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Pebble founder Eric Migicovsky just unveiled two new smartwatches that will be instantly familiar for long-time fans of the brand. The Core 2 Duo and the Core Time 2 boast always-on e-paper displays, long-lasting batteries, physical buttons and simple designs that recall the companys heyday. This is happening after Google open-sourced PebbleOS, which led Migicovsky to announce his plans to make watches for the platform he helped build. That was just six weeks ago and the units are already ready for pre-orders. He works fast, with a stated reasoning that no one else has made a perfect smartwatch for people like us, so Im going to make the exact smartwatch we want. Eric Migicovsky To that end, the Core 2 Duo looks nearly identical to the iconic Pebble 2, though it has been upgraded with modern chips and new tricks. It features a 1.26-inch black and white e-paper display, a microphone, a lightweight polycarbonate frame and an impressive 30-day battery life. It tracks both sleep and steps, and includes a barometer and compass. Pre-orders are open right now, with shipments going out in July. The Core 2 Duo costs $149 and is available in black and white colorways. Eric Migicovsky Migicovsky calls the Core Time 2 his dream watch and that its the natural evolution from the well-reviewed Pebble Time and the unreleased Pebble Time 2. It boasts a 64-color 1.5-inch e-paper display, a metal frame and buttons, a flat glass lens for better visibility and a battery that goes for around 30 days. The Core Time 2 also includes a touchscreen, heart rate monitor, microphone and speaker. It boasts IPX8 water-resistance and, of course, access to thousands upon thousands of pre-existing PebbleOS apps. Pre-orders are available now, though shipments wont go out until December. Its available in black or white, with a potential third color to be announced in the future, and costs $225. Being as PebbleOS is open-source, both watches are fully hackable. This allows for the potential introduction of custom firmware.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/wearables/pebble-founder-eric-migicovsky-just-introduced-two-new-e-paper-smartwatches-160008363.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Brick-building and monster-catching are about to converge, and parents' wallets aren't ready. The Lego Group and The Pokémon Company said on Tuesday that their collaboration will bear (plastic) fruit starting next year. It sounds like the ideal companion for the upcoming Lego Game Boy. The companies haven't yet announced any Lego Pokémon sets or, for that matter, anything beyond the fact that there is now a partnership and that they're targeting a 2026 release date. But the tease will likely give countless young (and old!) imaginations plenty to chew on until we know more. Children love building Legos and training Pokémon, so it's easy to imagine the collab shooting to the top of countless wishlists. While video games based on licensed Lego toy sets have been around for ages, licensed Lego sets based on video games are a newer phenomenon. Lego Minecraft has been around for over a decade, but recent years have also brought sets of Super Mario, Zelda, Overwatch and Sonic the Hedgehog in brick form. "The LEGO Group and Pokémon have strong shared values of imagination, creativity and fun, making this the perfect partnership to deliver unique, meaningful and engaging ways for Trainers to experience the Pokémon brand," Gaku Susai, Chief Product and Experience Officer at The Pokémon Company International, wrote in a press release. "Working with the best-in-class team at the LEGO Group and seeing their dedication and passion for the project has culminated in an innovative and groundbreaking collaboration that will surprise and delight fans. We cannot wait to see both LEGO fans and the Pokémon community's reactions in 2026."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/lego-pokemon-are-coming-in-2026-154206963.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
Apple just brought its Tap to Pay technology for iPhones to a host of new European countries, including Poland, Switzerland, Finland, Hungary, Portugal and several others. This allows for contactless payments. It works with credit and debit cards, Apple Pay and a number of third-party payment platforms. That last one was once a contentious issue for Apple. The company only allowed third-party developers access to its NFC technology, which powers Tap to Pay, after EU regulators threatened it with a massive antitrust fine. Apple has even agreed to allow users to make third-party wallets their default app. This means that many European customers will now be able to access third-party payment platforms without jumping through any hoops. For instance, iPhone users in Finland will be able to use Tap to Pay with Stripe, SumUp, Viva and many more. Hungarians will be able to use Adyen, Global Payment, myPOS and others. Its a veritable cornucopia of NFC payment options. Thanks to the EUs stiff regulations and the regions Digital Markets Act (DMA), America has also gotten in on the act. The company recently opened up its NFC tech for third-party developers in the US and Canada. This functionality came in a software update as part of iOS 18.1. This feature works in todays announced European countries so long as the customer has an iPhone Xs or newer and that they are running a recent iOS version. Merchants dont need any additional hardware to complete transactions. Third-party payment platforms can also integrate Tap to Pay directly into their iOS apps.This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/apple-brings-tap-to-pay-to-more-european-countries-152350220.html?src=rss
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Marketing and Advertising
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