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Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

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Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#111

Post by Rebelgecko »

benrutter wrote: post #63
bArray wrote: post #53

Was just checking out the Index 01 [1]: > Why can't it be recharged? > We considered this but decided not to for several reasons: > You'd probably lose the charger before the battery runs out! > Adding charge circuitry and including a charger would make the product larger and more expensive. > You send it back to us to recycle. I don't think this is true. The charging circuit could have been in the charger itself. To…

Yeah, that's really not great at all! From their website: > Wait, it's single use? Yes. We know this sounds a bit odd, but in this particular circumstance we believe it's the best solution to the given set of constraints I don't want to be too harsh, since it seems like the pebble team are working hard at producing some exciting tech. But intentionally making a single use device is phenomenally irresponsible in today…

I was initially put off by the lack of recharging too, but I've changed my mind a bit.

I think the amount of ewaste is pretty small. My uneducated guess is that it's probably about the same as a musical birthday card. And unlike a singing card that probably gets used a dozen times and thrown away, the Index can be used >10,000 times before it's time to recycle it (assuming it lives up to the specs)

For comparison, check out the rechargable Stream ring. It's bulkier, costs >2x as much (before including subscription... The sub alone costs more than buying an index every 2 years), and needs to be recharged every night. It's sort of in line with Pebbles advantage over other smart watches- doesn't need to sleep on a charger every night

Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#112

Post by Aurornis »

bArray wrote: post #53

Was just checking out the Index 01 [1]: > Why can't it be recharged? > We considered this but decided not to for several reasons: > You'd probably lose the charger before the battery runs out! > Adding charge circuitry and including a charger would make the product larger and more expensive. > You send it back to us to recycle. I don't think this is true. The charging circuit could have been in the charger itself. To…

Exposed terminals would need a lot more than a single transistor. It would need ESD protection and it would change the outer case from being a complete sealed over mold into something that had to seal against two exposed terminals. That’s a big change.

They would also need to ship a separate charger device to go with it, which approaches the complexity of the simple ring product.

These are solvable problems, but it would increase the cost, decrease their margins, or both.

For a niche, low volume product with an unknown market demand I think making the simplest possible version of the product is a good idea to start, but at $99 it’s getting into the range where buyers don’t want to think of it as a disposable item.

The bigger problem is that the 2 year battery life depends on the device being used for only short notes like “Add milk to the grocery list”. The people who expect to use this for taking notes or thinking out loud could exhaust the battery in a couple months.

Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#113

Post by koiueo »

onli wrote: post #54
koiueo wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I received my Time 2 recently. The original Time was my first smartwatch, which I used for maybe 7 years, until decided to sell it after briefly switching to iphone. Since then I was constantly looking for something similar in terms of capabilities and battery life. I pre-ordered my Time 2 immediately after it opened, but since then I started regretting my decision. It's quite an expensive watch, and I got used to li…

But its so cheap compared to other watches, analog watches I mean. And it is also competitively priced against other smartwatches, isn't it? The price really shouldn't feel all that bad.

You're right, that's just my perspective.

I've been on Amazfit Bip S. That's 10% of the price if we account for taxes and delivery.

And I haven't even considered the vast majority of alternatives due to (IMO) ugly OLED screens. Wouldn't buy any of those even for 30$, but you're right, they can be quite expensive.

Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#115

Post by KetoManx64 »

MostlyStable wrote: post #110
HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #105

The Pebble Time 2 looks pretty tempting to develop a custom running/fitness app for. It's got heartrate detector, accelerometer, vibrator for silent feedback, plus an SDK that works with Linux.

I almost decided to make my own app recently (and was also considering the Pebble) to try and replicate the old basis Peak functionality, but when I found out that the Garmin health data was relatively open and accessible, l decided that it was easier to just make a new badge/gamification system for the Garmin data than to make an entire tracking app.

Didn't Garmin recently change the terms of their deal and put the API behind a paywall?

Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#116

Post by jerlam »

Shalomboy wrote: post #92

I disagree with the super limited warranty terms and the lack of charger for the Index 01, but I am happy to give Eric and the Pebble Team a pass this time while their company is in this stage. I really hope they adopt stronger pro-consumer practices as the company finds its footing, but if they don't the good thing about their watches is how durable they are. I kept my Pebble Time on wrist through 2023, and by then…

I don't know if I would count durability as one of Pebble's strengths. The Pebble 2's silicone buttons often failed, and the bezel of the Time scratched if you looked at it wrong. There's also the whole thing with the company failing and only being propped up by Rebble to restore functionality.

Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#117

Post by jerlam »

TehCorwiz wrote: post #97
NuclearPM wrote: post #80

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What do you mean by “today’s climate”?

The EU just mandated cell phones must have user replaceable batteries by 2027: https://www.cereport.eu/news/european-union/91054 So making this single use is kinda flying into the wind in that regard.

The EU just backtracked on user replaceable batteries for wearables.

https://appleinsider.com/articles/26/07/14/apple-watch-meta-...

Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#118

Post by jerlam »

applfanboysbgon wrote: post #46
Zababa wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Battery that lasts for years" being actually 12-15 hours of recording is a huge turn off honestly. >How long does the battery last? >Roughly 12 to 15 hours of recording. On average, I use it 10-20 times per day to record 3-6 second thoughts. That's up to 2 years of usage. They then say: >Wait, it's single use? >Yes. We know this sounds a bit odd, but in this particular circumstance we believe it's the best solution…

> other smart rings like Oura cost $250+ It's crazy they manage to say this with a straight face when their product still costs $225. Gee, $225 for a disposable piece of e-waste or $250 for a rechargeable device... but hey, at least it reminds you with an advertisement to spend another $225 before it dies!

The Oura Ring costs $350 now and it has an optional $6/month subscription.

Also, rechargeable does not mean it is infinitely rechargeable. After around four years, the Oura's battery will not hold a charge long enough to be useful (record a night's sleep), so it is also disposable.

We are comparing apples and oranges though because the Index is not a smart ring.

Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#119

Post by Bratmon »

rationalist wrote: post #59
bArray wrote: post #53

Was just checking out the Index 01 [1]: > Why can't it be recharged? > We considered this but decided not to for several reasons: > You'd probably lose the charger before the battery runs out! > Adding charge circuitry and including a charger would make the product larger and more expensive. > You send it back to us to recycle. I don't think this is true. The charging circuit could have been in the charger itself. To…

Hopefully version two is rechargeable. This is version one, I'm not particularly worried as I will probably upgrade to version two by the time the battery runs out.

I dunno. If you need to record your thoughts often enough that you're wearing a smart-ring to do it, then it seems like you're going to burn through the 12 hours of recording time pretty quick.

Re: Pebble Mega Update – July 2026

#120

Post by roryirvine »

mcsniff wrote: post #96
donohoe wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> considering that the watch is practically useless without a connected phone It can still tell you the time. Its primary function is a watch.

It will drift, significantly, without being connected to a device to set the time.

...by, at most, a minute or so each year.

At least, that's what quartz watches could manage in the early 90s, as does the clock in my microwave oven from the early 2000s. Why would a modern disconnected device would be any worse?

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