Pebble 2, Pebble Time 2 and Pebble Core: Everything you need to know

After a countdown clock on Pebble‘s website hit zero, it launched a brand-new Kickstarter to raise funs to create the long-awaited Pebble 2, along with the Pebble Time 2 and two all-new “ultra-wearable” Pebble Core devices.

The Kickstarter campaign has already smashed past its $1million target sitting on $1.9million in just over two hours since it launched. Currently there’s over 10,000 backers with many opting to pledge for the Pebble Time 2 over both the Core and Pebble 2.

But what’s different about the Pebble 2 and Time 2 from their predecessors? And why should you give a damn about these wearable Pebble Core things? Well, to answer that, we’ll start with the newest toy in the bunch…

Pebble Core

Pebble’s newest and most interesting new project has to be the Pebble Core. Coming in two flavours, one for runners and one for “hackers”, the Core is an Android-powered “ultra-wearable”.

Pebble Core for Runners

Pebble Core for Runners is a lightweight 3G and Wi-Fi-enabled clip on tracker that can stream music from Spotify and sync to fitness apps like Google Fit, Strava, Runkeeper, UA Record and MapMyRun.

If you’re the sort who has their best ideas when at a brisk pace, Pebble Core for Runners also comes equipped with a microphone for voice notes. You can also make an SOS call from the device if you find yourself in a sticky situation.

This version of the Pebble Core isn’t a piddly clip-on fitness tracker. Instead of opting to track distance run by measuring steps, Pebble Core for Runners is actually a GPS-enabled device. It can also feed all of this information to your phone or Pebble watch – meaning you don’t need to go running with your phone clasped in your hand.

Core for Runners also comes with a week-long battery and wireless charging (although you’ll have to spring for the charging pad if you want to use it).

Pebble Core for Hackers

Interestingly, the Pebble Core for Hackers isn’t positioned as a fitness device, or smartwatch, but an all-purpose IoT button. Quite the departure for Pebble, it would seem, but it does certainly sound like an interesting proposition.

Coming with all the features of Core for Runners (GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 3G and microphone), Core for Hackers is also Equipped with two programmable buttons and a fully unlocked version of Android 5 Lollipop. Essentially, it’s a tiny computer on your keyring.

Both versions of the Pebble Core launch in January 2017 and can be had for as little as $69 during Pebble’s Kickstarter. On launch, it’s estimated that you’ll have to fork out $99 to snap up a Core.

Read on for information about the Pebble 2 and Pebble Time 2