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Pebble's next step

blog.getpebble.com

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Re: Pebble's next step

#301

Post by JaceLightning »

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?

Fitbit didn't hire anyone, but they gave its employees offers. Also most Fitbits show phone notifications on the device.

Re: Pebble's next step

#302

Post by stingrae »

qwrusz wrote: post #247
stingrae wrote: post #177

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think this is an example of an issue that some companies that do kickstarter/preorder campaigns have. They try to do a Hardware project that pushes boundaries and try to collect money to early during the development process at a time when it is really impossible to set a ship date. (Also a factor is company inexperience with manufacturing) This is why so many projects have to delay shipments and sometimes eventuall…

This is not really an issue with what some companies are doing. This is the main point of kickstarter. It's for people to support funding projects still in development and helping them get from that stage to get into production. In exchange for a "reward". It's not meant to be for products already having done multiple production runs ready to ramp up and customers are just pre-paying a long delivery time. I would agr…

I think the point is that Kickstarter is not a sustainable way to build a hardware business. Despite kickstarter's own statement that it isn't a store, it really is. Would the majority of people on the site really back projects if they didn't expect the rewards?

Re: Pebble's next step

#303

Post by j2bax »

rtpg wrote: post #29

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 r…

I can't help but think that maybe this is the manufacturing niche the US could fill... High quality, low run manufacturing that people are willing to pay a premium for.

Re: Pebble's next step

#304

Post by JaceLightning »

Yhippa wrote: post #111
alexholehouse wrote: post #79

One thought: FitBit's customer service with me has been nothing but exceptional from start to finish, and is the reason I have bought several for family members. I would hope that FitBit would recognize the loyalty they create based on this quality of service could be magnified by grandfathering Pebble's various services and by maintaining them, while helping Pebble users to transition at their convenience. This woul…

Fitbit only bought Pebble's software assets and brought over just under half their people.

Technically didn't buy them--just sent them offer letters for jobs if they want them.

Re: Pebble's next step

#305

Post by edoceo »

mtrimpe wrote: post #101
victorvation wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Was the last Kickstarter a gamble? _All_ Kickstarters are gambles. Their messaging[1] is pretty clear in the fact that you aren't buying a product, you're contributing money with the hope that the maker will deliver on their promises. [1] https://www.kickstarter.com/blog/kickstarter-is-not-a-store

Yup. I actually bought the Pulse which was their forgotten pre-Pebble failure. It arrived as a useless brick that I, and most other recipients, never even got to show the time.

So their first thing failed and then they got more people to gamble on them?!

Free Market at its finest

Re: Pebble's next step

#306

Post by hobo_mark »

wvenable wrote: post #272
hobo_mark wrote: post #230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also have a Pebble 2, what cloud services? The android app checks for a firmware update when you pair but is otherwise standalone. I enabled sync to google fit because I hoped it would backup sleep data but that does nothing sensible, it's all stored locally (and in fact if you reinstall the Pebble app you lose all your data). ps: if anyone knows of some software to export these data from an android phone, I'd love…

The timeline and dictation both require cloud services to function. Also, the app store is a cloud service.

I see, good thing I don't use any of those then...

Re: Pebble's next step

#307

Post by st3v3r »

Tinyyy wrote: post #264
hedora wrote: post #226

Tldr: FitBit acquires( ) bankrupt pebble, lays of 60% of staff, cancels all pebble product lines. FitBit also cancels the warranties on already sold pebbles. FitBit may also have stiffed some holders of $27m of pebble's debt. ( ) due to legal shenanigans we must not call this an acquisition or an acqui-hire. Also, FitBit didn't do those things, a shell company created by this deal did, which is totally different some…

Why does FitBit have the responsibility of providing support for another company’s products? If they didn’t buy Pebble, it would’ve shuttered anyways and they might not even refund the preorders.

Because they bought the assets? Why should they be able to only get the good stuff, and not the responsibility?

Re: Pebble's next step

#308

Post by st3v3r »

syshum wrote: post #91
alonsonic wrote: post #47

I can't believe this, just got a Pebble 2 a week ago and now they are literally saying it may not work in the future. If we rely on their cloud services for activity tracking and app downloads then it will be useless if FitBit doesn't maintain the platform. I have to say I'm really disappointed and this is a huge blow to people that invest in startups offering hardware. If the company fails forget about the smart stu…

>>I have to say I'm really disappointed and this is a huge blow to people that invest in startups offering hardware. Buyers need to start demanding Open Source Software and Open Hardware... With out that, you will always be screwed

Then Open Source Software needs to get better.

Re: Pebble's next step

#309

Post by enraged_camel »

chrisper wrote: post #213
syshum wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>I have to say I'm really disappointed and this is a huge blow to people that invest in startups offering hardware. Buyers need to start demanding Open Source Software and Open Hardware... With out that, you will always be screwed

Shenzhen is booming because of Open Source hardware. It's amazing. They realized that IP is garbage and only holds back everyone.

Interesting. Where can I read more about this?

Re: Pebble's next step

#310

Post by codemac »

TeMPOraL wrote: post #279
codemac wrote: post #234

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How bad / hard is it to put our own software on a pebble? I think that would promote longevity more than looking for another "unicorn of Kickstarter"

My primary worry is that at some point, the hardware will die. And by crowdfunding I meant crowdfunding of manufacturing; the hardware would be open source, ensuring you could (with enough skills or good enough friends) make your own instead of buying one, and the software ecosystem would be compatible with it.

I guess my inkling is the opposite. It's like video games, even if the hardware dies, you want the software to be able to run, then you can figure out what hardware you can acquire.

A good example of this is the raspberry pi's with all the NES/SNES/etc games. Withing needing to make sure cartridges and old NES's still work, we use a new piece of hardware to give a very similar experience.

Smart watches and other small worn devices will be changing a lot. I'd rather have hw builds posted to something like massdrop as they are iterated, once the software is mostly saved.

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