Author Topic: PineTime smartwatch Review  (Read 4255 times)

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Offline xtrafrood

  • formerly csmertx
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PineTime smartwatch Review
« on: Sat, 23 April 2022, 16:35:03 »
Reporting in after six months of use of a PineTime with InfiniTime OS.

Thank you PineTime team for designing a relatively reliable, affordable, hackable, lowkey smartwatch (also: Pinecil soldering irons :)).

Full disclosure:
I have no previous experience with smartwatches.  I paid for my PineTime(s).  And before the switch I used a trusty Casio F-91W.

What I like (InfiniTime OS):
Notifications at a glance, vibe timer, vibe alarm, song changes via Android, and display is bright enough to see in direct sunlight.

What I dislike:
The touchscreen can be a challenge for large greasy fingers.  I'd imagine I'd have issues with an Apple Watch too.

It would be cool if (InfiniTime OS):
Two vibe pulses per second instead of one may help with missed timers/alarms.

What I don't use (InfiniTime OS):

Heart monitor, shake to wake, map app, and step counter

Realistic Expectations:
At $30 ($42ish shipped to Florida) this thing will not rival a Samsung or Apple watch.  It was praised by a lot of Linux podcasts (even ordered by some), but as far as I know, there was very little follow through with a review.  Maybe one gave it to their kid, but PineTime is for all ages.  Technical stuff: does not ship with InfiniTime OS (requires flashing via Bluetooth), I have showered with it a few times, I soft bricked my first PineTime while attempting to install WaspOS, and the battery on mine lasts roughly 1-2 days.  Really the softbrick occurred when I attempted to switch back to InfiniTime from WaspOS (YMMV).

Final Thoughts (InfiniTime OS):
To wrap things up before I start rambling, the PineTime is in my opinion is a surprisingly solid entry entrée smartwatch for those that enjoy privacy, and the option to tinker.


Quick PineTime w/InifiTime OS Demo (apologies for quality--on the todo list)