HACKER Q&A
📣 xrd

Is there a good hackable smart watch?


I've owned a variety of smart watches. From Android via Google and Samsung to Huawei purchased in Japan.

I would like to find a hackable smart watch that allows:

  - gps 
  - cellular connection. But maybe just a data connection if I can write my own apps. I really want to record audio of my thoughts while I'm running.
  - programmable? Android apps are great, but I'm open to other things.
  - decent battery life, hopefully 2 days or more
I have been waiting for the right pine64 but it isn't coming. I love my banglejs but it doesn't have cellular.

Are there any interesting things from Shenzhen? Or on Alibaba? I don't need an app store.

I'm really interested in something that can capture audio and submit it, perhaps receiving audio or text back without an elaborate screen interface. If I have that, maybe my kids can use it without getting sucked into the platform of apps and games and all the other awful stuff.


  👤 mcsniff Accepted Answer ✓
The Spectra is on Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/pocuter/spectra

I still rock a Pebble. Nothing has dethroned it.


👤 ClassyJacket
Hackable and cellular rarely go together, unfortunately. Especially on watches. I don't believe any such thing exists.

I'm no expert but I do like hackable smart watches, I own the Pine Time and the Watchy - and I've never heard of an open source cellular watch. Even without that requirement the options are basic.


👤 readyplayernull
I'm building a hackable smartwatch. How much would you pay for it?

👤 ActorNightly
https://www.lilygo.cc/products/t-watch-s3

Aimed at mor LoRa use, but you can def write apps for it.


👤 JojoFatsani
Pebble might be the best hackable. They’re discontinued, not sure how much used ones go for on eBay. But it was ahead of its time, I don’t think there was a wearable that useful until the Apple Watch. No cel, no gps, just the basics.

👤 fragmede
I was looking up the pine time watch, but it turns out they went out of business. what a way to find out.