Latest news with #CoreDevices
Digital Trends
06-05-2025
- Digital Trends
I've changed my mind about the Core 2 Duo smartwatch and Pebble's return
Table of Contents Table of Contents What changed? It's now a real product We don't need it, but we also do need it Will I actually wear it? What have I done? I've gone back on something I wrote with a fire in my belly and poison on my tongue about the new Pebble smartwatch, the Core Devices Core 2 Duo. I've not really reversed my position on it, but have been convinced enough to place a pre-order, which back in March seemed like a ridiculous thing to do. Here's what changed my mind about the Core 2 Duo. What changed? My overall opinion of the basic new Pebble, the Core 2 Duo, hasn't altered. Practically every other smartwatch you can buy today will be more technically impressive, more useful, more feature packed, better looking, and more durable. It's why I don't feel like a fraud saying all those awful things about it before, in light of what I've now gone and done, because I know I'm still right. Recommended Videos Yet, I've put down $150 (and whatever horrendous import charges I'll face upon delivery) for a Core 2 Duo. I am too late to get a model in the first wave, and will have to wait until July for delivery. What has convinced me it's worth all the money and wait? A big part of it was seeing the smartwatch in action for the first time. Pebble and Core Devices founder Eric Migicovsky demonstrated an early prototype of the Core 2 Duo during the first edition of his Tick Talk podcast on YouTube recently, and although it was hardly an extensive, in-depth look, it was enough to see the smartwatch is not only real, but a true work in progress. Before this, all we had was a few rendered images, a spec sheet, and Migivosky's word. It wasn't enough to convince me to buy. It's now a real product Seeing the Core 2 Duo (all taped up because it's a development mule) on Migicovsky's wrist made the project come alive. I didn't doubt it was real before, but I'm not enough of a Pebble devotee to throw $150 in his direction because of a few rendered images and a promise to deliver. I was also sold by the the way the Core 2 Duo was presented. Migicovsky chose to demo it despite the smartwatch still being a work in progress, which shows considerable confidence, but he was still honest and open about the limitations. He did so sat at a desk in a homemade studio, and I appreciated the friendly presentation a lot. No-one was screaming how it's the best thing ever, and nobody was pompously 'selling' its functionality (or general lack-of) like it would change the world either. It's a simple piece of tech presented simply, and I really liked the conversational, yet still passionate approach. Other companies would have made a lot more fuss about showing their product off, even in the same, far-from-sale-ready state as Migicovsky's Core 2 Duo. Seeing it work, on a wrist, and spoken about honestly (and free from a marketing team's influence) meant it took on its own life. It became a product I wanted to support. We don't need it, but we also do need it Support is a key word in my personal decision to pre-order the Core 2 Duo. I absolutely stand by what I said about it dripping in mostly misplaced nostalgia, particularly in any appeal from the design. I owned an original Pebble so I know it's not going to change my life. If I want to avoid notifications or not worry about battery life, I've got plenty of non-smart watches waiting to be worn. We don't need it at all, because far better examples of high quality wrist wear exist, connected or otherwise. Yet, what a shame it would be if small brands — even ones with valuable name recognition like Pebble and Migicovsky — couldn't produce and sell passion projects like the Core 2 Duo. For every massive brand selling exciting new tech, there really should be smaller, less well-known ones doing the same. But without our support, they won't get very far. Not all of them deserve our attention, and flashy presentations don't guarantee a good product (yes, Humane, I'm talking about you), but there does come a time when you feel confident enough to spend your hard-earned on something new. It does look like the Core 2 Duo is really real, on its way very soon, with the expected look and functionality. It's not that I seriously doubted any of this before. I didn't give it any consideration at all, because a few digital images and a promise or two about the future would never encourage me to do so. It all felt as empty as buying an NFT. Will I actually wear it? If I've pre-ordered the Core 2 Duo to support the project and what it means for wearable tech, does that mean I haven't bought it to wear? It's definitely not the driving force behind my purchase. The combination of my Apple Watch Series 10, Oura Ring 4, and Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses arguably do everything I want from wearable tech today. I'll definitely give it a try when it arrives, and who knows, perhaps I'll love the retro software and surely-its-made-for-kids style? Either way, I've re-examined my position on the Core 2 Duo and I'm very pleased to have done so, even though it's not for the reasons some others championed it.
Android Authority
05-05-2025
- Business
- Android Authority
First Core 2 Duo smartwatch demo is here, with updates on shipping and software
TL;DR Eric Migicovsky demoed the Core 2 Duo smartwatch in the first episode of his new podcast. The watch is still being tested, but PebbleOS is running with watch faces and Bluetooth. US buyers could face a small price hike due to tariffs, but July shipping is still the goal. Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky posted a new video from his garage last week. The video showed off an early version of the Core 2 Duo smartwatch and discussed the project's current status. It gave us our best look at the upcoming smartwatch yet, and Migicovsky also answered fan questions about the future. In the first episode of a new podcast called Tick Talk with Eric Migicovsky, he gave a quick demo of the device, which is still in the testing phase. The unit he showed on camera isn't even sealed up — it's held together with tape and can't actually tell the time yet — but it's already running PebbleOS. Despite being a work-in-progress, features like Bluetooth and watch face support are in place, with some pretty cool examples demonstrated. The strap and charging dongle that will ship with the watch were also shown. According to Migicovsky, the plan is still to start shipping Core 2 Duos in July, but he warned that new US tariffs on China could cause some headaches for buyers in the States. He said Core Devices will try to minimize the extra costs — currently estimated to be between $10 and $25 per watch — by bulk importing the units. Customers outside the US shouldn't be affected, as those orders will ship straight from China. Migicovsky answered several questions from fans, including ones about new features. He's thinking about adding complications, which are little widgets like weather or calendar data that show on the main watch face. He's also keen on better integration with Beeper so you can see chat history, and deeper support for voice-based AI agents like Bobby, which is a Gemini-based platform he has on his Pebble watch. He goes on to mention small tweaks he'd like to see, such as making the backlight less harsh at night and increasing the font size for the clock on the notification screen. While the focus right now is getting Core 2 Duo out the door, Migicovsky hinted at broader plans. Core Devices is working on making PebbleOS easier to port to different hardware. Once the groundwork is laid, creating new hardware running PebbleOS should be easier, whether from Core Devices or others. As always, the Pebble spirit seems to be very much alive. 'I love having a device in my life that just makes me feel happy,' he said, showing off a watch face on his current Pebble with an octopus holding an ice cream cone. Got a tip? Talk to us! Email our staff at Email our staff at news@ . You can stay anonymous or get credit for the info, it's your choice.
The Verge
05-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
The Pebble's creator demos his new smartwatch
After announcing a new company called Core Devices and a pair of new smartwatches running the now open source PebbleOS, the Pebble's creator, Eric Migicovsky, has launched a podcast. In the first episode of Tick Talk w/ Eric Migicovsky, he gives a brief demo of the Core 2 Duo that's still in development, talks about potential new features, and addresses concerns over how US tariffs will affect the price and delivery of the new smartwatches. Migicovsky is still confident the Core 2 Duo – the cheaper model with a black-and-white screen lacking touch capabilities – is going to ship some time in July 2025, but his demo of one of the first units from the factory shows a device with software that's still under development. The familiar PebbleOS UI is there, but basic features like telling time haven't been enabled yet, and the Core Devices team is still working on drivers for vibrating notifications and the smartwatch's accelerometer. The Core 2 Duo will come with a silicone strap reminiscent of the Apple Watch's with a slot for tucking excess length away while it's worn, and Migicovsky demonstrated the tiny USB-C magnetic charging dongle they revealed last month. Although Migicovsky believes the original Pebble team did a lot of things right a decade ago with the original Pebble watches, there are a few new features he wants to eventually introduce for the Core 2 Duo and the Core Time 2, a follow-up that's set to ship in December 2025 with a color touchscreen. Watch face widgets would make it easier to see information like the weather or upcoming appointments at a quick glance, while deeper integration with Beeper – the universal chat app Migicovsky developed after selling Pebble to Google – would improve both smartwatches' communication capabilities. Better access to AI voice agents is something on Core Devices' wish list, given that the Core 2 Duo and the Core Time 2 both have speakers and microphones. And thanks to the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) forcing Apple to open up its devices, Migicovsky says he will support expanded operability with iOS should Apple allow it, potentially allowing users to respond by voice to incoming messages when paired to an iPhone, at least in Europe. The Core Devices team is also doing a lot of work on PebbleOS' underlying architecture and porting it to two new Bluetooth chipsets with the goal of expanding the types of devices the operating system can be used with – not just wearables. But what those other devices might be hasn't been revealed yet. During the podcast, Migicovsky also addresses the effect President Trump's tariffs on Chinese-made goods will have on the Core 2 Duo and the Core Time 2, as both smartwatches are manufactured in Shenzhen. With steeper tariffs for these types of devices on pause, Chinese-made smartwatches are currently subjected to 27.5 percent tariffs, he says, which will potentially increase the price of incoming shipments by $10 or $25. But specifics on how that will affect the cost of the $149 Core 2 Duo and $225 Core Time 2 aren't yet known.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Yahoo
Your Old Pebble Watch Will Come to Life With the New App
Old Pebble watches (firmware 3.x and above) will be compatible with the new iOS and Android companion app launching alongside the Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 watches. While Core Devices is not directly focused on porting the new open-source PebbleOS to older Pebble devices, there's active development by community members. The Rebble project continues to support older Pebble watches, providing functionality independently of the new PebbleOS. Last week was exciting for those who have been interested in wearable tech for a while. After nearly a decade of dormancy, Pebble returned with the announcement of two new Pebble ePaper smartwatches coming this year. Now, we're getting some good news for old Pebble watches, too. The journey has been an interesting one for owners of the original Pebble smartwatches. Back in 2016, the company filed for insolvency, and Fitbit acquired most of Pebble's assets. The Pebble web services were discontinued on June 30, 2018, rendering existing devices mostly unusable. However, Pebble diehards banded together to create "Rebble," an unofficial development group with the mission of extending support for existing devices. Rebble allowed users to switch their devices from the original Pebble web services over to Rebble Web Services, restoring some of the functionality. This was a great community-driven project that saved many Pebbles from being abandoned. With the news of Google open-sourcing the PebbleOS codebase earlier this year and the new smartwatches, there's been some excitement about the possibilities for older devices. Founder Eric Migicovsky addresses several of the frequently asked questions he's been receiving, including the future of old Pebble watches. Will my old Pebble watch work with the new upcoming iOS and Android apps? Yes! We will launch a new app for iOS and Android before we start shipping Core 2 Duo. This new app will be compatible with all old Pebbles on firmware 3.x and above. The new upcoming app mentioned is a companion app for the new Core 2 Duo and Core Time 2 watches. This app will essentially take the place of the long-gone original Pebble companion app, and it will bring back easy access to watch faces, apps, and settings. Currently, you can browse the store at But what about the new PebbleOS? Will that be coming to old Pebble watches? Eric addresses that question as well. Can my old Pebble run the new open source PebbleOS? Maybe! Updating old watches to work with the new firmware is not something we (Core Devices) is focused on, but there is a, among others, a very smart ex-Pebbler working on this and we are helping as much as we can. Are you an embedded developer and want to help? Join #firmware-dev on the Rebble Discord. That sounds like a pretty strong "maybe," which is cool to hear. Of course, if you really want to use an old Pebble, the Rebble project is still alive and kicking. You certainly don't need to wait for the new PebbleOS to be ported over, but it does sound like that will likely happen at some point. This is all very exciting for everyone who has owned or been interested in a Pebble smartwatch. There's something special about an ePaper display and battery life measured in days instead of hours. It's a great option for people who want a more minimal experience. If you'll excuse me, I need to go dust off my old Pebble Time Steel. Source: Eric Migicovsky
