Yes, my Pebble watch rocks on still. After a display on the fritz and a broken band, I though the transition to the AppleWatch was inevitable. But not so fast.
An inquiry to Pebble’s customer service led me to a replacement unit at no cost. No cost! Even after originally backing the project on Kickstarter years ago. Even better, the replacement unit shipped and arrived right before Christmas, giving me an unexpected gift. Thanks Pebble!
Am I at the end of the Pebble-d path? First, the original watchband gave way and finally cracked, but I got a replacement. About a week later, this starts happening to the screen.
Resetting the Pebble to factory defaults is the suggested troubleshooting tip but even that’s not working. It’ll reset but then my Pebble gets stuck waiting for an update. I tried installing an old firmware version but even that’s not taking. Maybe I’m doing the steps wrong or maybe, just maybe, this is yet another sign to transition to the AppleWatch.
I don’t know about you, but I take this as a definite sign.
The watch band of my trusty, Kickstarted Pebble watch has a tear. The inevitability of getting an Apple Watch is nigh.
I’ve come to rationalize realize that the Apple Watch is in my future. The journey to this latest in wearable tech started back in 2005 with the advent of the Nike+iPod Sports Kit. The alliance of Apple and Nike, two of my favorite brands, materialized the idea of data-driven workouts for the masses. With a sensor in my Nike+ shoe and a transmitter connected to my iPod Nano, data about my runs was collected on the Nikeplus web site. From this, I knew I hit 100 miles run in 2008 and surpassed 600 total miles in 2010. But even then, my stats showed me that actually I slowed down in 2010. In 2015 as I approach 1000 walks ands runs, I’ve traveled 2417 miles in all.
Related to the Nike+iPod Sports Kit, I was an early adopter of the Nike Amp+ watch. This short lived product acted as a remote control for the iPod which made it more convenient to control your tunes while running, and hey, the Amp+ even told time (albeit poorly).
In April 2012, I had my next interaction with wearables, pledging to the Pebble watch Kickstarter project. Not completely convinced this watch could be become a reality, I became a believer.
Later in 2012, I took another step in my journey supporting the Misfit Shine project. I intended this activity tracker to capture more of my life, thinking I would more conveniently wear this tiny monitor. But after close calls almost losing the Shine and it being washed, I became more conservative with it, not taking it everywhere.
Over the years, most of my wearable tech has gone by the wayside. My Nike+iPod Sports Kit sits idle with the malfunction of my iPod Nano. Even then, my GPS-enabled iPhone 6 has improved and integrated geo-tracking, making the Sports Kit obsolete. My Misfit Shine is still with me, battery-less eating up CR batteries much too quickly. My Amp+ was a poor timepiece, ate batteries, and was eventually stolen. Only my Pebble watch remains viable, even gaining functionality with updates and apps.
Now, here comes the Apple Watch. At the low end price point of $349/$399, the Apple Watch is cost comparable to the first iPod, going for $399 for a 5GB model. With its functionality and growth potential, how can I not get the Apple Watch?
Just enjoying a Starbucks “Three C’s” while wearing my Pebble watch.
The Three C’s are cinnamon, chocolate (mocha), and caramel, and I ordered a partial Three C’s from Starbucks secret menu to cut down on the sweetness.
I’ll get right to it. The Pebble watch is good but not yet great. Oh, there’s potential, but it’s not yet materialized.
When I learned of the Pebble project on Kickstarter, I backed it without hesitation. The promise of a “smartwatch” working in conjunction with a smartphone aka iPhone was, well, simply smart.
The e-paper display is absolutely great. It’s readable and visible under almost any condition. The only time it falls short is in pure darkness. Kinda no duh, but because it’s easy to see in dim light, you forget the obvious. But the Pebble does have a backlight. Push a button, tap the watch, or even cooler, shake your wrist, and the configurable backlight engages for a few seconds.
The setup of the Pebble is also a thing to marvel. It’s so easy; you’re up and running in no time. No complicated instructions, just download the app and follow along. The app’s diagnostic function lets you know of any problems or available updates.
Message and phone call notifications work! The Pebble vibrates upon incoming text messages or phone calls. No additional setup needed that I recall. I was surprised when the Pebble started vibrating on my wrist showing Caller ID information as my iPhone started to ring.
The look of the Pebble isn’t Apple-esque. It’s made of quality materials but not of Apple’s caliber or design aesthetic. The included watchband is basic, but you can easily change it. In the box, the Pebble didn’t immediately strike me as attractive but once on your wrist, it does look better. I personally like the Big Time watchface that shows off the readability of the e-paper display.
Navigating the watch’s controls is definitely manageable. Even with four hard buttons, the watch’s menus lead you along so there’s no question which button to push.
Controlling iTunes music playback is a neat trick. It works after you fire up the Music app on the Pebble. I thought the Pebble would be more telepathic, knowing that my music was playing and therefore have the Music app already loaded.
Maybe I haven’t learned everything about the Pebble that I should, but some features seem like they’re missing. I can’t readily see how you’d use the Pebble to help track runs. I thought I remember reading about partnering with RunKeeper but don’t yet see this feature (yup, not available at launch). I’d like to see Nike+ integration at some point but doubt it since Nike also sells their own run-tracking watches.
More notifications. Right now, the Pebble can notify you of text messages and phone calls. Email notification and display isn’t yet available for iOS. It’d also be cool if any/all notifications could be Pebblified (without jailbreaking your iPhone).
Along these lines is the dearth of apps for the Pebble. Seemingly, the only customization available are a few watchfaces. At this early stage, the Pebble App Marketplace isn’t thriving, but hopefully that changes over time as more developers crank out apps.
The charging cable is unique to the Pebble which is good and bad. The magnetic coupling of the charger is what helps the Pebble be water resistant, but on the other hand, without this special cable, you can’t charge your watch. Fortunately, the battery life is approximated at one week (which I’m nearing).
Recapping at this early juncture, the Pebble watch is good with awesomeness in reach.
