Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Pebble's next step

blog.getpebble.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 457 posts

Re: Pebble's next step

#21

Post by detaro »

imaginenore wrote: post #11
dijit wrote: post #3

I'd like to know how this happened really. Pebbles were pretty decent and their successful campaigns definitely contributed to the rise of smart watches. But after having two hugely successful crowdfunding campaigns, how did they fail?

Why do you think they failed? Didn't FitBit just buy them?

Bought because they likely could not survive on their own, cancelling their product lines & support for them, and for ~ 5 % of the highest buyout offer they received before. There are worse ways to fail, but it's not really success.

Re: Pebble's next step

#22

Post by detaro »

Leszek wrote: post #19
amarpatel wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Kickstarter backers who have not received their rewards will receive a full refund within 4-8 weeks as a chargeback to their credit cards. No further action is needed.

No, I know that I'll be getting a refund, I just wonder why the kickstarter money wasn't enough to fulfill the kickstarter rewards.

Kickstarter probably mostly covers production of the rewards, not the product development.

Re: Pebble's next step

#23

Post by maxerickson »

Ducks not quite in a straight line yet.

From text of announcement:

Pebble is no longer promoting, manufacturing, or selling any devices.

From header of getpebble.com:

Buy Now $99

Also, the store promoting Pebble has no prominent announcement that they aren't promoting Pebble anymore (the one watch I checked did say out of stock, so they aren't selling it at the moment).

Re: Pebble's next step

#24

Post by peatmoss »

twoquestions wrote: post #15

So it looks like Fitbit acquihired the team from Pebble. Here's hoping Fitbit releases a product like the Pebbles, as it was much more safe and less attention-consuming to check a text message on my watch while driving than bringing out my phone, or asking a passenger to do this. Are there any other things like it that we can migrate to, or will the world never see their like again?

> check a text message on my watch while drivin

Please don't do this. Traffic fatalities--particularly those involving vulnerable road users have spiked in the last couple years. There is nothing you can communicate that is worth the grave risk to others that you pose.

Re: Pebble's next step

#25

Post by tcoppi »

tedajax wrote: post #5

As someone who quite likes their time steel and who was patiently waiting for their time 2 this is incredibly frustrating. No other watches do what I want so I guess my foray into smart watches is over. It's a shame too because I appreciate the convenience it offers but I probably won't miss it much after a couple of weeks

I have an OG pebble steel and it does everything I currently want in a smartwatch. I don't expect it will stop working for some time, and I plan on using it as long as possible.

Re: Pebble's next step

#26

Post by k2xl »

I guess their latest Pebble version didn't get the sales they expected.

Definitely surprising that they weren't able to sell the company - they had the brand and a loyal customer base. As an owner of a Pebble Time, I was impressed by the integrations, simplicity of design, and battery life.

I wonder went wrong - hopefully, there will be some type of post-mortem on these "various factors" over the next few weeks.

Re: Pebble's next step

#27

Post by mabbo »

imaginenore wrote: post #11
dijit wrote: post #3

I'd like to know how this happened really. Pebbles were pretty decent and their successful campaigns definitely contributed to the rise of smart watches. But after having two hugely successful crowdfunding campaigns, how did they fail?

Why do you think they failed? Didn't FitBit just buy them?

What is success?

The product they named their company after is never going to be manufactured again. People who paid them for that product but haven't received it yet never will. Their company is dead.

Or do you mean the fact that their founders and owners probably got some cash back for selling the whole thing? Well, how much do you get back for an acquihire? Fitbit didn't buy them for their tech, or they'd still be selling it.

Re: Pebble's next step

#28

Post by dirtbox »

bryanlarsen wrote: post #8

Is there any way to get a Pebble 2 instead of a refund on my Time 2 pledge?

Take the refund and pick up a P2 from Best Buy or Target (or regional equivalent) for a fraction of the cost.

They no longer appear to be sending anything at all out.

Re: Pebble's next step

#29

Post by rtpg »

I am so sad about this. I had told myself that at least I'd get a Time 2 and a Core, and stave myself off before the sadness hits again that Pebble is gone.

Pebble's products were an excellent example of lateral technology. No need for high DPI on your watch, because they made something that looks good with few pixels. Making battery life a priority in a world of WiFi-enabled pressure cookers.

Even when the battery ran out you still got 24 hours of a watch that would at least tell the time!

I have no idea if it is possible to produce something like Pebbles at low quantities, but I would love to see an open design with similar specs. I think these watches are better than anything else out there, and it's sad the design is going to disappear.

Post reply on HN