Two new Pebble smartwatches can be ordered
2 smartwatches running PebbleOS are now available to order. It starts with an improved new edition of the Pebble 2.
(Image: Core Devices LLC)
Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky launches two Pebble-compatible networked wristwatches. They are now available to order. The first model, the Core 2 Duo, is to be delivered in July, the larger Core Time 2 will follow in December. Migicovsky's new company Core Devices is not planning to sell through dealers.
The Canadian's former company, Pebble Technology Corporation, sold beyond two million smartwatches with ePaper screens between 2013 and 2016, but slipped into insolvency at the end of 2016. Competitor Fitbit bought intellectual property rights from Pebble's bankruptcy estate and took on some employees. Google later swallowed Fitbit, meaning that the rights to PebbleOS ended up with the data company. The company has not released any further devices for PebbleOS and published the operating system as open source a few weeks ago.
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This enables Core Devices to develop new devices for PebbleOS. “No company has made the perfect smartwatch for people like us, so we will make the exact smartwatch we want,” says Migicovsky, explaining his new approach to Pebble smartwatches.
Core 2 Duo
“Duo” stands for “Do-over”, which means something like revision, renovation or new edition. And indeed, the device is strikingly similar to the Pebble Time 2, which is no coincidence. The screen is a black and white ePaper with a diagonal of 1.26 inches, which sits in a polycarbonate frame that is available in black or white in the Repebble Store. Like the Pebble 2, the Core 2 Duo also has a microphone, pedometer, sleep monitoring, is waterproof (the aim is to achieve IPX8 certification) and has a 22 mm wide wristband.
New features include a loudspeaker, barometer, compass, and Bluetooth Low Energy (Nordic nRF52840). The vibration motor has been replaced by a Linear Resonance Actuator (LRA), which should be both more powerful and quieter. The battery should last for 30 days instead of a week. The push buttons should also be more durable, Core Devices reports test results with 30 percent longer durability.
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The price of the Core 2 Duo is 149 US dollars, plus delivery charges, tax and any customs duties. The company reserves the right to raise the price if the customs situation changes, which could affect the cost price. Should a price increase become necessary, Core Devices promises to inform the customer in advance. They can then withdraw from the contract and receive a full refund. This promise also applies to the Core Time 2 model, which will be delivered from December and for which Core Devices is charging 225 dollars.
Core Time 2
(Image:Â Core Devices)
”This is my dream watch,” says Migicovsky, “It's everything the Pebble Time 2 would have been and more!” Due to Pebble's bankruptcy at the time, the Pebble Time 2 never made it to market. The Core Time 2 has an ePaper touchscreen with 64 colors and a diagonal of 1.5 inches. The frame and buttons are made of metal and are available in black, white and probably a third color.
The glass is flat, which should cause fewer reflections than the original Pebble Time watches. Included are a heart rate monitor, microphone, speaker, LRA, pedometer and sleep monitoring. As with the Core 2 Duo, IPX8 certification (waterproof) is aimed for and a 22 millimeter wide strap is included. Core Devices estimates the battery life at 30 days. The company has not yet revealed where the watches will be manufactured.
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