If you’re like me, you are still waiting for that one smartwatch to rule them all. Being an Apple fanboy I have to admit that the Apple Watch is not that watch, and even though Pebble was the first major player, it is not there yet either. Enter BLOCKS, a modular smartwatch project on Kickstarter. BLOCKS hopes to pick up where other smartwatches leave off by having the ability to switch and changes modules to add functionality to the watch. BLOCKS is comprised of a core (the brains of the operation) and interchangeable modules designed as the watch links. With the first phase modules including:
- Extra battery module
- Heart rate module
- GPS module
- NFC contactless module
- Adventure module
And scheduled other module development BLOCKS have the potential to keep up with a changing world. BLOCKS is also compatible with iPhones and Android phones via a BLOCKS app. BLOCKS has many pledge points with a $195 pledge getting you a BLOCKS core and strap (no modules). Funding for this project runs through November 9, 2015, and if it is successful will ship in the May 2016 time frame.
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Wondering what you’re “it” watch looks like. Considering you put the Pebble in the same category as the Apple Watch I’m a little suspect as to your smart watch cred. I have a Pebble and it’s a child’s toy – and a toy that doesn’t work very well even when it’s working.
On the subject of committing money to a Kickstarter smart watch campaign – you’d have to be insane. I bet it’s the worst category of any tech to support on Kickstarter. I’m still laughing at myself for backing the Agent smartwatch.
No one can pull off the tech required for a smart watch without huge capital resources and lots of tech and development.
What exactly does the Apple Watch do that the Pebble doesn’t that makes the latter a toy and the former not a toy?
Dang. I really wish this comment board has editing. I hate to look stupid using the wrong “your” because I was typing fast.
@Alan My “it” watch has not been invented yet, although the BLOCKS watch does look interesting. I give the Pebble watch a nod not because it is a great product, I give it a nod because Pebble pushed the category of smart watches when others were still wavering on what to do. I don’t feel the smartwatch market would be what it is today if Pebble had not shown that there was a real interest in this type of tech. As far as the Pebble being a toy compared to the Apple Watch, that’s like saying that the computer on the first lunar lander was a toy compared to my iPad.
When it comes to crowdfunded projects, in my opinion they are all a crap shoot, and like all risk/reward situations you can only hope that the project owners are sincere and committed to seeing the project through.
As far as the cost to pull off this type of project, lack of wads of cash does not mean the developers lack the ability to design and execute the product. Small businesses have been doing this forever, Apple for one comes to mind when it was started in a garage.
I guess for me when something sparks my interest I tend to drop a news post about it here to share it with other. Some will be interested others will not and I am ok with that. When I do post something I do appreciate everyone’s feedback, even if they don’t share my enthusiasm.
Larry g