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PebbleKit SDK update enables two-way communication for Pebble apps
Pebble released an SDK update today which lets developers create apps that support two-way communication via Bluetooth. While the new software (called PebbleKit) was hinted at before, it represents a major step forward for the platform by allowing third-party developers to send / receive information between the smartwatch and a smartphone. This opens the door to weather, stock, traffic and remote control apps -- among others. Also launching today is the Pebble Sports API which is already being used by two recently announced apps: RunKeeper and FreeCaddie. Since the Pebble SDK was first introduced last April, it's been downloaded 8,000 times and developers have built 5,000 watch faces and games (such as Droptype, RadarClock and Nyan Watch) which have been installed 300,000 times -- not too shabby, if you ask us. Finally, after raising $10 million through Kickstarter last year, the company's just received $15 million in Series A funding from Charles River Ventures. Let the good times roll, right? PR after the break.
RunKeeper for Android and iOS now talks to Pebble smartwatches
Although more than a few runners track their progress through apps like RunKeeper, it's doubtful that many of them like reaching for their smartphones just to check their pace. Thanks to an updated RunKeeper app, they'll only have to look at the Pebble smartwatch on their wrist. Both Android and iOS users can now glance at the Bluetooth timepiece for vital stats, such as pacing, or start and stop their runs. Only a handful of us will have the needed combination of app and wristwear to justify the update at the source links, but don't despair if you're not part of the Pebble flock. RunKeeper's staff say they "look forward" to supporting wearable technology as a whole, which should let many more athletes keep their eyes on the path ahead, and their hands out of their pockets.
Pebble gets a golf app now, two-way app support within a month
Pebble and its developer partners have been working at a manic pace in recent days, and they've just released a flood of status updates that prove they're not easing up. Along with confirming that the first red watches have shipped inside of the past week, Pebble is now claiming one of its first notable golf apps through an updated version of Mobile Software Design's Freecaddie. Would-be PGA stars can check the hole distance and par when paired up with an Android phone, with iOS support due soon. At least some owners can look forward to a bright future, too. An SDK update within the next month will allow two-way interaction between apps and watches, albeit only with Android devices in any realistic way -- iOS releases bound for the App Store won't support bi-directional use "at this time." That's certainly an unfortunate discrepancy, although we may be too busy perfecting our swings to notice. [Image credit: Thomas Harbinson, Twitter]
Google files patent for smartwatch with Glass-like touchpads and functionality
Starting to get bored with Google Glass already? Well, it seems like Mountain View's trying to patent some of that functionality for a smartwatch, in a substantially different way than it did before. According to an application submitted to the USPTO, such a device would include standard smartwatch functions like a wireless transceiver, display and processor, but could also be equipped with two touchpads located on each side of the bezel. Those could enable "pinch, stretch and scroll on a platform with limited space available for user input," and would also communicate "with the clock line or data line." That means they'd control all the smartwatch functions, of course, but Google may be leaving the door open for it to control other devices as well, judging by the cagey wording -- perhaps sidestepping the need to reach for or yell at your eyewear.
Editor's Letter: Google glass gone wild
In each issue of Distro, editor-in-chief Tim Stevens publishes a wrap-up of the week in news. It seems like ages since Sergey Brin staged one of the most dramatic product launches of all time at last year's Google I/O, guiding a bemused audience through a cavalcade of extreme antics that saw a prototype Google Glass headset delivered to the Moscone Center courtesy of skydivers, BMX riders and mountain climbers. This week, the very first Explorer Editions of Google Glass shipped to lucky recipients through rather more pedestrian means: UPS. Still, those deliveries were received with no less excitement. These early units are shipping out in waves, with many of the I/O pre-orderers (including this eager editor) left waiting and watching unboxing videos with envy. The first videos of the early editions in action started hitting YouTube en masse, something we're sure will become increasingly commonplace through the spring. We also finally got the full specs for the thing, including 802.11b/g and Bluetooth connectivity, 16GB of internal storage and a 5-megapixel camera capable of 720p video recording.
Microsoft reiterates that Windows 8 could see small(er) devices soon
What's an outgoing Microsoft executive to do on his last earnings call as CFO? Utter something that'd probably get the incoming CFO fired. Kidding aside, the outfit's own Peter Klein saw fit to reiterate something we'd heard back in March -- that Windows 8 is destined for smaller devices. To date, there isn't a Windows 8-based slate on the market south of 10-inches, but as Apple, ASUS, Google and Samsung have found, people tend to like tablets that can be held with a single hand. Of course, the "coming soon" angle definitely adds a time stamp (albeit a vague one) that we didn't have before, but we're still no closer to figuring out what kinds of devices we're to expect. A diminutive tablet? A smartwatch? A phone? Earlier this week, Terry Myerson -- corporate vice president of Microsoft's Windows Phone division -- admitted that the wearables space was undoubtedly an exciting one, though he wouldn't go so far as to affirm that any of the code he oversaw was being tested on the arm. Of course, rumors have been running wild since Windows Phone's introduction that Microsoft would eventually push WP aside in favor of just using Windows on everything, so we suppose that's another (far out) possibility. Wild imaginations are advised to contribute their best guesses in comments below. (But seriously, keep it sane. Thanks.)
The Daily Roundup for 04.17.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
WSJ: Microsoft gathering parts for a watch-like device
The modern smartwatch market hardly even exists, and yet it's already starting to feel very crowded. Hot on the heels of plans (official and otherwise) from Apple and Samsung, the Wall Street Journal reports that Microsoft has also been shopping around for parts to build a "watch-style device." While details are scarce as to what that would entail, unnamed supplier executives tell the newspaper that Microsoft has been asking for 1.5-inch touchscreens. We wouldn't count on seeing an ultra-small Surface anytime soon, however -- these executives say they've visited Microsoft's campus, but they don't know whether the Windows developer is fully committed to its wrist-worn endeavor or just experimenting. If the project exists at all, of course. Still, there's finally a glimmer of hope for anyone who's still mourning the loss of their beloved SPOT watches.
PebbleOS 1.10 supports third-party watch faces, sorts out iOS issues
Pebble has been on a rapid cadence with smartwatch updates to justify those crowdfunded dollars, and it's not letting up just because watch shipments are well underway. PebbleOS 1.10 has arrived with support for custom watch faces built using the matching (and newly available) SDK. The revamp will be especially helpful for iOS users -- we see several fixes for crashes, permissions and power in store. Everyone gets options to disable backlighting and vibrations in certain conditions, too. As such, there's every reason to fire up the Pebble app for an upgrade, even if it's just for some visual variety. [Thanks, Uday]
Remaining black Pebbles set to ship, red flavor due in two to three weeks
Kickstarter backers have been receiving Pebble smartwatches with a black paint job since January, but if you're a supporter and haven't gotten ahold of your own yet, that's about to change. The folks behind the hardware announced today that the remaining watches are out of the factory and are being readied for delivery, making for over 55,000 shipped. Now that noir Pebbles are out of the way, the team says it's hard at work perfecting the production of the devices in other colors, and that the very first red Pebbles should be ready for shipping in two to three weeks. Other flavors don't have an estimated ship date just yet, but the team says orange hardware will come next, with gray / white tagging along afterwards. Those who cherish speed over color can switch their order to a black ticker and snag one within roughly two weeks. On the software side, the e-paper timepiece can now take advantage of five 12-hour watch faces, so long as they carry firmware version 1.9.1. Hit the source link for details on the tribulations of color Pebble production and the perils of plastic injection.
Pebble 1.9.1 firmware update arrives to resolve shutdown woes
Some Pebble owners were understandably perturbed when their smartwatches seemingly went dead after a shutdown -- that's not the best first impression of an emerging technology. Some credit is due for a rapid turnaround, however, as the Pebble team just delivered a 1.9.1 firmware upgrade that should tackle the problem. It fixes a bug that occasionally prevented the microcontroller from reconfiguring itself before the watch went dark, leaving the buttons unresponsive on wake and the Pebble more of a paperweight. You'll still have to swap out for a replacement if your watch has already fallen ill and won't recover, but the experience should be more reliable for already functional watches from here on out. Let fellow owners know how well the upgrade worked in the comments. [Thanks, Daniel]
Some Pebble smartwatches bricking after shutdown, company replacing faulty units
It appears that Pebble's smartwatch is officially feeling its largest growing pain since debuting just two months ago. A five-page long (and growing) thread on the company's forum has some owners describing a bug that's leaving their Pebbles pebbled bricked after shutdown. Pebble's Eric Migicovsky let us know that the company is actively replacing affected units, while examining those being sent in to find out the root cause: We've had reports of this issue, and we understand of course that it's annoying for users. We're replacing any Pebbles for users who report this issue. We're reviewing the Pebbles that get returned, working to get to the bottom of the issue. We have our support team ready to follow up to any user that reports this issue. As it stands, there's no word on whether firmware update 1.9 has any role in keeping the devices from turning on after being shut down. Owners have further reported that no amount of charging their Pebble will help it to actually come back to life. We've reached out to the company for more info on the matter (including nailing down how many units the company has replaced so far), and we'll be sure to keep you updated. For now, let us know whether your experience with Pebble has been rocky at all so far. Update: That was fast -- apparently Pebble has received about 30 reports of this issue since Friday. Here's the official word from Migicovsky: We're tracking a few reports of this issue. Up to Friday, we've had 20-30 reports (out of 30,000+ pebbles in the field). We've gotten several back to the office, and we're getting to the bottom of it. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Editors Letter: Who cares for the UNcarrier?
It seems like a year ago already, but it's been only a few days since we wrapped up our inaugural Engadget Expand event. If you weren't able to join us in person, you missed a seriously good time. Attendees got to take a ride in a Tesla Model S, perform surgery using a da Vinci robotic surgery system and cruise around the show floor on the San Francisco Special edition of the electric ZBoard, which made its debut at the show.
Pebble updates smartwatch firmware to version 1.9, improved interface and Snake game in tow
Sony's not the only manufacturer updating its smartwatch firmware this week. Pebble's pushing an update, too, with a few changes on the way. Version 1.9, which has already begun rolling out to users, delivers a much cleaner UI. To update, head to the Pebble smartphone app and tap "check for FW update." Once installed, you'll find a cleaner menu structure, which groups all watchfaces together and moves primary navigation controls to the buttons on the right side of the device. You can also cycle through faces by simply tapping the up and down buttons -- there's no need to hop into the main menu for those adjustments. There are also some new faces available for download, along with a Snake game, which is admittedly a bit awkward to play on a wristwatch, but it's a welcome addition nonetheless. We imagine the update was released in order to prep users for an onslaught of watchfaces -- a Pebble SDK is due to be released next month.
The Daily Roundup for 03.19.2013
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
Sony updates SmartWatch with notification previews, new watch faces and better search
Now that connected watches have officially become the 'it' gadget to innovate (see: Pebble, I'm Watch and Apple), Sony can't just sit back and let its SmartWatch quietly finds its footing. Which is why the company's beefing up the user experience and issuing an app update that bolsters the Android timepiece's functionality while also giving it several new, pretty faces. Currently live on Google Play for all users to download, the software update adds notification previews for emails, texts and social media alerts, six watch face options ranging from retro to contemporary styles, a more accurate battery gauge and streamlined search. There's now also nearly 200 compatible apps users can choose from to extend the SmartWatch's functionality. You can go ahead and grab the update now from Play or sit back and wait for it to hit your wrist.
Samsung VP confirms work on a watch, among other future products
Rumors of a new smart watch are following more than just one particular tech company, and like Apple there have been suggestions Samsung is working on such a product. Bloomberg reports mobile executive VP Lee Young Hee said during an interview that "We are preparing products for the future, and the watch is definitely one of them." As to when, he only states it's "important to be the first one to commercialize it so consumers can use one meaningfully" -- something Samsung should know, since it's built many watch / phone combos over the years. " There's also no word on what a Samsung watch would be like (that's the S9110 touchscreen watchphone from 2009 pictured above) so until hardware is actually unveiled, we'll just have to use our imagination.
iFixit rips apart Pebble and finds very little inside, even less that's repairable (updated)
Generally when iFixit tears something down we're treated to scrumptious piles of technological gore. Screws, chips, connectors and all sorts of components end up scattered around the table. With the Pebble smartwatch? Well, there's not so much in the way of digital guts to pull out. Upon cracking open the shell, which was apparently impossible to do without shattering the screen, iFixit found a single assembly that housed all the components. Everything from the 120MHz Cortex-M3 MCU to the three-axis accelerometer and the Bluetooth radio was on a single board. It was under that Bluetooth EMI shield where the one surprise crops up. It appears that the Texas Instruments controller chosen for the e-paper watch does not support the wireless protocol's low energy profile, something Pebble lists as one of the specs on its site (we've reached out to the company for clarification on this matter). As you might expect, the compact construction means this is not a particularly repairable device. So, rather than pull your own apart, just check out the electronic autopsy at the source. Update: Well, we've finally heard back from Pebble and it seems the watch does have support for Bluetooth Low Energy. The confusion comes from the fact that, although the TI controller inside is label as a CC2560 (which lacks support for BLE) it actually carries the same firmware as the CC2564 which does support the protocol through Panasonic's RF module.
Hack brings all iPhone notifications to Pebble watch
Pebble watch owners have a good reason to jailbreak their iOS device. A new jailbreak app from developer Conrad Kramer lets the smartwatch accept all incoming notifications, not just the ones from native iOS apps, like messages and phone calls. This hack is available to most iPhone owners now that the iPhone 6 and iOS 6.1 is jailbroken. Pebble owners with a jailbroken device can download the BTNotificationEnabler tweak for free from Cydia. [Via BGR]
New York Times says Apple is developing a curved glass smart watch
In today's Bits column, New York Times writer Nick Bilton says Apple is developing a curved screen watch. Apple has declined to comment on any of this, as usual, but an Apple-branded smart watch been long rumored. There has been a good deal of interest in a smartphone-connected watch. There was lots of excitement around Kickstarter-backed Pebble watch, and I personally tried the iPhone-connected Citizen watch with decidedly mixed and mostly negative results. There's no denying how nice it would be to get mail and messages without having to dig my iPhone out of a pocket, and integration with Siri and other services would be a winner. To add a little juice to the rumor, Corning Glass, which makes the Gorilla Glass used in the iPhone, is about ready to launch bendable glass called "Willow Glass" which might be just the ticket for Apple to introduce on a smart watch. Former Apple UI designer Bruce Tognazzini recently wrote a lengthy treatise about an Apple iWatch, discussing not only the drawbacks and features of existing smart watches, but what the "killer apps" for a wrist-based Apple device might be. The watch industry has been in the doldrums for many years, with a lot of younger users simply not buying watches and getting the time of day from their cellphones. If anyone has a chance at helping the watch make a comeback, Apple is a good candidate. Like all rumors, take this with a few grains of salt, but it makes sense for Apple to pursue this.
