Pebble 2: Affordable Smartwatch You Have Been Searching For

Get you a wearable that can do both. The Pebble 2, a basic smartphone/fitness tracker hybrid combines 24/7 heart rate monitoring and workout tracking with voice controlled messages and 15,000 apps for full customization. A longtime make of wearables, Pebble’s recent and affordable addition to the smartwatch game provides a cheaper, yet fully-featured alternative to Apple and Samsung equivalents, which often fall into a luxury product category.

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A water-resistant (up to 30 meters) smartwatch at its core, with a powerful battery that can last for seven days, the Pebble 2 delivers information in a retro ePaper display (think old-school Book). The device can track calories, runs, walks and swims, while also alerting you to texts, calls, messages, and events through simple voice commands, or a tap of the side buttons. Pebble also includes an integrated sleep tracker, making sure you get the appropriate recovery time after your workouts. The 1.26-inch display, protected by durable Gorilla Glass, is always on, and the upgraded design means less bezel on the sides and a more streamline look overall, according to a recent Engadget review.

The watch can be set up using the companion Pebble App, which houses Pebble Health, the sync feature used to set your goals and track your activities. The app can be used to pair your phone to your watch, and offers further customization of the watch face and notifications. A newly introduced interface feature is Timeline, which allows you to view past and upcoming events and notifications in chronological order. If you want more out of your device, there is a growing list of third-party software, from  RPG games to calling an Uber.

The Pebble 2 is not an Apple Watch, and it’s not a FitBit Charge 2, but rather a bare-bones combination of the two. At $129, not every feature you’d want is packed into the GPS-less wearable, and the design may feel outdated, but if you are looking for a product that can give you a taste of smartwatch life without the massive price, consider the Pebble 2.