Pine64 is on a roll. The company recently launched its $199 PineBook Pro – a quality Linux laptop with all the trimmings (including privacy switches) – and it’s deep in development of the PinePhone. Now the company is breaking into the watch business with #PineTime, an affordable smartwatch companion for your Linux smartphone. How affordable? How does roughly $25 sound?
Pine64 announced the project via Twitter in a way that defies what we’ve come to expect from crowdfunded projects in the same arena such as the Purism Librem 5: they posted a photo of the actual device (not a render), and they’re not taking pre-orders or any kind of deposit until the device is finished.
A fair approach, since PineTime is waiting on FreeRTOS or ARM Mbed developers to breathe life into it.
Here’s what we do know, thanks to a follow-up tweet: It will cost approximately $~25, ship with a charging dock and a 20mm wristband, be constructed of zinc alloy and plastic, boast a heart-rate monitor, and should have “multiple-day” battery life.
“It’s waiting for some love from developers,” writes Pine64.
The company is also developing the PineTab, and is edging closer to shipping its FOSS Linux-based PinePhone, which runs KDE Plasma mobile and is expected to cost roughly $~100.
It also sells an array of single-board computers similar to the Raspberry Pi.
Pine64’s passion projects have quickly formed an entire hardware ecosystem for Linux enthusiasts and privacy-conscious users. I can get my hands on an open source-driven smartwatch, laptop, smartphone and tablet for less than $500 all-in? That’s pretty awesome.
UPDATE: To eliminate any questions of whether PineTime has been crafted from scratch, it’s been brought to my attention that a similar watch design already exists on AliExpress.
Pine64 has confirmed that their PineTime watch uses the same body/chassis, but not internals.
This is not uncommon. Pine64 did the same thing with its PineBook, for example, and many Linux hardware companies like System76 take a similar approach using a Clevo laptop that’s then customized.
Pine64 tells me that the photo they’ve posted is the actual PineTime watch with “their guts.” The final look of the watchface may also change in the finished version.
Pine64 will have many more details about PineTime in its October monthly update.
