The possibilities are endless!

The Pebble SmartWatch is not only been the first truly commercially successful Kickstarter project, but also the first representative of the modern breed of Smart Watches. On the sense and nonsense can certainly argue and even the industry seems to know not yet where the road should go and what a SmartWatch as may or may not need. Nevertheless, the Pebble is so far the best representative of this new product type.

Wen only concludes interested, please scroll to the end of the review. There I take everything together in a nutshell. All other interested is warmly recommended the whole review.

:: Delivery / Installation ::

The scope of supply is limited to a quick start guide, a charging cable and the clock itself. The battery is not charged and must be charged before startup first. For this, the mitt supplied USB cable is plugged into the computer and via magnetic closure (similar to the power plugs in Apple laptops) attached to the Pebble. This keeps cable, but the solution is not entirely without, since the magnetic power is relatively weak, and if you are not careful dissolves it (let the best so are the clock at rest) is. Nevertheless, the solution is awesome, because that is the Pebble waterproof! One charge takes around 2.5 hours at me.

Using Quick Start Guide, the official Pebble app be downloaded from the App Store or Play in the meantime. This is not only for start-up, but also for exchange of dials and apps needed. While there are other solutions, but they are more for hobbyists.

Bluetooth must be turned on and then the Pebble (normal BT and BT LE ie connection) connects after starting the app automatically with your smartphone. Then the clock will be short works on version 2.0 Ge updated so that the App Store. However, this is all automatic, takes less than 5 minutes and can be carried out by technical laymen.

:: Design / processing ::

I personally like the design, but tastes are of course different. I like this timeless, understated elegance of the watch body. The (rubber?) Strap material I already know of Activity trackers and find it very comfortable to wear. Get the but certainly at some point wear then replace (2mm each band can be used).

Very positive is the e-paper display, which is wonderful to read even in daylight. It radiates formally when sun shines on it. In darkness, however, it has a discreet background lighting that automatically turns on when you press a button or hand shaking briefly.
Equally remarkable is the small vibration motor, which makes plenty of power. You definitely will not miss any message, and thus can also wake you up silently.

A total of four buttons adorn the pages. Left back and right up, down and enter button. These all have a very good tactile feedback, but are not cumbersome.

All in all, sees the clock of high quality and is very well made.

:: Operation / standard apps and dials ::

The operation takes place completely on the four buttons. A touch screen, there is not in favor of battery power. Amazingly, one misses this but not (to positive effect have no fingerprints and smudges on the glass).

In principle is always the time to read (and not push as another SmartWatch only after a button). With the up and down buttons can be changed quickly between all installed dials. Pressing the middle button opens the menu with the default apps and all additional installed programs and a long press on the back button always opens the last used app.

Pebble has the clock donated a simple music and alarm app. In addition, a display of all missed memories and a settings menu. After that, all other manually installed programs are listed.
The base dials are made of a clock in text form, a classic analog sheet and a digital clock with date.

:: What can the Pebble now? ::

The basic functionality of the Pebble depends heavily on the smartphone used. While maps can be displayed on Android as Google Now, can basically be all releases of iOS directly and without detours on the Pebble Show. This went on Android so far probably only through third-party.

Basically, SMS, phone calls etc. are displayed directly on the Pebble. So it saves just to get to see the pick up the phone quickly why it has for now gerappelt again. For me, the absolute reason to buy, because I do not ever wanted to see on the small screen when an SMS is received. Which tempts it then also quickly unlock the device and look up this or that. With the Pebble I see who has written to me (plus the first line) and can easily decide if I want to answer or ignore the message.
The same applies to calls. This is especially convenient when the phone in the next room and is, for example, is set to silent. One sees on the Pebble and the caller can then take action and run to the emergency phone to (now I ignore so most calls, because they were often not so important that it could not wait).

As I said on iOS In addition, all push messages are also displayed in Notification Center, shown. Whether Whatsapp, Mirror reports or sports results. That is not only fun, of picking up the phone is reduced massively. Meanwhile, the iPhone remains the most time in your pocket or anywhere on the desktop. The use has more than halved to earlier.

Music can be controlled directly on the Pebble (back, forward and pause), track and artist will also be displayed. For everything else, there are wonderful additional Apps.

:: Smartphone app / Store / battery and sundries ::

Since software version 2.0, the Pebble has its own App Store. Software that must be installed before fiddly (and was more for hobbyists), can now be used by absolute layman. First major supporters include Yelp, Puma, Foursquare, Runtastic or many small independent providers who offer truly creative solutions. Some Examples:

- Complete navigation with map, route descriptions and arrows
- Faster check-in with Foursquare directly on the wrist
Search the latest movie times in the area -
- View current departure times of all tracks at the next stop
See weather including preview and calendar on your wrist -.
- Running speed, time and mileage of runtastic or Puma
- Breaking news from the News Ticker

The imagination knows no limits. All Apps are quickly and easily searched, found and installed on the Pebble app. This takes a few seconds. And if it is on the clock no more space, the Pebble stores all other programs and dials in their own Locker (order if necessary to copy simply on the clock).

All apps in Pebble App Store are free, just as all the hundreds of dials, but a few apps require an own Companion app from the App Store or Play and this can cost money. This Companion apps provide their own services and functions for the clock, which are not provided in the operating system of iOS and Android (eg. Routing).

All this is of course at some point on the battery the clock, but thanks to the e-paper display and BT 4.0 keeps this around 5-7 days. Depending on usage and number of push messages I receive, it is sufficient for about 6 at the moment, which is very good when you consider how long to keep other Smart Watches with color LCD display.
Also on the phone to make the power consumption by the new Bluetooth Smart hardly noticeable. I let several BT apps running in the background (by Activity Tracker, Pebble, Companion Apps etc.) and charge my iPhone more often than before.

:: Conclusion ::

Do you need a Pebble SmartWatch? Probably not, but if you have one, do not want to miss one it. My main focus was no longer always right pull the phone out of his pocket and to make the advantage from the unit regardless of the convenience. We all look today too often and too much on smartphones, but to live without the same is almost no longer possible. So now to separate something from the display and only consciously use the phone when it is needed, is an art that is very easy to do with the Pebble.

The functionality is exactly what I expected. Weather, Push messages, calendar and cute gimmicks like navigation directly on your wrist all I have wished for and the Pebble implements this consistently. Reduced to a minimum, without compromising, which is what I wanted. The display is perfectly readable (whether by day or night) accomplished, the software quickly and without loading times, the comfort pleasant despite fairly large watch body and with some gimmick can be so much more with the clock. At the latest ifttt integration the full potential of SmartWatch is only really clear. So I can directly control of my wrist my lights at home, turn on the coffee maker (so I know when I get home from work directly are a fresh cup) or the balcony flowers login if you are thirsty. The possibilities are enormous and even if the Pebble is just the beginning, so is a clear infected after a day of use as much in the networked Internet of Things and what everything will be possible in the future. Until then, I am more than satisfied with the SmartWatch and can recommend it only!

Finally, it should be mentioned that I have no Bluetooth problems. Even if I go out of range of the clock out, it connects directly back without problems or error messages. Here it seems to depend strongly on the phone. iPhones are very reliable, the rest probably highly variable.