Pebble Time Steel hits Kickstarter today for $250, starts shipping in July
The $299 Pebble Time Steel starts shipping in July and will be available in silver, black, and gold. Early birds can pre-order via Kickstarter today for $250.
Just a week ago, Pebble Time launched on Kickstarter and became the fastest growing crowd-funding project in history. Raising well over their $500,000 goal, massive interest has already been shown in the next-generation device from Pebble. Today at Mobile World Congress, Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky unveiled a second version of the device, the $299 Pebble Time Steel.
Pebble Time Steel hits Kickstarter today for $250, starts shipping in July
The $299 Pebble Time Steel starts shipping in July and will be available in silver, black, and gold. Early birds can pre-order via Kickstarter today for $250.
Just a week ago, Pebble Time launched on Kickstarter and became the fastest growing crowd-funding project in history. Raising well over their $500,000 goal, massive interest has already been shown in the next-generation device from Pebble. Today at Mobile World Congress, Pebble CEO Eric Migicovsky unveiled a second version of the device, the $299 Pebble Time Steel.
Pebble Time Steel will be available starting in July in black, silver, and gold finishes. While it will retail for $299, early birds can pre-order through Kickstarter for $250. Anyone who has already backed Pebble Time will be able to change their pledge to the Pebble Time Steel without a hitch.
Just like Pebble Time, the Steel version will feature an all-new design along with a new version of Pebble OS. The refined Pebble Time Steel is just 1mm thicker than Pebble Time and is “made from premium materials, and designed for busy professionals who need to accomplish more during their day.”
The color e-paper display will feature the new timeline interface, as well as a built-in microphone for voice commands. The battery is also rated at up to 10 days — even more than that of Pebble Time. Both a leather and stainless steel band will be included as well, and the Pebble Time Steel will support smartstraps, which allow developers to add sensors directly into bands for things like GPS and heart-rate tracking.
Pebble Time Steel hits Kickstarter today, so head over to the Pebble Time page for more info or to get your piece of the action.
Read more on Pebble Time Steel at Kickstater
Press Release
Pebble Announces Pebble Time Steel at Mobile World Congress
Beautiful New Design, Revolutionary 10-Day Battery Life and
an Open Platform for Smartstraps
Barcelona, Spain (March 3, 2015) — On stage at Mobile World Congress, Eric Migicovsky, Pebble CEO, today unveiled Pebble Time Steel, a beautifully-designed watch for iPhone and Android, with a ground-breaking battery life of up to 10 days. The announcement comes on the heels of Pebble Time, which launched on Kickstarter on February 24, 2015, and quickly became the fastest growing crowd-funding project in history. All Kickstarter backers have the opportunity to easily upgrade to the new Pebble Time Steel, while maintaining their spot in line.
Premium Materials and Incredible Battery Life
Launched last summer, the original Pebble Steel brought sophistication and design to smartwatches. Pebble Time Steel follows in these footsteps, combining beautiful, premium design with the powerful new technology of Pebble Time. Similar to Pebble Time, Pebble Time Steel runs the new timeline interface, has a color e-paper display, built-in microphone for quick voice replies and notes, and is water resistant. Where Pebble Time has a sporty look and feel, Pebble Time Steel is refined, made from premium materials, and designed for busy professionals who need to accomplish more during their day. Pebble Time Steel comes in three styles: silver, black, and gold finish.
Everything from the ergonomic, curved watch case, to the bezel and machined buttons is made from stainless steel. The watch is the same dimensions at the Pebble Time, just 1mm thicker; the lens is crafted from scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass; it includes both a fine leather band and a stainless steel strap; and, most notably, has an increased battery life of up to 10 days — longer than any smartwatch on the market.
“We want users to be able to choose the watch they want for any situation,” said Migicovsky. “That’s why we’re so excited to introduce Pebble Time Steel today. It unites modern technology and world-class design — everything that is great about Pebble Time and Pebble Steel in one beautiful watch.”
Creating an Open Platform With Smartstraps
Have you ever wanted to go for a run without your phone and still be able to track your speed and stats on Pebble? Want a Pebble watch with a battery life of more than four weeks? Today, we’re introducing an open hardware accessory platform for Pebble Time that will open a future for these and more.
Both Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel include a quick release band mechanism and a smart accessory port on the back of the watch that enable hardware developers to build electronics and sensors that interface directly with apps running on Pebble Time. Straps can be changed in a matter of seconds, so you can utilize different sensors if you’re at the gym or at the office. With an open platform for smartstraps, Pebble is bringing ultimate customization to your wrist.
“In order to add a heart rate monitor or GPS directly into a smartwatch, you have to make serious compromises on design and battery life. And it’s likely that if you buy a watch with a certain sensor today, it will be out of date within 12 months,” said Migicovsky. “We are creating an open platform that will enable anyone to build smartstraps for Pebble watches. For example, imagine a smartstrap with a GPS chip or a heart rate monitor, that transforms Pebble Time into a high-performance fitness watch; or a strap with a pollution sensor inside, that keeps track of the environment around you; or a strap with an extra battery that extends the battery life of Pebble Time past 7 days. We can’t wait to see what people develop; the opportunities are endless.”
Pebble has partnered and is working closely with accessory makers and designers on smartstraps. Initial shipments of smartstraps will begin later in the year, and full details can be found on our developer blog (http://developer.getpebble.com/blog). Hardware hackers and interested accessory partners can contact partnership@getpebble.com.
Overwhelming Support from the Pebble Community
Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel would not exist without the herculean support and feedback from Pebblers around the world. “We continue to be humbled and grateful for the incredible support of the Pebble community,” said Migicovsky. “Our goal is to continue making our supporters happy with amazing smartwatches that simplify your daily life and help you accomplish more.”
Pebble Time Steel starts shipping in July and includes two straps (leather and stainless steel) for just $250, which is exclusive to Kickstarter. The regular retail price will be $299. Anyone can back Pebble Time and Pebble Time Steel on Kickstarter until Friday, March 27, 2015, and all existing Kickstarter backers have the opportunity to upgrade to the new Pebble Time Steel, while maintaining their spot in line.
Pebble introduces a premium Steel version of its color smartwatch
It’s only been a week since Pebble introduced Pebble Time, its second-generation color smartwatch, and there’s already a new version of it up for grabs. Today at Mobile World Congress, the company has just announced Pebble Time Steel, a premium all-metal iteration of the Time. Indeed, the entirety of the Time Steel — from the bezel to the buttons — is made out of stainless steel and is available in silver, black and gold finishes. It has exactly the same dimensions as the Time but is about 1mm thicker. That isn’t so bad, especially since the Time Steel apparently has a longer battery life of up to 10 days instead of 7. As if that wasn’t luxurious enough, when you buy a Pebble Time Steel, you’ll get two straps instead of one: a stainless steel band plus a leather one.
Oh, and that’s not all. Remember that smart accessory port that’s on the Pebble Time? Well, today Pebble is also announcing a new open hardware accessory platform that developers can use to create “smartstraps” for the watch, using that smart accessory port to further extend the watch’s functionality. Simply use the quick release trigger on the Time (and of course, the Time Steel) to swap out the straps and the smartstrap would have an additional flap that attaches to the smart accessory port.
As for what kind of new functions will the straps bring? Well, CEO Eric Migicovsky suggested perhaps a GPS strap, or one with a heart monitor, or even a battery strap that extends the watch’s battery life to three or four weeks. He says that instead of integrating these sensors — which are often obsolete in a few years anyway — into the watch, it’s more efficient to have them be modular. Pebble is already working on partnerships to come up with some of these smartstraps, but it also wants to hear from its community about additional ideas.
“It’s one of the reasons why we wanted to launch the Time on Kickstarter,” says Migicovsky. “Our plans involve more than just people buying the watch. We want to involve the community, to come up with the different straps.” He says that we’ll likely see some of the early smartstraps by the end of the year.
As for the Pebble Time Steel, if you’ve already backed the Pebble Time but now you’d rather have the Steel instead, don’t worry. Migicovsky says you can always upgrade the amount of money you’re kicking in without losing your spot in line. The special Kickstarter price for the Time Steel is $250 (and yes, you get both the leather and steel bands for that price), while the final retail cost is $299. The Pebble Time Steel will, however, ship in July rather than May.
Photos by Carlos Martinez
Filed under: Wearables
Google Play is celebrating its third birthday with apps, music, and move sale
Google’s third birthday is nearly upon us, and in celebration the storefront is giving us great deals on a host of movies, books, music, and even some apps. While last year’s birthday sale saw mostly free games with reduced costs for in-app purchases, this time around Google is slashing the prices on some of its premium apps as well.
It looks like three premium apps on are on offer for just $.10: Runstastic Situps Pro Trainer, Runtastic Running Pro, and Facetime. A few free apps with in-app purchase discounts are present here too, such as Racing Rival’s offer for 80% off on its in-game BMW M3 GT2 and Wunderlist’s reduced pricing for an in-app upgrade to the pro version of the app. Outside of the apps front, you’ll find a bunch of movies and television shows including Breaking Bad’s first season for $9.99 in HD, the Dark Knight for $2.99 and many more. You’ll also find tunes from Beyonce, Daft Punk and others, as well as a bunch of bestselling books.
For the complete list, you’ll want to head on over to Google Play. Keep in mind that this list is for those of us in the United States. Last year’s birthday sale saw quite a bit of variance from region to region, so it’s possible that some (or all) of these deals could be unavailable or replaced with other deals in your area.
Lenovo Vibe Shot hands-on: It’s all about the camera
Lenovo puts its focus on the camera with the 16-megapixel Vibe Shot. It’s as much smartphone as it is camera, perhaps, but it’s clear this one’s intended to be the only shooter you need.
Lenovo’s brought a couple of new phones to Mobile World Congress this year, and the Vibe Shot (as the name suggests) is bringing some serious tech to the back of the phone. This guy’s got a 16-megpixel camera (using a Samsung sensor and f/2.2 lens) with optical image stabilization that Lenovo says could well serve as the only camera you need.
The Vive Shot has some interesting controls, starting with the hardware.
Report: Galaxy S6 Edge could start from 64GB in the UK
Despite the fact that the Galaxy S6 Edge doesn’t make quite as efficient use of the curved display as its big brother the Galaxy Note Edge, it has still managed to turn a lot of heads thanks to its sleek, stylish design and dual curved sides. When coupled with the rear/front Gorilla Glass 4 panels and a metal frame, it’s by far the most premium and precious product Samsung has ever produced.
Pricing has yet to be set in stone with respect to either the S6 or S6 Edge, however given the fact that the Note Edge retails for around $800-900 (off-contract) and is made with lesser materials and older hardware components, it’s best to brace yourself for a similar figure. One thing that will definitely come into play however, is the storage option: as the new devices lack a removable back cover and microSD card slot, what you buy is what you get. The phones are available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB variants…or are they? Take a look at this screen capture:
Assuming that nothing changes, this would indicate the Galaxy S6 Edge will lack a 32GB base model. This will, in turn, obviously drive up the price considerably.
Samsung is probably wanting to create the most premium image possible for the product. Though this screen capture allegedly comes from a UK-based Samsung page, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the same storage standard used in other markets.
Suffice to say, it’s best to start saving up your money now if you intend to get an S6 Edge in the UK.
Google’s got a slam dunk with their latest Android commercial
Did you need a 15 second distraction to get you pumped up about Android today? Good, that is exactly what Google’s latest Android commercial is for, jam packed with cameras, it is a slam dunk, of sorts.
There is very little to say about the commercial itself, more Androidify characters grace the screen, sports are involved, and everyone is taking a photo with their Android device. It is fun.
Highlighting the wide range of camera sizes, styles and capabilities available across Android devices is subtly masked behind the action here. Camera technology has come a long way on Android, ranging from the single digit MP sensors often used for front facing, or ‘selfie’ cameras all the way up to the 20.7MP Sony sensor found on many last generation higher-end device and beyond.
Although we did not see or hear a whole bunch about the cameras and capabilities on the recently announced HTC One M9 or the Samsung Galaxy S6 flagship devices, Lenovo came to MWC with a treat. The Lenovo Vibe Shot is a well equipped mid-range device with a focus on photography. Packing a 16MP OIS camera and dedicated camera buttons, we see a great example of Google’s point, we can all use Android, but we don’t have to use the same equipment.
Surprised we could get so much out of this 15 second spot? Us too. Here, check out some of the older Android commercials and Androidify goodness before you go.
- High fives and fist bumps, here’s Google’s latest Android commercial
- Androidify app gets big update and tie-in with Google’s new Android ads
- Androidify Winter Update – Holiday Gear For Your Android Buddy
- Google takes out a gargantuan billboard ad in Times Square
- Google shows off watches, tablets, and phones in 4 new Android commericals
Android distribution for this month shows Lollipop on 3.3% of devices
The latest distribution of Android was published earlier today and it shows that Lollipop has reached 3.3% of devices with Google’s operating system. This is an increase from January when Lollipop was not able to be registered, so it took the current version of Android about 3-4 months to become noteworthy. The most commonly found version is still Android 4.4 KitKat with 40.9% of the distribution. All of the other versions, with the exception of Android 2.2 Froyo, are continuing to fall.
Source: Android Developers
Come comment on this article: Android distribution for this month shows Lollipop on 3.3% of devices
Samsung is confident Galaxy S6 will be a sales hit
Financially speaking, 2014 was a rough year for Samsung Mobile given its poor sales performance and the subsequent aftermath that included everything from internal staff changes to terminating services to a supposed “fresh start” with the Galaxy S6. Given what we have seen at MWC 2015 so far, it looks like the company took some major initiative in seeking to fix what ails it: the S6 (and S6 Edge) has no plastic on its body, has a cleaner, leaner TouchWiz, and will even come in a 128GB variant.
It’s so good that Andy Tu, General Manager of Mobile Communication at Samsung Taiwan, has gone on record to state that he expects the S6 to surpass all of its previous incarnations. Specifically, the Galaxy S4 is the phone to beat as last year’s Galaxy S5 was found to have sold 40% less than expected.
While this is a very big claim indeed, the company’s revised game plan will aid it well given that Mr. Tu indicated Samsung will focus on the S6 and Note 4 during Q2 2015, with supporting focus on the lower-end Galaxy A and Galaxy E products. Of interest is the fact that neither the Note Edge nor the S6 Edge were mentioned, perhaps a given when considering the higher price points and more niche-oriented appeal the pair of devices have.
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Take a quick look at our hands on impressions here, and be sure to check out all of our coverage on the Galaxy S6 to see just what everyone is so hyped up.
Telegram Messenger Beta is popular in South America, rolls out update to fix scaling issues
The crew at Telegram Messenger Beta have noted a massive increase in popularity in South America, which is why they’ve rolled out an update that allows the service to scale in the region. The sudden increase in users has to do with a ban imposed on WhatsApp in Brazil on February 27 over violent images shared on the network.
AIVAnet 