Pebble has just unveiled its latest smartwatches, and has done so in the most Pebble-like way possible, by launching a new Kickstarter project. The smartwatch maker has returned to the platform it used so successfully with the original Pebble, and the following iterations, with a true second generation Pebble and a second generation Pebble Time along with an all-new 3G wearable called the Pebble Core.
Both the Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2 retain a similar design to their predecessors, but add in better displays, heart-rate monitors and battery life.
The Pebble 2, for instance, has a higher contrast black and white E-Paper display as well as the 24/7 heart-rate monitor, microphone, activity and sleep tracker, water resistance up to 30 meters and 7 day battery life.
Meanwhile, the Pebble Time 2 has a color E-Paper display that’s 53% larger than last year’s model and also has the 24/7 heart-rate monitor, mic, activity/sleep tracker and 30M water resistance, but promises an awesome 10 day battery life.
Kickstarter pledgers will be able to grab a Pebble 2 for just $99 with shipment expected in September this year, or the Pebble Time 2 for $169 with shipping starting in November. Once the Kickstarter ends and they’re available to buy the “old-fashioned way” from Pebble’s online store, the Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2 will cost $129 and $199 respectively.
As for the new device, named Pebble Core, this is a fitness tracking device to keep runners free from armbands, hip pouches and various other annoyances normally associated with fitness tracking. Core can stream music from Spotify and sync GPS data with Runkeeper, Strava and Under Armor Record.
It plays up to 5.5 hours of music, includes 4GB built-in storage, 3G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and ships with a USB charging cable. It’ll cost $99 when it ships in January 2017, but Kickstarter pledgers can get one for as little as $69.
There’s even a Pebble Core for hackers which developers can use to make a ‘tiny, unlocked Android 5.0 computer’. You can use it for opening garage doors, tracking pets, recording voice notes and any number of other things you can imagine.
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