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Open source and Smart Watches (no phone)? Advice needed (lemy.lol)
submitted 11 months ago by to c/opensource@lemmy.ml
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I'm considering a smart watch for exercise with streaming music and heart monitor without my phone, but have no idea how they work. Do smart watches have their own app store? Is there an f-droid for them?

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[–] 19 points 11 months ago (3 children)

Pebble ,https://asteroidos.org/,ttgo watch based on esp32 with open source firmware which u will need to modify for own needs

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago* (2 children)

    The modern Pebble has no heart rate sensor, and generally no useful exercise monitoring.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago* (1 child)

    The Pebble Time 2 has a heart rate monitor. I can't say if the rest of your statement is correct or not.

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  • [–] 2 points 11 months ago*

    Yes, but it isn't available (yet). The pebble 2 duo does not, but it has already shipped. I don't know how many are still available and/or will be made.

    Currently the app also has zero support for anything health-related, including sleep. If that will be fixed by the time the pt2 is shipping, who knows. This is probably not a huge problem for op, as he's explicitly searching for a watch without smartphone reliance.

    Even in the old app and on the old pebble watches, anything health related was an afterthought at best, and it also isn't a focus of it officially. The new ones are using the same OS, so are incredibly similar. Which is generally a good thing, but also includes the lack of features related to anything "health".

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    • [–] 14 points 11 months ago (3 children)

    I have been using a BangleJS 2 for the last year, and have quite liked it. There is a companion app, Gadgetbridge, to install on your phone, which is available through F-Droid (there is a Bangle-specific version of it, or a generic version that supports a bunch of other smart watches). There is also an app store (all free software) for apps that run on the Bangle itself. It includes a heart monitor, but no music streaming.

    I've also been watching rePebble as they start making new Pebble smartwatches. I've never owned one, but a lot of people swear by them. They are now fully open source and have an app store. No idea if they can stream music.

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  • [–] [S] 5 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    Thanks, I think I'm following you. Gadgetbridge will let me use the apps without my phone?

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  • [–] 10 points 11 months ago

    Actually, it's more the opposite. Sorry, I don't think I explained too well. The watch works just fine on its own without a smartphone. For functions that require phone and watch working together, Gadgetbridge lets them communicate (e.g. when you receive a text message on your phone, Gadgetbridge will let you read the text on your watch).

    The apps on the watch will work with or without a smartphone. However, installing apps from the Bangle app loader requires the watch have a Bluetooth connection to a phone or computer. After apps are installed, they will run even without the Bluetooth connection.

    Finally, note that the Bangle does not have an internet connection on its own; it has no cellular or wi-fi radios on board. So any apps that require a network connection (e.g. weather) will only work when paired to a phone with Gadgetbridge. I think there are other watches with wi-fi, but I'm not familiar with them.

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    • [–] 6 points 11 months ago

    There are plenty of smart-ish watches that aren't running a full phone OS also, Garmin's watches for example. You can sync them with tools like gadgetbridge

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    [–] 3 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    The only other one not mentioned I can think of is Pinetime, but it doesn't do all you want without a phone

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