Pebble has returned to crowdfunding platform Kickstarter to launch its new Pebble Time smartwatch, exceeding its US$500,000 goal in quick time.At the time of writing over US$8,500,00 had been pledged, with the device featuring a new colour e-paper display and a microphone allowing users to send voice replies to incoming notifications or take short voice notes.
“The new colour e-paper display is easy to read and always on, perfect for displaying incoming notifications and your favourite watchface,” Pebble states via its Kickstarter page.
“Compared with display technology like LCD or OLED, power consumption is minimised, enabling Pebble Time to achieve an industry-leading battery life of up to 7 days.”
The water-resistant Time measures in at 9.5 mm, 20 per cent thinner than the original Pebble, with Pebble stating its “ergonomic, curved design fits comfortably on either wrist”, with the Time’s lens crafted from scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass with a bezel made of stainless steel.
Pebble states the Time’s new timeline interface “highlights what’s important in your day”, connecting to “calendars, alarms, and apps, organising all kinds of relevant information along with quick actions”.
Via the timeline users can also access what’s coming up next and look back over events from the past, with three buttons devoted to the past, present and future on the side of the device.
With Apple gearing up to launch its Apple Watch, competition is set to intensify in the wearables industry.
“We kicked off the smartwatch industry three years ago on Kickstarter,” The Wall Street Journal reported Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky as stating.
“We’re battling with Apple, the largest company in the world, and there’s nobody better to help us than the crowd.”
The Time will start shipping in May.
