The $27 PineTime smartwatch runs open-source software and now it's ready for non-developers - Liliputing
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The $27 PineTime smartwatch runs open-source software and now it's ready for non-developers

This is the smartwatch I own. True netrunners know that the tech we wear on (or under) our skin is a prime entry vector for ever hungry megacorps to bleed the pulsing data from our digital veins, so having a wearable I have full control over is of paramount importance. I can flash it with new firmware whenever I want, the multiple open source options available are all an open book to any hacker worth their cyberlinguistic salt, and I can know for a fact that it won’t phone home with my location or other data to any corporation behind the scenes. If we are all going to be cyborgs integrating technology onto and eventually into our bodies, better to control that tech ourselves!

  •  Critical Silence   ( @CriticalSilence@feddit.de ) 
    3•1 year ago

    Software developer here with basic DevOP, Pi and Linux experience. I heard about PineTime earlier but I was afraid that its too complicated. I saw pictures where its opened so I guess you need a little deeper knowledge about micro computing? Is this project still alive and software on both sides usable or us it more like a DIY project where you have to adjust and work on all the time?

    •  Edgerunner Alexis   ( @edgerunneralexis@dataterm.digital ) OP
      4•1 year ago

      I flashed the updated infinitime firmware to my watch once, when I first got it, and it’s worked flawlessly since with Gadgetbridge, so if you don’t want to tinker with it and just want a simple no-nonsense smartwatch it’s great for that. And everything seems to be in such a good working state it doesn’t need updates at all. At least thats how it is for me. But it is relatively actively maintained.

      As for needing to know a lot of microcomputing to do any tinkering with it, it really doesn’t seem like it — the APIs and stuff for adding apps and functionality to either of the major operating systems for the pinetime seam really easy to use. WaspOS even uses MicroPython for everything! Yes, you can open it up, but even that isn’t to do anything very complicated, it just makes access to the chips for direct flashing (instead of OTA flashing) possible, so that you can recover if you brick it. It doesn’t require any crazy low-level or microcomputing knowledge.