To say 2013 was a good year for Pebble is a huge understatement. The company started out at last year's CES showing off functional versions of its iconic smartwatch -- you know, the one that generated over $10 million on Kickstarter in a matter of weeks -- and it ended the year by announcing it had pushed more than 300,000 units and was planning to launch a dedicated app store. But while the watch has a healthy ecosystem, loyal following and a sporty look, the Pebble isn't exactly the kind of device you slap on your wrist for wine-tastings or galas at the local art gallery. For those types of events, you'll need a premium-looking smartwatch, but good luck finding one; you'll probably just opt for your traditional Rolex or other fancy piece of wrist jewelry over anything else on the market.
Fortunately Pebble didn't come to CES empty-handed this year. CEO Eric Migicovsky announced the Pebble Steel at the company's press conference this morning, which takes the original Pebble watch and encapsulates it in an all-stainless steel, CNC-machined body. If you like the idea of the Pebble, but don't think it radiates enough elegance or class, the $250 Steel may be more up your alley. The new device will be available alongside its predecessor on January 28th, but you can pre-order it beginning today.
So what did we think about Pebble's new look? In a nutshell, we like it (although the jury's still out on the name itself). Keep reading below to get our full take on the new watch, and enjoy the image gallery and hands-on video first.