kitchen to time cooking, to save getting half cooked food on my phone. * To have a quick glance at incoming notifications while walking. * To send quick replies to some of those notifications. * To check the time (its not only a smart…

> To control music I'm listening to in the shower. what

Also podcasts. The vast majority of my podcast listening happens while having a shower.

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#58

Post by kittxkat »

jrmurad wrote: post #56
adrianN wrote: post #12

I never understood the appeal of smart watches. Aren't they like tiny screens for the phone in your pocket? Why can't you just use the phone? I don't own a smart phone either, but I understand why you would want one. But with smart watches I'm at a complete loss. Can some smart watch owner please explain what they like about having the watch?

Assuming it counts as a "smart watch", I have one of these: https://www.martianwatches.com/notifier/ $60 when I bought it, now $30. Charge lasts a week. Customizable vibration patterns and text for different kinds of notifications from my phone. It works fine as a watch even when the rechargeable battery is dead. It has a normal clock face so it's always on and visible from all angles. It doesn't look weird or bulky…

Man, this thing is so cool! Never ever heard of this watch before. This is exactly the kind of 'smart' watch I want: deliver some additional infos, without being obnoxious about it. I think I might just pick up one of these.

Edit: you happen to know if it has GPS or a step counter?

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#59

Post by teekert »

hauget wrote: post #51
teekert wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Look at the useable screen estate on these: https://www.google.nl/search?q=casio+watches&source=lnms&tbm... You're comparing it to the wrong product. I think their vision is spot on compared to other manufactures, I can't understand why Apple/Google don't pursue a watch with this type of screen and battery life.

(1) The usable screen on those watches WORKS FOR THOSE WATCHES. Form follows function sir. (2) I don't want them to literally transplant PebbleOS onto those watches. No. That would be stupid. What I am saying is that Pebble is a watch company first and a tech company second and that it would benefit from having solid watch designs complement their amazing app ecosystem and OS. (3) Apple/Google won't pursue this becau…

Ok, so then we are discussing taste, I think this is beautiful ("solid watch design") around my wrist:http://core0.staticworld.net/images/article/2015/08/pebbleti... Discussion stops here I'm afraid :)

As for the form follows function: The bezel/screen ratio enables longer battery times (smaller bezel in the same casing means a more power consuming screen and less space for the battery) so that applies to Pebble as well.

Re: Smartwatch firm Pebble lays off 25% of its staff

#60

Post by dagw »

mootothemax wrote: post #37

A large part of the problem is that companies are focussing more on the watch aspect and less on the smart-wrist-mounted-device aspect of such things - for me, at least. I have the feeling that there's a breakthrough "why didn't I think of that?" moment not too far in the distant future from now. Until then.

A large part of the problem is that companies are focussing more on the watch aspect and less on the smart-wrist-mounted-device aspect of such things - for me, at least.

Funny you should say that. I find a large part of the problem is that companies seem to be focusing more on the smart-wrist-mounted-device aspect and less on the watch aspect. I want a device that is a beautiful, high quality watch first and some smart-wrist-mounted-device aspects tastefully added to that.

Until then.

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