Pebble: cheaper and more cheerful

If you have taken a look at Pebble’s official website you would have noticed the incredibly redesign. The style change also comes as news flows in that the popular smartwatch was also getting a price reduction. Officially now, the original (non steel) Pebble is now priced at $99 and the Steel priced at $199. Both down $50 from their starting price.

It’s not often that electronics like this go on “sale” and Pebble has been down to $120 within the first few months of their release starting after the successful Kickstarter campaign. Now that it’s updated on their website, it’s safe to say that the prices are going to stay fairly steady especially as we get closer to the popular Black Friday and Christmas tech roundup.

In the last few weeks Pebble have released the firmware v2.5 which brought many fun chances like emoticons/emoji and compass functionality. Now they have updated to firmware v2.6! it sounds small, and one tenth is. In a world where the next Google Hangouts update or the next Gmail update is all bugfixes and fixing issues that you don’t contend with, it gets a bit disheartening

Not with Pebble, v2.6 brings quite a lot. Pebble has always been a bit “meh” at fitness tracking, mostly relying on data from a fitness band to get you the information. Now apps from Jawbone, Misfit and Swim.com are functional. Pebble doesn’t even need to be connected to your phone when using the Misfit app to monitor sleep and activity, everything is internal.

2.6 also brings “Quick Launch” which are shortcuts set from a watchface that will launch designated apps with an up or down long press. There is a battery indicator in the menu system as well so no longer will you have to open various apps or watchfaces to see the battery charge. This is all on top of some regulatory Bugfixes left by 2.5

The website itself looks like a beautiful mix of the game Superbrothers: Swords and Sorcery and Star Command (the Android game) complete with long-limbed pixel people.

The have really let their humor take hold and done a lot to make the audience actually connect with Pebble. It’s humorous and very lax while still getting the point across of what Pebble is.

Pebble isn’t really putting out any new information in this website, more or less just that they are comfortable where they are and they have a niche of buyers. They are focusing on their strengths such as 7-day battery life, a more weather-resistant design and readability in daylight. Also, the images they use in other parts of the website as example apps, are real apps that are made by the community.