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?
Pebble ,https://asteroidos.org/,ttgo watch based on esp32 with open source firmware which u will need to modify for own needs
The modern Pebble has no heart rate sensor, and generally no useful exercise monitoring.
The Pebble Time 2 has a heart rate monitor. I can’t say if the rest of your statement is correct or not.
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”.
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.
Thanks, I think I’m following you. Gadgetbridge will let me use the apps without my phone?
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.
The bangle is fun for tinkering. It all runs on js if youre into that.
The battery life isnt amazing though.
You can use it just fine with any computer with bluetooth.
The hear monitor works great on it
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
The only other one not mentioned I can think of is Pinetime, but it doesn’t do all you want without a phone
Thanks I realized during this search that even full-flavor WearOS smartwatch only has a slim selection of apps that don’t require the phone anyway.
