The third generation of watches Pebble entitled Time turned out to be extremely interesting. I went through them for several days and share my impressions.

1. Fun

The most important difference between Pebble Time and previous models is the technology-based display cinetnaboutth electronic paper. Its advantage over LCD and OLED screens is its minimal power consumption. Pebbles can last a week on a single charge. The indication is always on.

But be prepared that at dusk the screen, even with the backlight turned on, will not be as bright as in the sun, due to technological limitations. Here you can choose for yourself: so that it shines powerfully in the eye, but it works 24 hours .., or it is less contrasting, but almost 170 hours.

2. Simple

The second difference of the new model is the animated menu. It is so cute and understandable that even a child will understand. The watch has become more convenient to use.

3. Diverse

I love changing dials for Pebble. Every morning I find something new and install it right away. Hundreds of watch faces for every taste were created by enthusiasts.
Now my favorite is Din Time, where the weather forecast and battery level are displayed in addition to the time. You can set an alarm and a timer to vibrate every 15/30/60 minutes, for example, to warm up.

With Din Times dial

It is noteworthy that in DIN the weather is shown without the inclusion of geolocation. In the settings of the dial, it is enough to drive in the WOEID (Where on Earth ID) place identifier.

4. Versatile

Due to the openness of the platform and the available documentation for creating applications, developers are launching partner programs for the interaction of the watch with other gadgets. For example, the Leaf app controls Tony Fadell’s Nest thermostat. I’m using Time in conjunction with gopro: conveniently, without taking out the phone, turn on the camera from the pebbles and change the settings of the video / photo modes.

When moving from iOS to Android, all existing features of the Pebble Time are retained, making them versatile. And incredibly liquid in the secondary market.

5. Fashionable

With Pipe Dreams dial

Some dials turn the watch into a fashion bauble. Good thing they are on fire. always and do not go out, like some …

6. Beautiful

With dial FILTTMM

Pebbles are so popular that folk craftsmen have traditionally produced custom straps for them. On eBay, Amazon, Etsy you can find various options for materials, colors, patterns. With the advent of the Pebble Time, a new wave of inspiration came, because on this watch the strap comes off in one movement, if you pull the spring lock to the side with your fingernail, like with Withings Activite. Designer straps give the Pebbles a new look and feel. If you want classics — put on a plain strap, birds sing in your soul — support them with colored motifs.

7. Sporty

There are dozens of programs in the Pebble app store that support sports services like RunKeeper, Endomondo, Misfit, Jawbone, etc. All variety of applications is available through native software Pebble Time Watch [Скачать в App Store].

In addition, due to the rounded corners and the enlarged bezel, the Time looks more sporty than the second generation of Pebble Steel suits.

8. Waterproof

Pebble Time is not afraid of water, you can jump in the rain and take a shower with them. Don’t let WATER RESISTANCE TO 30 METERS confuse you: it’s not about diving, it’s about everyday use. You can’t swim with them. But short-term immersion in water (wash hands, shower, bathe a child) will not harm them.

9. Musically

With Pebble Time, music management on your smartphone has become more comfortable than ever before: the track name is displayed on the screen, and with two taps you can rewind the album forward or backward or change the sound volume. In this case, the phone is in your pocket or bag. The phone can not be reached, which is indispensable when exercising in the gym, jogging and walking.

10. Informative

All the informational spam that pours from social networks, mail, SMS no longer bothers me, forcing me to grab my iPhone every minute, because Pebble Time shows ALL notifications on their screen. If something urgent falls, I take out my phone and answer it. In all other cases, you can glance at the clock and forget.

Android owners are a little more fortunate, because they also have access to the built-in microphone, which is not supported in iOS due to the closed nature of iOS. Through it, you can send voice messages via SMS, Hangouts, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, Telegram, etc.

Please note that the official Pebble firmware does not support Cyrillic. But the craftsmen are not a hindrance. When you take your watch out of the box and finish syncing, open the following link in your Safari mobile browser with custom firmware Pebble-snowy_dvt-3.0-russian.pbz and select the item Open in… Pebble Time. The file will be picked up by the Pebble client and will flash the watch to the Cyrillic version. It is possible that at the time of reading this article, the firmware will be updated several times, so search Google for fresh information on request pebble time cyrillic firmware.

Outcome

No matter what spokes Apple puts in Pebble’s wheels, no matter how big companies like Samsung, Sony press, this American startup has firmly occupied its niche in the price range up to $200 (and the first plastic version can generally be taken for $99).

If you’ve never owned a smartwatch, then there’s no better candidate for getting into wearable electronics. However, due to the big boom and the huge number of orders from Kickstarter, Pebble Time is not available for free sale. You can either pre-order them on the manufacturer’s website and wait a few weeks, or buy them on eBay for $455 (+$56 shipping to Russia), or search from Russian sellers (cheaper than eBay).

Pebble Time Available in three colors: black, white and red.

If you wear a suit, then the previous generation of watches will be better suited to it. Pebble Steel with a monochrome screen and leather or steel bracelets.