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Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

spectrum.ieee.org

131–140 of 163 posts

Re: Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

#131

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is also a new Watchy community on Discord here: https://discord.gg/uKcfZZa2 For those considering purchasing - as a Watchy owner - if you're looking for a polished smartwatch product that you can put on your wrist and not think about how it works - this isn't that product. It's still rough around the edges, uploading new watchfaces takes some work, phone notifications aren't implemented yet, no case, etc. But i…

Except for e-ink, why should I buy one, instead of this "polished" one: http://www.lilygo.cn/prod_view.aspx?TypeId=50053&Id=1290&FId... (i need a new gadget to play with, a watch seems a 'fun' choice, not affiliated with anyone, I just order a bunch of crap from aliexpress)

Watchy is open-source hardware: https://github.com/sqfmi/watchy-hardware

BOM: https://github.com/sqfmi/watchy-hardware/blob/main/WatchyBOM...

Re: Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

#132
post #121

Does anybody knows about something similar ( open hardware/source ) in the fitness watch space ? with a HR sensor + GPS ? I really like my Garmin, but no so found of sending them all this health related data...

I was looking into this but I have not found a satisfying solution.

I ended up buying a Garmin Venu SQ with the following plan: - Use the Garmin Connect app without giving it permission to upload data. This makes the app basically useless expect for managing some settings and creating custom workouts on the device. - Use workoutizer (a pip package) to process my activity data. Workoutizer should be able to import the files from the garmin device and create some nice visuals from them. - For non-activity related data (ie. Sleep and continuos hearth rate monitoring) I am considering two options: 1) Ensuring that Gadgetbridge has support for the Garmin device. 2) Extending workoutizer so that it can also process other kinds of data (assuming that I can fetch that data directly from the device as well).

For a more user-friendly alternative you might look into devices that are already supported by Gadgetbridge (my other option was buying an Amazfit GTS 2e which is already supported by Gadgetbridge).

Still, I was bumped that there is not option that allows this out-of-the-box. But I think that I can get it working for me, without having to upload all my data to Garmin :)

Re: Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

#133

Why does this article not have any pictures of the watch? It only has renders, even though the author supposedly has one.

I'm the author of the article and the editor of the section: a while back we decided to use illustrations rather than photography for this section of IEEE Spectrum—it was a style choice, but it gives us more options in terms of showing components and process diagrams.

How exactly does limiting your language give you more options?

Re: Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

#134
post #121

Does anybody knows about something similar ( open hardware/source ) in the fitness watch space ? with a HR sensor + GPS ? I really like my Garmin, but no so found of sending them all this health related data...

- Banglejs has GPS but is big and has no established HR or step counting algorithms - PineTime is more Apple-like, but the firmware is less mature and has no GPS - TTGO T-Watch has no HR sensor AFAIK, but some versions may have GPS (see https://github.com/Xinyuan-LilyGO/TTGO_TWatch_Library) - TTGO T-Wristband is like Miband but has no HR sensor again

Of course, you could buy an Android watch or an Apple watch and program your own apps.

Re: Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

#135
post #64

Wow, this article doesn't do it justice. Watchy is an open source hardware device that uses an e-ink display and has an ESP32 module builtin [0]. SQFMI, the creator of watchy, has a twitter account [1] which has some very nice screenshots [2] [3]. Even the CrowdSupply website has better pics of the device [4]. This is one of the few watches I've been sorely tempted to buy. [0] https://github.com/sqfmi/Watchy [1] http…

Are there any videos? [2] is a video but only 5 seconds long and demonstrates 1 small change on screen. I was wondering if e-ink screen suffers the same problems other e ink screens such as ebook readers

Re: Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

#136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surely the real trick is to activate it blindly with your hands under a table or whatever? (Yes, also with a delay so you can have your hands visible when you get the call)

How often are you little in this situation that you need a fake phone call...?

Possibly a lot more if I could make it convincing...

Re: Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

#138
post #121

Does anybody knows about something similar ( open hardware/source ) in the fitness watch space ? with a HR sensor + GPS ? I really like my Garmin, but no so found of sending them all this health related data...

- Banglejs has GPS but is big and has no established HR or step counting algorithms - PineTime is more Apple-like, but the firmware is less mature and has no GPS - TTGO T-Watch has no HR sensor AFAIK, but some versions may have GPS (see https://github.com/Xinyuan-LilyGO/TTGO_TWatch_Library ) - TTGO T-Wristband is like Miband but has no HR sensor again Of course, you could buy an Android watch or an Apple watch and pr…

Yeah, I suspect there are no off-the-shelf hr sensor available. Could do with a BLE chest strap tough ?

Re: Watchy: Hackable $50 Smartwatch

#139

Maybe I'm a curmudgeon, but I have subzero interest in smartwatches, even hackable or open source models. I want my watch to tell me the time, and I want it to do so 10, 20, and 30 years from now without having to fiddle with software. I love Linux. I cut my teeth on it in high school after one too many viruses on Windows XP made me bite the bullet and try debian. I love my Raspberry Pi. It went from retro-gaming con…

> Maybe I'm a curmudgeon, but I have subzero interest in smartwatches

I hadn't bothered with watches at all until I got into running, as there are clocks everywhere including on my phone in my pocket.

Though I only use that for specific things (telling the time, pace tracking, and breadcrumb mapping when following a trail route or otherwise in an unfamiliar location).

> All these devices will be e-waste in 30 years (most in less than 10).

Even 10 is a very generous estimate IMO. Even though I'm a light user I've gone through a few in the last six or seven years. First was a gps-only-when-paired-with-a-phone-step-counter-otherwise fitbit thing (given to a cousin when I got my next device), I had a Band2 but not long before MS gave up on that (it went on eBay, I doubt anyone is still using it), one TomTom died, the replacement is now a spare (may soon be donated to a friend who is getting into running), the Garmin I currently use is likely to be replaced this year (I'm sliding down the off-road ultra-running rabbit hole and don't have a great sense of direction, so extra battery life on those "not getting lost" features will be handy! (while pretty good at reorienting myself with a map, the watching beeping before I go far enough off course to need to is very useful)) and demoted to being my spare.

And I'm using it as a utility device - people buying them mostly as toys or fashion/showyness probably upgrade even more often (or just bore of, and stop using, them sooner). Even accounting for selling/donating the old device after an upgrade, I'd say most will be abandoned in significantly less than a decade. Much like phones.

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