Pebble Time Kickstarter closes with $20m in funding

By David Nield March 28, 2015

pebble time steel news version 1438252766 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

The clever folks at Pebble certainly know how to run a Kickstarter: The new Pebble Time (and Pebble Time Steel) crowdfunding campaign has just drawn to a close, with the final total standing at $20,338,986. That’s almost double the $10.2 million the original Pebble pulled in back in 2012.

It’s officially the most well-funded campaign in Kickstarter history, though not the most popular by number of backers. Earlier this year the Exploding Kittens card game attracted 219,382 supporters, whereas the final total for the Pebble Time is 78,471. With funding now secured, Pebble can begin mass production on its latest smartwatch, with shipping expected in May and June.

The final update on the Kickstarter campaign page shows off some new photos of the Pebble Time and the premium Pebble Time Steel, as well as announcing details of the engraving designs for all Kickstarter backers and the launch of the Timeline SDK Developer Preview. The SDK allows developers to start building connections between apps and websites and the new Timeline interface appearing on the Pebble Time watches.

The Pebble team has also announced that the new devices are going to be water resistant to a depth of 30 meters. Any accompanying smartstraps won’t be though, so be careful before going into the shower.

With such a successful campaign behind it, Pebble will be confident about taking on the might of the Apple Watch when it goes on sale in April. Both the Time and the Time Steel offer a color e-ink screen, the new Timeline interface and a built-in microphone. Battery life is impressive too, with seven days quoted for the Pebble Steel and 10 days for the Pebble Steel Time.

Once Kickstarter backers have their smartwatches, the new Pebbles will go on sale to the wider public, with the Time costing $199 and the Time Steel $299.

Editors' Recommendations

Apple App Store error reportedly saw 20M ratings erased in a week

Topics

Contributor

Dave is a freelance journalist from Manchester in the north-west of England. He's been writing about technology since the…

Deals

Razer Anzu smart glasses deal knocks $140 off the price tag

The Razer Anzu smart glasses placed on top of an open book.

While smartwatch deals have slowly claimed their place in the mainstream, smart glasses haven't turned out to be as popular. Gaming-focused brand Razer, however, is trying to renew interest in smart glasses with the Razer Anzu, which you can currently purchase from Best Buy at $140 off. If you'd like to give them a try, they're available for just $60, less than half their original price of $200.

There have been failures like the Google Glass and Snap Spectacles, and hopeful attempts like Oppo's Air Glass and Apple's secretive project, but the Razer Anzu smart glasses take a different spin on the wearable device by designing them for indoors. While they come with polarized sunglass lenses, their clear lenses are more useful with their blue light filter, which protects your eyes from screen glare to prevent discomfort even after hours of playing video games or working from home. The smart glasses, which also have a built-in omnidirectional microphone and speakers, may also be more comfortable to wear for an extended period of time compared to headsets and headphones. You'll enjoy smooth, stutter-free sound with the Razer Anzu's low latency audio with a 60ms Bluetooth connection.

Mobile

The best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors

Person holding skateboard while wearing the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4.

A new, sleek design and digital bezel help the Galaxy Watch 4 stand out in the crowd and set it apart from the traditional style of the Galaxy Watch 4 Classic. Whether you've picked up a 40mm model with a 1.2-inch Super AMOLED screen or opted for more screen real estate with the 44mm model, that stand-out design needs protecting from scratches and knocks. That means it's time for our picks of the best Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 screen protectors, with something to suit all budgets.

These screen protectors will all fit the 40mm or 44mm models of the Galaxy Watch 4. If you've got a Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 Classic, these won't fit.
Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit Screen Protector

Wearables

How to remove watch links from the strap on your new watch

how to remove watch links fossil q explorist

There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all smartwatch. If your wrists are on the smaller size, then you may find that your new smartwatch is dangling from your wrist and sliding up your forearm. No need to worry — it's a common problem. Chances are there are at least one too many chain links on the strap, but adjusting a metal-link smartwatch band isn't as difficult as you might think — and doesn't usually require a trip to the jewelers.

We'll take you through everything you need to know and the tools you'll need handy to remove links from your smartwatch so it fits snugly on your wrist.