Twitter alternative Pebble -- previously known as T2 -- announces shock closure
When Elon Musk took over at Twitter and set about implementing sweeping and controversial changes -- including renaming it to X -- there was a surge in rivals vying for attention. The likes of Mastodon and Bluesky dominated, and continue to do so, but there were also newcomers seeking to offer an alternative and a safe refuge for Twitter exiles.
One such option was T2, a social platform set up by two former Twitter employees. T2 recently rebranded to Pebble, but after initially enjoying a period of success the announcement has come that the service is closing down in a matter of days.
Pebble shutting down following Fitbit acquisition
Fitbit has acquired fellow wearables maker Pebble. The transaction includes "specific assets" like key employees and software-related intellectual property, but not Pebble's hardware. Why? Because Fitbit is not interested in keeping the lights on for long.
Pebble will soon close down shop, as it has announced, "due to various factors" that prevent it from operating on its own. This means that its smartwatch manufacturing has come to an end as well. The company is not taking any new orders and it will refund Kickstarter backers who have shelled out for three of its latest products.
Pebble Time gets more iOS integration with addition of text
Time is the latest version of the smartwatch from Pebble and it even comes in a special round version. The wrist device works with both Android and iPhone, which covers most customers -- sorry Windows Phone users. Now Pebble is bringing more functionality to its Apple friends.
The company boasts that this is the first non-Apple smartwatch to deliver voice and text integration. There are a number of stipulations that come along with this, though.
Want a Pebble Time Round? It's heading to stores and begins shipping soon
While I have made a bit of fun of the Pebble Time Round's Swatch-type look, that doesn't mean it's a bad product. Honestly Pebble is the product that opened the public's eyes to smartwatches. It wasn't the first, but it set the tone of what to expect with the future of wearable technology.
The round version of the latest watch was creatively called Time and it was a huge hit on Kickstarter when it debuted. The round version came along later and now it's here, hitting retail outlets and ready to start shipping for those who have, or wish to, get it online.
Pebble doesn't see Apple Watch as a threat -- sales double year-over-year
Pebble, one of the first tech firms that jumped into the smartwatch foray via a Kickstarter campaign, has been unaffected by the competition brought by the Apple Watch, says the company CEO Eric Migicovsky.
Migicovsky revealed that the company’s sales has improved, which experienced a double year-over-year growth. Apple Watch had "no material impact" on the company, Migicovsky claimed, adding that this is due to the difference in the market the companies tap.
Pebble Time gets a firmware update, including Timeline improvements
Is the smartwatch the future? It's hard to say, although Pebble, Android, and Apple are all proving successful. It is a handy product. Receiving a phone call? Glance at your wrist -- no need to fish the phone out of your pocket only to find it's someone you don't wish to speak with.
The latest in the line of smartwatches from Pebble is called Pebble Time and it improves on the original model by adding more features and a better screen. With version 3.3 of the firmware things improve even more.
Pebble Time starts shipping this week
The Pebble Time first batch of units will be shipping to customers starting May 27. Manufacturing started earlier this month, following a small delay to the smartwatch.
Pebble plans to send out a backer invitation allowing them to add shipping address and other final details. Some international customers will still have a few months wait on their hands, depending on how fast Pebble can get the 70,000 units delivered.
Pebble Time raises more than $20 million on Kickstarter
Pebble is one the few startups that knows how to get the most out of a Kickstarter campaign. Three years ago, it was the first on the crowdsourcing platform to raise more than $10 million in funding, and now it is the first to have broken the $20 million mark. Pebble's latest record is likely to last for a while, seeing as it took over two years for its first one to be broken.
At the time of writing this article, Pebble's Time campaign has attracted nearly 78,000 backers, who have pledged $20.16 million in total. The average contribution is $258.9, which exceeds the latest asking prices of $179 for Time and $250 for Time Steel.
Pebble unveils higher-quality Time Steel -- lower-cost alternative to Apple Watch
The upcoming Apple Watch looks beautiful, but it has some problems. The most apparent is the cost; rumors are pegging it to start around $350, skyrocketing much higher, depending on the materials you choose. Plus, battery life may be problematic, causing daily or multi-day charges.
The biggest downfall to the Apple Watch, however, is that it is tied to iOS; it will not work on Android, which limits its market. A good alternative is Pebble, as its watches are cross-platform and offer extremely long battery life. The recently-announced Pebble Time has a color screen, but still looks a bit cheap. No worries, as the Pebble Time Steel is here, featuring prettier materials and giving Apple something to worry about. The best feature? Battery life up to 10 days!
Pebble Time can make it without Kickstarter, but why bother?
Pebble launched its first smartwatch through Kickstarter, raising more than $10 million from nearly 70,000 backers. It's one of the most successful campaigns to ever be hosted on the crowdsourcing site. Some might say that it's time for Pebble to move on to the next level.
However, earlier this week Pebble used Kickstarter once again to launch its latest smartwatch, called Pebble Time. The company's second crowdsourcing campaign is a huge hit, days after its start, surpassing its initial goal of just $500,000 by nearly $8 million at the time of writing this article, with 30 more days to go before the grand finale.
Pebble gets more Android Wear-like with latest update to smartwatch
Pebble was not the first smartwatch to market, but it did set the trend for today's fad in wearable technology. Now Google has joined the game and Apple has big plans to enter the arena. But for now, Pebble remains the dominant force and the company wishes to maintain its hold.
What more can Pebble do to retain its position? How about adopting Android Wear? That's exactly what the smartwatch maker is doing, announcing that "Our Android Wear compatibility goes from Beta to public release, giving Pebble the power to reply and act on notifications right from your wrist".
Pebble hits the magic one million user mark
The Pebble watch has come a long way, from Kickstarter darling to success in the market. It's becoming a crowded playing field, though Pebble has the name recognition to compete. That's why it's become the success it now is, with new and innovative versions and colors.
Now the smartwatch maker announces numbers. It seems the company has hit the magical one million mark in terms of users. That's a lot of wrists that now have the device strapped on (I'm one of them).
Pebble puts smartwatches to emergency work with first-responders
The words "first responders" came to the forefront in the aftermath of the September 11th terrorist attacks. However, it really just describes the medical, fire and police people who rush to the scene of any problem, hoping to save lives and property. These men and women need every advantage they can get, and modern technology continues to aid them in their work.
You may think of the smartwatch as something that displays the time and messages for you, but it can be a lot more in some cases. Pebble, the former darling of Kickstarter, is now helping these folks out by bringing the CommandWear app to its platform.
PayPal comes to Pebble so you can pay while tracking perambulatory progress
Wearables are starting to come of age, and they're now about much more than just tracking blood pressure and distance while running. Today Pebble continues the expansion of its range of apps with the launch of a dedicated PayPal app. It allow for payments to be made at participating retailers and shows payment notifications so there's no need to rely on a phone.
Pebblers -- as PayPal insists on calling owners of the smartwatch -- now have the ability to make PayPal payments without having to reach into their pockets. The app can be used to pay with a payment code, or to check in to make a payment.
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