Pebble Time Round

I've always been skeptical about smart watches. Don't we have loads of variations from Apple and Android wear manufacturing companies that dole out the features included in this devices supposedly tiny and to live on your wrist? To me, it's another complication to add to my life plus, they all seem to scream out "smart watch! look at me!" from the get go.

I don't need a ton of features from a smart watch; those are what my iPhone should do. What I want from a smart watch are 2 things:

• A reliable watch
• Some smart features like notifications and fitness tracker

Then Pebble released Pebble Time Round and it fits the two demands I spelled out above just nicely.

It's a stylish watch with an always display thanks to its e-paper technology. Works perfect with the ample ambient light inside the office - I don't have to flick my wrist or fibble with the button to turn on the back light to see what time it is. Using e-paper meant that it's even much brighter and easier on the eyes in direct sunlight where other OLED based smart watches would leave you scrunching your eyes to check the time.

I opted for the 14mm band because I didn't want the hour markings along the white bezel that the silver 20mm version had. Although the 14mm band was just right for my wrist and the 20mm would've swallowed up my wrist whole, I'm still worrying about finding a good strap replacement. Most replacement bands are available in 20mm.

Currently, I'm still loving the stone colored soft leather that comes with the watch by default but I'm on the look out for a silver Milanese-like mesh loop in 14mm.

People would say the Pebble watches are too low tech compared with the other offerings already available and at around the same price point (I got mine during the holiday sale with USD 199 instead of USD 249). However, I do believe that the Pebble Time Round still holds its ground and delivers adequately and beautifully.

Due to Apple's locking down of its watch API, features on notifications interaction are more limited for iPhone users than Android users.

It doesn't claim to the "be-all-do-all" niche that most other smart watches seem to try to accomplish, having an identity crisis in the end: "Am I a smart watch or a phone?". 

What Pebble does is clearly define what it wants to be and do, and then it makes sure it ticks all those items nice and squarely, even the buttons on the watch give off a satisfying tactile click and pressed.

If you're looking for a gorgeous watch that functions flawlessly as a watch, comes with ample battery life, and performs perfectly on notifications and some added features to get organized and fit, then look no further than the Pebble Time Round.