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Pebble Watch software is now open source

ericmigi.com

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Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#91

Post by njovin »

erohead wrote: post #8
apparent wrote: post #2

> We are trying our best to get into mass production and ship out at most several thousand Pebble Time 2s before CNY [which starts in January]. > Realistically, at this time we’re forecasting that the majority of people will receive their PT2 in March and April. If the factories close for 3 weeks for CNY, then why will the second batch arrive 2-3 months after the first batch?

Good question! (I am the Pebble founder) When factories restart, not all of the workers who were working there before actually come back to work. Some of them stay in their hometowns or they get other jobs. This means that restarting the production line actually means retraining people on how to assemble the product. There is also an entire supply chain behind the assembly line that takes time to restart. Think of al…

Sorry to hijack, but are there plans to re-manufacture the Pebble 2 Duo in black?

I was one of the pre-orderers that was offered either a refund or a white version and chose the refund because I really had my heart set on the black and don't want a color screen.

I'm also an OG Pebble enthusiast, although sadly my old one is long gone.

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#92

Post by ck2 »

I wish someone would take on an open-source project for a sports watch with full features like vo2max estimation, etc.

like a cyanogenmod or lineageos but for an older watch model

someone has completely decompiled the firmware for the Garmin Forerunner 245 which is very similar to a Fenix 5

imagine if someone took on making open firmware for it

https://github.com/anvilsecure/garmin-ciq-app-research/

if taking on a brand name might incur lawsuits there are other watches like the wahoo rival which was completely retired and they got out of the business (it was only $99 too)

or there are other ppen hardware options from China

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#93

Post by riazrizvi »

wlesieutre wrote: post #71
riazrizvi wrote: post #61

Is there a vibration mechanism? That’s a must-have in a watch for me.

There is, but I would set expectations lower than Apple's "taptic engine" where they designed their own hardware with a team of engineers and a bazillion dollars. One of the recent development updates mentioned adding a global "vibrate on hour" setting which historically had to be implemented as an option by the specific watchface you're using.

I’ll be comparing to a Timex Expedition Grid Shock, which I’ve been using for years. Have no idea why they discontinued it. Suspect it had something to do with clueless leadership who undervalue customer satisfaction.

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#94

Post by jaggederest »

exceptione wrote: post #55
notpachet wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> lachrymosely Learned a new word, thank you!

The h is peculiar, as the latin word reads `lacrimosus`

Interesting etymology:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/lachrymose

Greek dakryma

"-d- to -l- alteration in Latin"

"The Medieval Latin practice of writing -ch- for -c- before Latin -r- also altered anchor, pulchritude, sepulchre. The -y- is pedantic, from the former belief that the word was pure Greek."

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#95

Post by ianburrell »

apparent wrote: post #52
lawn wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've got an Instinct Solar 2x and it does last 30 days for me, and it's much cheaper than $1000.

Didn't realize Garmin made monochrome solar watches. It is much cheaper. However, looks like an absolute tank, which would not fit under many shirtsleeves...

Unfortunately, they have been replacing in new models the monochrome MIP display with colorful AMOLED with less battery life.

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#96

Post by apparent »

ndiddy wrote: post #76
apparent wrote: post #13

I'm excited that the back will screw off so we can replace the battery. I'm curious about waterproofing. Will that hold? Will we need to replace a gasket or other parts, in addition to the battery?

The watch is only listed as water resistant, not waterproof. I don't know if he's said anything specific about the Time 2, but for the 2 Duo (same target water resistance rating) he's written about the water resistance here: https://ericmigi.com/blog/pebble-2-duo-is-in-mass-production . He says you shouldn't take the watch swimming, shouldn't expose it to hot water like a shower (weakens the glue and eliminates the w…

True but he does say "it is waterproofed" [1] and this is the common way of referring to this level of water resistance (IPX8, 1 meter for 30 mins). I wouldn't take it in a hot shower, but IPX8 should be good for more than being "water resistant" to incidental splashes.

1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTlRBI2QCzM

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#97

Post by apparent »

Pxtl wrote: post #68

[flagged]

Good thing he isn't shipping from the US to Canada then, eh?

Only the US-bound watches are shipped to the US. The rest go straight from Asia.

Also, I'd be surprised if the Pebble company that was acquired by Fitbit was a Canadian company. I assume it was a US company.

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#98

Post by bhelkey »

apparent wrote: post #42
jsheard wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> In terms of long-term market viability, have you considered whether your success could encourage Apple or other large competitors to make a battery life-optimized version of their smartwatches? Companies like Garmin, Coros and Suunto already make less-smart-watches with weeks of battery life, and those haven't convinced Apple to budge from only making watches that do everything under the sun but barely last a day.…

IDK about Coros or Suunto, but the only Garmins with a battery life approaching 30 days cost ~$1,000. This could be competition for AWU, but wouldn't communicate that there is demand for a more basic/long-lasting Apple Watch.

Smart watches with long battery life exist. Garmin watches generally have ~2 week battery life:

* Venu 3 for $350 has 2 week battery life [1]

* Forerunner 55 for $150 has 2 week battery life [2]

I don't see why you are defining success as 30 days of battery life when the baseline is charging your watch every day.

[1] https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/873008/pn/010-02784-00/

[2] https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/741137/

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#99

Post by mid-kid »

For some of us software freedom enthusiasts it is worth noting that PebbleOS contains some proprietary blobs for some peripherals in the watch[1]. This is not just firmware you upload to the peripheral but also properietary .a libraries that run on the main core.

Though to be fair to OpenDevices, this is source code they don't have acces to either.

[1]: https://github.com/coredevices/pebbleos-nonfree/tree/57a94e2...

Re: Pebble Watch software is now open source

#100

Post by paxcoder »

mid-kid wrote: post #99

For some of us software freedom enthusiasts it is worth noting that PebbleOS contains some proprietary blobs for some peripherals in the watch[1]. This is not just firmware you upload to the peripheral but also properietary .a libraries that run on the main core. Though to be fair to OpenDevices, this is source code they don't have acces to either. [1]: https://github.com/coredevices/pebbleos-nonfree/tree/57a94e2...

So not 100% open source. Thanks for the info
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