Smartwatch

Pebble firmware update brings Do Not Disturb mode, faster notifications and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

The Pebble Smartwatch has gotten smarter than ever as the company pushed a new version 1.4 firmware which enhances notifications while bringing a new Do Not Disturb mode along with other new features, improvements and fixes.

Like on your iPhone, Pebble's new Do Not Disturb mode lets you specify a time frame during which notifications won't be displayed. You can also specify what notifications are displayed, create a new Snooze Alarm, create multiple alarms, toggle alarms on and off, edit existing alarms and enjoy improved iOS performance...

Pebble Cards brings always visible customizable cards to the Pebble Smartwatch

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Information you care about, right on your wrist. That's how developer Keanu Lee presents Pebble Cards—a new app for the Pebble 2.0 that places customizable cards on your Pebble Smartwatch. After finally getting my hands on the Pebble 2.0 app and firmware, I was able to put the awesome looking Pebble Cards through its paces.

Pebble Cards is an app that provides you with short little bursts of information on cards. Multiple customizable cards can make up a deck that can be scrolled through, updated, or expanded to expose more details about the information pertaining to a particular card.

If you're a Pebble Smartwatch owner, then Pebble Cards should definitely pique your interest. Have a look inside as I show off the Pebble Cards app in our hands-on video walkthrough.

Pebble Smartwatch: some thoughts on why the smart watch is here to stay

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Believe it or not, but Monday marked my first hands-on experience with the Pebble Smartwatch. I’ve striven to avoid the product all of these months, because I figured that Apple would eventually get around to making a “real” smart watch.

Apple still might do that, but its time table hasn’t aligned with the expectations of the tech blogging industry, mine included. Apple never said that it was working on a wearable, so it’s really our fault for creating such expectations.

In the meantime, the Pebble Smartwatch and its SDK have had plenty of time to marinate and mature. The latest update to Pebble’s software brings with it systemwide notifications, and there’s no hacking or jailbreaking needed to do that. In the eyes of many, that’s enough to make the Pebble Smartwatch worthy of serious consideration, and I tend to agree.

Samsung sells just 50,000 Galaxy Gear watches in first two months [update]

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

In September, Samsung launched a line of Galaxy Gear smartwatches. The move appeared to be little more than a response to rumors that Apple and other tech companies were working on similar products, and an effort to be "first" to market.

But going first in unknown territory doesn't always work in your favor, and it looks like the Galaxy Gear supports that theory. According to a new report, Samsung has sold just 50,000 smartwatches since it launched them nearly 3 months ago...

Two iWatch sizes: 1.7 inches for men and 1.3 inches for women

Christian Zibreg ∙ November 13, 2013

If you believe research firm DisplaySearch, the Apple smartwatch project, the iWatch, has taken the front seat as the company sharpens its focus on wearable technology, allegedly at the expense of a full-on television set which one reliable analysts now thinks is more of a 2015-2016 thing.

According to a new report by The Korea Herald, DisplaySearch thinks the iWatch will come in two sizes accommodating for men and women's wrist. In the case of men, the iWatch should have a 1.7-inch display, the research firm said. On the other hand, women should get a tinier device outfitted with a smaller 1.3-inch display...

Pebble update goes live with full iOS 7 Notifications support

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Pebble has had basic support for iOS Notifications in place from day one. The implementation, however, left a lot to be desired as the Pebble smarwatch could only relay the most basic of iOS notifications through a companion iPhone app.

Eagle-eyed readers will remember that the company last week confirmed an upcoming update would enable additional iOS 7 Notification Center alerts.

And just like clockwork, a new version of Pebble's iOS app has gone live now in the App Store, introducing full integration with the iOS 7 Notification Center. This allows Pebble owners to receive any alerts enabled in Notification Center on an iOS 7 device and have them displayed on their $150 smartwatch.

Yes, this includes alerts from third-party apps such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp and lots more. Go past the fold for more...

Pebble announces support for all iOS 7 notifications, new SDK

Cody Lee ∙ Updated October 12, 2018

Big news today for current and potential Pebble users. The company announced a major update to its smartwatch platform that includes support for all notifications in iOS 7, as well as a new SDK and new APIs for developers.

Previously, the Pebble was very limited on the types of push notifications you could receive from your iPhone. But now, thanks to updates made in iOS 7, it will be able to receive alerts from Facebook, Google Maps—you name it...

Rumor: LG nears OLED iWatch deal, Google smartwatch due ‘within months’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 9, 2018

LG Display, a prominent Apple supplier that provides LCD panels for the iPad, MacBook and iMac devices, is apparently close to striking a deal to supply a portion of flexible OLED screens for Apple's rumored iWatch wearable device. Furthermore, Apple is understood to have discussed the possibility of a similar deal with its biggest supplier Samsung, but talks apparently fell apart.

In addition to LG Display, the rumor also mentions Taiwan's RiTDisplay as another possible iWatch screen supplier...

Tim Cook: new product categories coming in 2014

Cody Lee ∙ October 28, 2013

The last two months have been very busy for Apple, as the company has refreshed a number of its devices including the iPhone, iPad, the MacBook Pro and Mac Pro. But missing from the fall's festivities was an all-new product.

The good news, though, is that it appears at least one is on the way. During its quarterly earnings call today, Tim Cook said Apple believes it has the skills to create 'great products' in categories it's not currently participating in...

New iWatch concept looks like Nike’s FuelBand, runs iOS 7

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 14, 2018

Although we're not expecting to see it on stage at Apple's media event tomorrow, the iWatch is still a highly anticipated product in the company's pipeline. Most industry watchers don't have the device launching until late 2014.

There are essentially two theories on what Apple's wearable will look like: one being an actual watch-like device, and the other is more of a fitness band. Today's concept takes after the latter, and we have to say, it looks awesome...

New Galaxy Gear ads attempt to make the case for smartwatches

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 7, 2013

Samsung may have beaten Apple to the smartwatch punch, but poor reviews across the board have quickly dampened consumer enthusiasm for the $299 product. ArsTechnica, for example, noted the device "has sacrificed substance for the sake of timing". That's not stopping Samsung from advertising the Galaxy Gear as its next big thing, however.

Three Gear television commercials attempt to educate consumers on the benefits of using the product, with one particular ad seemingly drawing inspiration from Apple's iPhone teaser spot aired during the Oscars in 2007, have a look below...

AT&T announces Pebble partnership, will start selling smartwatch Friday

Cody Lee ∙ September 25, 2013

Despite all of its missteps following its record-breaking Kickstarter run, Pebble has done quite well for itself post-crowd-funding. In addition to landing a retail deal with Best Buy, it announced in July that it had surpassed 275k pre-orders.

And now it's taking things to a whole new level. AT&T, currently the United States' second largest wireless carrier, announced today that it will begin offering the popular smartwatch online and in select brick-and-mortar stores this week...