Pebble has just announced that it will once again be taking to Kickstarter today to launch its brand-new Pebble Time smartwatch, the successor to the popular Pebble and Pebble Steel watches which launched on the same platform three years ago. The company won't need to be keeping an eye on its funding goal of $500,000, though, as it took less than fifteen minutes for backers to smash through the initial target.
There's plenty of reasons to get excited by the Pebble Time, as it's now 20% thinner than the original Pebble and has a new colour e-paper display. While this will no doubt draw more power than the current Pebble's monochrome display, Pebble claims it should still last up to 7 days on a single charge.
The lens itself is made from scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass while the bezel is made of stainless steel. Its quick release mechanism will also let you swap out different watch straps so you can personalise it to your liking. Developers will be able to build sensors and smart straps for it, too, thanks to its smart accessory port.
Another new addition to the Pebble Time comes in the form of a microphone, which will let you send voice replies to incoming notifications or compose short notes and memos, bringing it more up to date with its Android Wear competitors. This doesn't detract from its water-resistance, though, so you'll still be able to use it while you're in the shower or taking a swim, according to Pebble.
The Pebble Time comes with a new version of the Pebble operating system as well. This will make it much easier to use, as it can now organise notifications, weather, news, travel and reminders chronologically, allowing you to see what's coming up next in your calendar at a glance. You'll also be able to scroll back through your weekly stats, too, so you can fish out old emails or check your week's step count.
Compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones, the Pebble Time will work with all manner of mobile devices. Apple owners will need an iPhone 4S or later, while Android users will need to be running Android 4.0 or later. It's also fully compatible with all 6,500+ existing Pebble apps and watchfaces, but Pebble's also working with The Weather Channel, ESPN, Jawbone, Evernote and Pandora to develop new apps for its new OS.
The watch will be available in three colours exclusively on Kickstarter, with a very limited early bird price of $159 or $179 for those not quite so quick off the bat. Worldwide shipping to backers will begin in May. The regular retail price, on the other hand, will be $199, but this won't be available until later this year - so you'll need to act fast if you don't want to be left behind.