Pebble 2, Time 2 Smartwatches Joined By 'Core' IoT GPS Accessory For Runners And Hackers
The Pebble 2 is the spiritual successor to the original Pebble that hit Kickstarter three years ago. The design language is familiar, but the Pebble 2 is both thinner and lighter than its predecessor. Its e-paper display is now covered in Gorilla Glass for enhanced protection, includes a built-in microphone, an optical heart rate sensor, activity and sleep tracking, water resistance to a depth of 30 meters, and battery life of up to 7 days.
The Time 2 ditches the Pebble 2’s plastic construction in favor of stainless steel, and features a color e-paper display with a 53 percent larger display than its predecessor. The Time 2 has all the features of the Pebble 2 (including its water resistance rating) but extends battery life to a more impressive 10 days, which far outpaces the Apple Watch and the various Android Wear devices on the market.
While the Pebble 2 and Time 2 are both updates to a proven Pebble formula, the new Core is something entirely different. It’s an accessory dongle aimed at runners that incorporates GPS, a built-in 3G modem, Wi-Fi connectivity, 4GB of internal storage and a microphone for recording voice notes. The internet connectivity allows the device to stream music from Spotify and output the audio through a headphone jack. If you prefer to use wireless headphones, they are supported via Bluetooth.
The Pebble Core syncs its GPS data with Runkeeper, Strava or Under Armour Record. It should also come as no surprise that the Core can sync with your Pebble smartwatch. Battery life is listed at 5.5 hours and it supports optional Qi wireless charging.
The Core, which runs Android 5.0, is also being aimed at hackers with features like early SDK access, a hardware expansion port and two programmable buttons. It also doubles as a IoT smart device giving you the ability to track your pets, hail a ride via Uber, unlock your car or even turn off/on the lights in your “smart” home.
The Pebble 2 and Time 2 are available via Kickstarter right now with Early Bird pricing of $69 and $169 respectively (retail prices are listed at $129 and $199 respectively). The Pebble 2 will ship in September and the Time 2 will ship in November. The Pebble Core, on the other hand, is priced at $69 via Early Bird funding and will retail for $99 when it launches in January 2017.
