The original Pebble smart watch originally came out back in 2013 before the company shut down in 2016. They was acquired by Fitbit who were in turn bought by Google and seemed destined to become a footnote in the history of smart watches.

I was very much interested in the Pebble back in the day, but never purchased one

The idea of having a device strapped to my wrist trying to distract me from being present and immersed in the world has never really appealed to me. However my inner geek was always drawn to the retro charm of the Pebble, with it's long battery life and physical buttons

Out of the blue Eric Migicovsky announced that Pebble was being brought back

This time not through a large organisation, but instead by more of a guerrilla approach using a lean team and minimising effort where possible

I decided to jump on board, as I'd always regretted not getting a Pebble originally. In late 2025 my own Peddle 2 Duo turned up in a very minimalist cardboard box along with quite a basic plastic strap.

These days I find wearing a watch a little uncomfortable at the best of times, so I quickly invested in an after market material strap which is far more adjustable and comfortable.

I've had my Pebble for a few months now and typically put it on when I'm leaving the house for any reason.

Good

• Notifications - it's possible to easily tailor these to only a handful that I want to see, which is ideal
• Battery life - with my usage it easily lasts a few weeks, meaning it's not another device like my phone that I need to worry about recharging daily
• Screen - very crisp and clear
• Retro charm - a little like the Minidisc, it feels futuristic whilst also being a little old fashioned