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Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

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Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#331

Post by anoonmoose »

triyambakam wrote: post #271
anoonmoose wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I bought into the Bangle.js 2 Kickstarter and I have to say, I'm incredibly happy with it. Granted, I've done nothing with it besides design my own watch face and take advantage of the GPS to set the time occasionally, but I know it's capable of a lot more. It was very easy to write the watch face code, and I feel like it would be pretty easy to do whatever I wanted to do. Ecosystem for it is probably a bit more deve…

How easy is to write games for a Bangle.js 2? I want a hackable smart watch that I can make simple games for :)

Their "app store" is online [0] and you can actually review the source code for all of the apps on it by clicking the github icon on each entry, here's one for example [1]

[0] https://banglejs.com/apps/?c=game [1] https://github.com/espruino/BangleApps/tree/master/apps/blac...

Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#332

Post by TMWNN »

Markoff wrote: post #73

same here with Amazfit Bip, had few months stint with AMOLED smartwatch which was necessary to charge twice a week until I got fed up with that (plus unreadable display in sunlight unless maximum brightness) and bought again second Amazfit Bip (1st broke) which cost me less than 20USD used and I have to charge it once a month plus it has perfectly readable transreflective display not requiring any backlight, which lo…

I'm like you, down to getting a second Bip (Lite in my case) for $20 after the first one broke (Let me guess: Case popped open?). There is nothing else on the market with its combination of

* incredible battery life

* tens of thousands of watch faces

* HR

* always-on transflective display

* notifications

Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#333

Post by rrrrrrrrrrrryan »

falcolas wrote: post #291
rrrrrrrrrrrryan wrote: post #284

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I picked up an older Fossil Hybrid HR a few months ago for $100. I've been rocking it every day and it's been great - battery lasts a couple weeks.

I had a fossil hybrid for awhile, and actually rather enjoyed it (gods below it was huge though - 44mm face). The problem was, if it wasn't my daily driver (that is to say, always within communication range of my phone), the battery would drain so fast. And it was a relatively uncommon coin battery, not a rechargeable battery. I wish that hadn't been the case, but after replacing the battery 3x in one month because I…

Interesting. I have a Fossil Hybrid HR from a couple years back, and it's got a rechargeable battery. If it didn't that would be quite annoying.

Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#334

Post by mrinterweb »

Pebble understood what a smartwatch should be. Everyone else was trying to make a nearly phone independent device, and pebble's take was more of a phone accessory. Also the battery life was incredible. You had an always on display with a week long battery. There was a lot of love about Pebble. I still have two in my drawer, and I had no idea the devices were still usable. I might dust one off now.

Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#335

Post by system2 »

mrinterweb wrote: post #334

Pebble understood what a smartwatch should be. Everyone else was trying to make a nearly phone independent device, and pebble's take was more of a phone accessory. Also the battery life was incredible. You had an always on display with a week long battery. There was a lot of love about Pebble. I still have two in my drawer, and I had no idea the devices were still usable. I might dust one off now.

Garmin Instinct 2 has forever battery life doesn't even need charging once after purchasing.

Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#336

Post by QuarterReptile »

rchaud wrote: post #209
helsinkiandrew wrote: post #202

I've got a friend who still uses a Palm Pilot (circa 1998) as a daily calendar manager/notepad. Works at Google and delights in telling younger colleagues it's a Pixel 8 prototype.

I'm sad that tech did away with replaceable batteries. I would love to use my 5-inch 16:9 Samsung phone from 2016. It still works fine, but the battery barely lasts an hour. Instead I have to use one of their gigantic replacement phones with a ridiculous 21:9 ratio.

Palm Pilot lacked constant internet connectivity, and that's its real killer "feature" as it relates to longevity. It means you never have to update the OS, so the progressively more shoddy programming over time can go bloat someone else's device to death. "Non-replaceable" battery, as others have mentioned, is just non technical quitter talk in almost all cases.

Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#337

Post by system2 »

edejong wrote: post #163

There still is no good replacement for these properties of the Pebble 2 smartwatch: - > 7 days battery life - HR monitor (useful as a sports watch) - - toned down to fit different clothing styles - hackable - high-contrast, always-on screen - buttons I am currently wearing a Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire sportswatch, which comes close.

Garmin Instinct 2. Unlimited battery life, never needs charging. It is thicker than 10mm but it is nearly indestructible.

No needs hacking because it would take all day to use all features it brings. It is nearly the perfect smartwatch.

Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#338

Post by system2 »

Cpoll wrote: post #205

I've always wanted a "watch" (bracelet) that doesn't show the time. Essentially a narrow bracelet with no display and a few buttons on it that I can program, and a vibrating function so I can leave my phone on silent. I already have a watch I like to wear. wearchronos.com seemed to hit my use case, but the reviews aren't great.

fitbit comes close to it.

Re: Over 16k people still use a Pebble smartwatch

#340

Post by alfiedotwtf »

system2 wrote: post #337
edejong wrote: post #163

There still is no good replacement for these properties of the Pebble 2 smartwatch: - > 7 days battery life - HR monitor (useful as a sports watch) - - toned down to fit different clothing styles - hackable - high-contrast, always-on screen - buttons I am currently wearing a Garmin Fenix 7 Sapphire sportswatch, which comes close.

Garmin Instinct 2. Unlimited battery life, never needs charging. It is thicker than 10mm but it is nearly indestructible. No needs hacking because it would take all day to use all features it brings. It is nearly the perfect smartwatch.

Came here to say the same thing. It's still hackable to some degree with Monkey C:

https://developer.garmin.com/connect-iq/reference-guides/mon...

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