Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2
The Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2 are
successors to the original Pebble smartwatch and the first Pebble Time, as
you'd expect from the naming. Both new models bring a heart rate monitor this
time around, allowing for even more comprehensive fitness tracking.
The Pebble 2 costs US$ 99 and
will ship in September. It has a high-contrast black and white e-paper display
and 7-day battery life. The Pebble Time 2 is priced at US$ 169
and will ship in November. It has a 53% larger color display compared to the
Pebble 2, and a stainless steel construction. Its quoted battery life is ten
days.
Both the Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2 are
water resistant up to 30 metres, have built-in microphones, as well as activity and
sleep tracking. They will show you notifications from your phone (running
Android or iOS), show your schedule, and can be controlled through their
side-mounted buttons.
The smartwatches are now up on
Kickstarter (which is where the Pebble story started a few years back), having
already surpassed the US$ 1 million funding goal in just a few hours. In fact,
Pebble's campaign has raised more than US$ 2.8 million at the moment, with the
numbers rising fast.
The Pebble Core is part of the same
Kickstarter campaign, even though it's not a smartwatch. It's basically "a
clippable fitness device that lets you leave your phone at home", as
Pebble puts it. It's got built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G connectivity, and
can stream music (which you can listen to by connecting a pair of headphones to
its 3.5 mm jack).
The Core tracks your pace, distance, and
location, supports recording voice notes, and can even send an emergency SOS
message if needed. Its battery should be good for five and a half hours of use.
It's priced at US$ 69 and will start shipping in January 2017.
