[[2026 Cafe Posts]] I have only backed three kickstarters in my life: **Undertale**, **Shovel Knight**, and the original **Pebble** watche. I’m three for three as far as quality in that regard. So when Eric Migicovski announced that he was reviving **Pebble** in 2025, I hopped on the **Pebble TIme 2** immediately, and finally got my hands on it two weeks ago. No kickstarter, but I’ll call that four for four. ![[Thoughts on the Pebble Time 2-1778353656424.png]] The original Pebble was one of the first smartwatches that actually worked as opposed to being a concept from science-fiction. Before the idea of a smartwatch was even popping off, really. A decade and change later, there isn’t much like it. Hence this resurgence in the first place. From both a purely physical stand-point and what it represents, the **PT2** is a sicko’s dream, but I’ll start with the former. It has an always-on screen with an e-paper display, meaning it gets clearer in direct sunlight as opposed to washing out. It has three physical buttons which can shortcut into different apps, play music and so on. With a bit of muscle memory you can start manipulating the watch without even looking at it. The battery is unreal — I’ve had it for two weeks, and as of this writing, I’m at 38%. I’ll likely go three weeks before needing to charge for the first time (outside of the initial charge of course). And probably the most key: custom apps and watch faces. ![[Thoughts on the Pebble Time 2-1778353761066.png]] Because **Pebble** is open-source, anyone can create an app or watch face. There are many, and they are awesome. [I have a Baba is You watch face](https://apps.repebble.com/babaisyou_b58f3d0a2cd4417cbf4d7105), a [Pokémon watch face](https://apps.repebble.com/pok-evolution_941d62a5c5244dd299b4de4c) that will evolve a Pokémon if you get your steps in, a [tarot watch face](https://apps.repebble.com/tarot-by-dalpek_5f916761e33142d892c962c7), a [kirby watch face](https://apps.repebble.com/kirby_68a395ae8722670009a23809) that changes based on the weather, and more. For apps I have the weather, a medication app, an app that lets you flip coins or throw dice, a tamagotchi emulator, a pomodoro app, and again, even more. All of these apps work flawlessly, and if they ever break or get abandoned, I can go in and update / fix them myself. If you’re an [[Obsidian]] sicko like me, then you know what makes all this exciting for me. Oh and on top of all of that, you can pop open a **Pebble** watch and fix it as much as you’d like, so it can last for 11 years. How do I know? Because before my **Time 2** came in, I dug out my **Pebble Round** and got it working again. It’s like new, despite having come out 11 years ago. What I really love my **Pebble** for is the statement it makes. This is not the world’s most powerful watch, nor will it suit everyone’s needs (although it definitely suits mine). As our tech dystopia accelerates, costs get higher and AI trash infects every inch of the things I love, the **Pebble** stands out as a celebration of human efforts and ideas. It’s made by enthusiests who just want to make something useful and cool. It’s a reminder that tech used to be cool, and not stuffed to the brim with evil mega-corps, grifters, and annoying billionaires. I love my **Pebble** and highly recommend it if you have a tinkerer’s spirit. ![[Thoughts on the Pebble Time 2-1778353676664.png]]