Pebble Time is an interesting and cool wearable that is nothing but the basics you need in a smartwatch. Its predecessor, the original Pebble Smartwatch was an instant hit in 2012, receiving about $10 million through the Kickstarter campaign, setting a record high in the history of Kickstarter at that time. Relying solely on Kickstarter for its success, the original Pebble Smartwatch won the hearts of many tech geeks and mainstream consumers alike. With the wearable market progressing so rapidly with more gorgeous, and functional wearables, Pebble had to step up its game by introducing something great. The Pebble Time!
The Pebble Time comes in 2 versions, Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel. Just like the original Pebble Smartwatch, these 2 versions are targeted at 2 different types of users. The Time features a youthful and sporty smartwatch, while the Time Steel features a classy and professional smartwatch. The Time Steel also comes in two other options: one with a leather strap and one with a stainless steel strap. Another notable difference between Time and Time Steel is that Time Steel is actually slightly thicker than the Time due to the larger battery which gives users up to 10 days of power, while the Time only gives up to 7.
Pebble Time : The Specifications
Credits to : SpecCut
The Sporty Design
The Pebble Time has an unassuming, simple design and absolutely nothing flashy about it. However, as compared to the Original Pebble, the Pebble Time has some minor design tweaks. In the original Pebble, the bezel of the watch is rectangular, while in the new Time, the bezel has rounded corners. The rounded corners make the Pebble Time a more appealing design, giving users a more futuristic look and feel. Sported with an e-ink display and high gloss plastic display, the Pebble Time continues this trend, while improving on some other things. The screen on the Pebble Time received a little upgrade in quality as well (Flat Corning Gorilla Glass to Curved Corning Gorilla Glass 3).
The Pebble Time still does not have a touchscreen, but instead, it features a 4-buttons setup – one on left, three on right. Using the accelerometer, a flick of the wrist (or a push of the left button) turns the back-light on. Its body has a minor ergonomic curve to the rear, pairing up with its silicon strap, the Pebble Time sits nicely on the wrist, making it comfortable to wear. But one point to note is that if you are using the black silicon strap, everything sticks to it (eg. dust) and it constantly looks dirty. Thus, you have to be very careful with it, or choose another colored strap.
The body of the Pebble Time is lightweight and water-resistant, perfect for any occasions, even when you are doing sports. It is not a wearable that will appeal to all. The Pebble Time will not win any fashion contests with its toy-like design, and it is not as premium looking as an Apple Watch. But Pebble’s main focus is in their functionality and practicality of their watches, which I feel they have done a great job with it.
Pebble Time is fun. It’s warm and inviting in a way the other watches aren’t.
GIZMODO
Back-to-Basics Functions
Pebble’s main focus is always about functionality. From the Original Pebble to the new Pebble Time, they have not changed this philosophy. The first and main thing you will see on your Pebble Time is the time (and this is the basic for any smartwatch, no pun intended). The minor trade-off of having a Time is that at this point, there is a limited selection of watch faces. However, as time progresses, I believe more faces will be developed for the Pebble Time.
Another thing I like about the Time is the way information is put across, really minimalist! To access to your apps you simply have to press that middle button on the right side, simple and intuitive. The up and down buttons feature the “Past” and “Future” spots in Time’s new Timeline interface, you also have the flexibility to map them as quick-launch shortcuts to access certain applications if you press and hold them.
Timeline is another shiny new feature of the Pebble Time. This can show you your missed calls or upcoming appointments or even calendar events, with a touch of a button.
Just like its predecessors, you’ll need to pair the Pebble Time with a android or apple phone in order for it to work. To do that, you will need to download the Pebble Time app, which is available on both Android and iOS. One great thing about the Time is that it is backward-compatible with nearly 6,500 apps that are already in the Pebble app store. Therefore, even when it is newly launched, it has several apps from the old Pebble that is compatible with it.
Notifications are key on any smartwatch and Pebble does these notifications pretty well. Every app that has push notifications feature can be pushed to your smartwatch, and users can also disable it when they do not need it. And just like other smartwatches in the market, the Time also lets you receive text messages. You can reply with a list of preset responses, just like the original Pebble. But the difference is, with the inclusion of a microphone, it now allows voice dictation for text message replies.
Pebble Time provides endless possibilities to the smartwatch with its large developer community. Since the first Kickstarter campaign, developers have been an integral part of the rapidly growing Pebble community. We can expect more applications and upgrades in the months to come.
My Take on Pebble Time
Design is really very subjective, some might love it, while others not. So are the features, where everyone has different expectations for a smartwatch. Personally, I love the design pretty much. The Pebble Time feels like it is playing the safe card, rather than trying to make major changes to its design, it focuses more towards giving the users a better user experience on its product. At the end of the day, function is still the main selling point of Pebble and always has been.
Overall, the Pebble Time is a wonderful watch for people who just need the basics. It is a must-have for those who are still using the original Pebble, and enjoyed it.
For Singaporeans: http://www.pebble.sg/
