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Pebble Smartwatch Crushes Kickstarter Record With $3 Million in 4 Days

Angela Moscaritolo
 & Angela Moscaritolo Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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If you thought it was impressive when game developer Double Fine raised $3.3 million on Kickstarter in 60 days, then get ready to have your mind blown.

A new project to make a smartphone-connected watch has broken that record – after just four days. The Pebble smartwatch, which launched on Kickstarter last week, has already raised more than $3.5 million, making it the most-funded Kickstarter project ever. In just 12 hours, Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky and his team raised more than $500,000 for the project, crushing their goal to raise $100,000 during the 40-day funding period.

"We are the most funded Kickstarter project ever thanks to you!" Pebble's Rahul Bhagat, wrote in a message Tuesday on Kickstarter. "The Pebble team and I really appreciate your commitment and backing. It's been an incredible couple of days and we're amazed at how many people share our vision."

The Pebble smartwatch connects to iPhone and Android smarthphones via Bluetooth, and vibrates when the phone receives an incoming call, email, or text message. Android users can view their text messages on the watch, but this functionality is not available for iPhone users.

The watch is water-resistant and sports an electronic-paper (e-paper) display that is easily readable outdoors. It can be customized with several apps designed for cyclists, runners, and golfers. Another app lets users control music on their phone, and Pebble said more apps are in development.

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Pebble Technology, which has been designing smartwatches for three years, already has a working prototype of the device and said it is close to entering production. When it posted its Kickstarter page, the team said it was looking for contributions to help fund production, large component orders, and global Bluetooth certification.

Meanwhile, just last week Sony launched a similar product. Sony's SmartWatch connects to Android smartphones via Bluetooth and displays text messages, emails, and social media updates.

For more, see PCMag's "The Digital Watch: A Brief History" slideshow below. Also check out our recent interview with Kickstarter co-founder Yancey Strickler.


About Our Expert

Angela Moscaritolo

Angela Moscaritolo

Managing Editor, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I'm PCMag's managing editor for consumer electronics, overseeing an experienced team of analysts covering smart home, home entertainment, wearables, fitness and health tech, and various other product categories. I have been with PCMag for more than 10 years, and in that time have written more than 6,000 articles and reviews for the site. I previously served as an analyst focused on smart home and wearable devices, and before that I was a reporter covering consumer tech news. I'm also a yoga instructor, and have been actively teaching group and private classes for nearly a decade. 

Prior to joining PCMag, I was a reporter for SC Magazine, focusing on hackers and computer security. I earned a BS in journalism from West Virginia University, and started my career writing for newspapers in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.

The Technology I Use

My little Florida beach bungalow is brimming with smart home tech. I have a smart speaker or display in every room, allowing me to control other connected devices by voice. The Nest Hub on my bedside table lets me set wake-up alarms, control my smart light bulbs, and set the temperature on my smart thermostat. I use the Amazon Echo Show 8 on my kitchen counter to browse recipes, reorder protein powder, check the weather, and watch the news while I do dishes. 

Because I suffer from allergies, air purifiers are essential. My favorite model is the Dyson Purifier Cool TP07, which doubles as a fan and continuously sends indoor pollution data to its companion mobile app. 

My pitbull Bradley sheds, so a good robot vacuum is a must. I currently use a premium Ecovacs Deebot that can both vacuum and mop, empty its own dustbin, and wash its own mop cloth. 

For fitness, I like to mix up my routine with cycling, indoor rowing, running, and strength training in addition to yoga. I take classes on the Tonal 2 smart strength training machine, I row indoors on an Aviron machine, and track my beach runs with an Apple Watch while listening to music on my Apple AirPods Pro. On the weekends, I love riding e-bikes like the rugged, beach-friendly Aventon Aventure for fun and fitness.

My job involves a lot of virtual meetings, so a quality webcam, microphone, and ring light are important. I use the Jabra PanaCast 20 webcam, the Elgato Wave: 3 microphone, and a Yesker tripod ring light. 

As for my preferred phone platform, I'm an iPhone person, but I've also extensively used Android for product testing.

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