There are loads of tech gadgets that technophiles find useful on a daily basis. But among those devices, there are few that stand out as something really special. Sure, they get the job done well enough and aren’t too much of a pain to use, but there are probably at least a couple other options on the market at any given time that would be equally good. So when someone does find their perfect once-in-a-lifetime gadget match, it is cause for celebration.
That is until they remember the way of the tech world, at least. First the device starts showing its age, then support for it falters, and finally it is of little more use than a paperweight. Off to the drawer of forgotten electronics it goes. Time to replace that old gadget you loved so much with the supposedly “improved” version that is only just barely adequate. No one is ever excited about “adequate.”
Yeah…that’s not going to work for much longer (📷: Pebble Technology)
This story that has played out so many times before can now also be told of the Pebble smartwatches that once crushed funding records on Kickstarter. At over a decade in age, these watches are no longer sporting the latest technology. Yet their hackable simplicity, excellent user experience, and long battery life has kept them on the wrists of many adoring fans to this day — even if there have been no software updates since 2016.
Of course if this trend continues, the drawer of forgotten electronics is the location where every single Pebble smartwatch is destined to go. Connections to smartphone apps will be broken and security holes will grow larger than Crater Lake. It was good while it lasted, but all good things must come to an end.
Or rather, that would be the case if Pebble watches had not just been given a reprieve. Several years back, Pebble was acquired by Fitbit, which was then itself acquired by Google. After some reported pestering by the founder of Pebble — and perhaps the realization that the technology is no threat to their current products — Google has made the decision to release the source code for the Pebble operating system.
Must…keep…working… (📷: Pebble Technology)
This release contains the code for all of the standard functions, custom apps, watch faces, and more. By modifying this source code, engineers can keep the good times rolling. The possibility of updates for security issues, or to restore connectivity to smartphone apps, is now more than just wishful thinking. A group of volunteers at the Rebble project is planning to take the lead in supporting Pebble watches going forward.
Certain proprietary elements in the code (e.g., for chipset support and the Bluetooth stack) have been removed, so it will take a bit of work to get it to compile. But if you have a Pebble that you want to update, that should not be too high of a hurdle to clear. Head on over and grab the code before your watch winds up in the drawer of forgotten electronics!