Review: Pebble Time Round

- Pebble smartwatch has helped to turn the card, but the design of its watches were hitherto mostly quirky mention. The Pebble Time is also trying to entice the fashion-conscious consumer to buy a smartwatch.

appearance

Personally, I can appreciate the Pebble Time Round design, but opinions differ widely in my area. The word carnival is taking even watch cases. I speak slim model and the thin watchcase to. It looks like a normal wristwatch. While other smart watches seem very manly, Time Round has more feminine charm. It is clear which audience Pebble attempts to spawn.

The round case, moreover, has only a thickness of 7.5 mm. By comparison of the Apple Watch is 12.3 mm thick. Furthermore Time Round weighs 28 grams. It ensures together that comfort is high. The device is equipped with an e-paper screen in 64 colors, but do not touch. You'll have to make do with the four buttons that are found on the sides. The screen features a wide white or black ring. I like it, especially in combination with a nice dial, but it will not be everyone's taste.

The Round Time is available in two sizes. There is a smartwatch in black, silver and rose gold with a 14 mm tape in different colors and one in black and silver with a wider band in 20mm. The leather strap is a sliding system so you can easily replace them easily with a metal copy of Pebble or just strap the jeweler.

internally

Normally the Pebble smart watches have a reputation to last on a single charge, but the Time Round must after two days really the power to be recharged. That is the disadvantage of the thin watchcase. It is true that the unit is charged enough, within 15 minutes of one day and 30 minutes for two days.

As with the other Pebbles the Time Round can be used in combination with both an Android device as an iPhone. The screen is always on, which I find very pleasant. You just see at a glance the time, while other devices first right wrist must run before it shall be set screen.

The smart watch is equipped with a microphone for voice control, compass and motion sensors. Furthermore, it is waterproof. The other specifications are here.

Software

With the free app, you can adjust the Time Round to taste. Coupling smartphone with Bluetooth is fast and simple. What, however, you still can not get on the iPhone is to adjust which apps you want to receive notifications on your wrist. Where you can match Android select which notifications you receive it or not, this is not on iPhone. Which is set to Apple developers spend less access to the smartphone's settings.

In the download section there are loads of digital dials and apps. There are fewer as the regular models of Pebble. The circular screen ensures that an update is needed in order to function. About half of the downloadable content is suitable for the Time Round.

Since the February update Pebble Health expanded. This is somewhat limited because the watches are not equipped with GPS or a heart rate monitor. The app keeps track of your activities on the steps you put and how much you slept. The statistics can be used in other applications and on the dials. For the latter you have to overnight it to have the Time Round. How many people do wear a watch while sleeping? In the future Pebble to integrate the agenda so Pebble Health can make suggestions when you have time for a nap or walk between.

Price and similar devices

The Pebble Time Round will cost € 229. With the advent of the new smartwatch Pebble adapted from other models prices. For example, the Time now costs € 160 and € 249 Time Steel. The latter will certainly appeal to men. The steel watch is waterproof and the battery lasts up to 10 days.

For iPhone, the Apple Watch is a clear competitor. This is available in two sizes, namely with a 38mm case (from € 419) and a 42 mm case (€ 469). More expensive, but also have more features such as a heart rate monitor. In Android, there is plenty of choice. The Huawei Watch (€ 299) and the Motorola Moto 2 360 (€ 299) are in style and price are good candidates

Conclusion

Tastes vary and Time Round will not be able to please everyone. Yet I think that the smartwatch will appeal to women in design. The device remains significantly behind other Pebble watches in terms of battery life. It was always something that Pebble is as well able to stand out from the rest. But in this case Pebble opted for style over functionality. Furthermore, it is a fine and decent smartwatch.