[deleted]
How to help us build open source Pebble software
21–30 of 35 posts
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#22What are the challenges with replicating raspberry pi success of open(?) hardware for other form factors such as tablets, ”smart” (I prefer dumb) displays, and yes watches. Without bells and whistles, but still appealing enough that people like me (neither a hardware guy nor an embedded guy) can buy, use, and play around with it without accidentally bricking it?
I know HN is biased toward open stacks, and I know economies of scale fuck up most idealistic startups who try, or become extreme niche hobbies. Yet, I am hopeful that there’s an incentive sweet spot where a healthy ecosystem can grow around open commodity hardware.
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#23Can someone explain if they are asking for free labor? Or this actually moves the world forward? I don't know if the hardware or any layer is patented. Could I remake the watch, send over the software/firmware, and sell the watches legally?
You’d be amazed at how much tech runs on free labor.
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#24As someone who didn't know much about or ever own a Pebble, can someone sell me on it and explain why it was so popular?
So, I bought the Original, the Steel from Kickstarter, the Time Round, and Pebble 2.
The story was about unintrusive technology. An Apple watch is an iPhone on your wrist. It does so much that you forget all the things it does. Problem is:
1. Doing things on the watch sucks. It just does. It is too small and takes too long.
2. The ability to act on things makes it a tool for distraction.
The Pebble watches were simple -
- Watchface display
- Fitness Tracking
- Calendar
- Media Controls
- Notifications
The last one was important, by not being able to act on notifications and by being able to filter the notifications in the app, you could configure it to only buzz you when things actually matter. You can see that notification and then the hint of resistance to reply to it made it easier to stay in the moment.
Other advantages were:
- Battery Life (weeks, not a day)
- Weight & Size (The Pebble Time Round being the smallest smartwatch ever made)
- Tactile controls
- Transflective LCD (Made for incredible outdoor lighting performance)
I would also note that their design team was ungodly good. The Timeline OS's perspective on time and how it interacted with your day was 4D chess brilliant. Liron Damir's ux was some of the most fun ever, sadly the guy got stuck on all kinds of brave products that were good but failed due to biz sabotage. (They worked on the WebOS team at HP, Portal Team at Facebook, etc.)
This is a great read as well: https://medium.com/@ericmigi/why-pebble-failed-d7be937c6232
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#25I want a kids app where a parent can send a task to the watch and have it display, possibly with an occasional alarm or vibration. Ideally with a picture and text. Bonus points for a function to read the task out loud (for kids who cannot read yet). Basically Brilli but for a watch. Kids generally want to follow directions but get distracted and forget what they are working on. I want an easy and consistent place for…
From an implementation point of view, I'm not sure how this could work unless the new Pebble either has wifi (not out of the question) or there's a mechanism to pair multiple of them to a single phone and clearly mark out which are kid-devices vs primary.
As a parent, I totally get you though. Ultimately kids should learn to pay attention and stay on task without the crutch of a digital nag, but it sure would be useful to be able to send them reminders or even do something like have their devices hooked up to a shared family calendar, so they could get certain periodic reminders automatically ("it's Friday morning, don't forget your toonie for popcorn day at school!")
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#26I want a kids app where a parent can send a task to the watch and have it display, possibly with an occasional alarm or vibration. Ideally with a picture and text. Bonus points for a function to read the task out loud (for kids who cannot read yet). Basically Brilli but for a watch. Kids generally want to follow directions but get distracted and forget what they are working on. I want an easy and consistent place for…
From an implementation point of view, I'm not sure how this could work unless the new Pebble either has wifi (not out of the question) or there's a mechanism to pair multiple of them to a single phone and clearly mark out which are kid-devices vs primary. As a parent, I totally get you though. Ultimately kids should learn to pay attention and stay on task without the crutch of a digital nag, but it sure would be usef…
> From an implementation point of view, I'm not sure how this could work
This could probably be a plugin for Cobble, the new Pebble companion app, which is capable of performing bridge tasks (like checking the weather or a to-do list).
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#27Now I'm probably going to buy a rebble watch (or whatever they get called) regardless, but in the meantime there's a pinetime sitting on my desk. I wonder if it's possible to port the pebbleos software to that existing hardware.
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#28What are the challenges with replicating raspberry pi success of open(?) hardware for other form factors such as tablets, ”smart” (I prefer dumb) displays, and yes watches. Without bells and whistles, but still appealing enough that people like me (neither a hardware guy nor an embedded guy) can buy, use, and play around with it without accidentally bricking it? I know HN is biased toward open stacks, and I know econ…
Like what Pine64 does?
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#29I want a kids app where a parent can send a task to the watch and have it display, possibly with an occasional alarm or vibration. Ideally with a picture and text. Bonus points for a function to read the task out loud (for kids who cannot read yet). Basically Brilli but for a watch. Kids generally want to follow directions but get distracted and forget what they are working on. I want an easy and consistent place for…
From an implementation point of view, I'm not sure how this could work unless the new Pebble either has wifi (not out of the question) or there's a mechanism to pair multiple of them to a single phone and clearly mark out which are kid-devices vs primary. As a parent, I totally get you though. Ultimately kids should learn to pay attention and stay on task without the crutch of a digital nag, but it sure would be usef…
I wonder is Apples AirTag networks could be utilised to send data, that would remove any need to have a data/wifi connection and it would also have an inbuilt way to keep tabs on a young child.
And for most parents a short message is all that’s needed to send “Running 5 mins late, see you soon” etc.
Re: How to help us build open source Pebble software
#30> Please don’t get your hopes up that the new watch will have X/Y/Z new feature. It’s going to be a Pebble and almost exactly as you remember it, except now with open source software that can you can modify and improve yourself.
That’s largely pretty cool. I explicitly don’t want a touch screen, for example. However some more tracking or longer battery life (Amazfit Bip shows it’s possible) would be appreciated. Styling wise I’ll be completely happy with the Pebble Time 2.