Pebble has started mass production for the Pebble Time smart watch, and a look at the first few features [VIDEO]

Pebble has announced that they have started mass production on their latest smart watch, the Pebble Time. We’d love to say it’s fully great news as it means they’re on track to start shipping soon. The catch? They actually aren’t on time with their original deadline — they admitted this was a week later than they’d like to start mass producing, and that this has caused shipment estimates to move back by the same amount of time.

That said, a week isn’t a terrible delay compared to other Kickstarter projects (which we’ve seen could take another extra few months or even up to a year for the project creators to fulfill).

With today’s news comes a deeper look at the new color-filled interface, as well as a point-by-point list of features that you can expect on day one, and what’s coming soon. The video above will give you a look at how notifications, the timeline system and alerts work on Pebble Time, while the one you see below shows you how it handles weather.

Here’s that list of what’ll be ready as soon as you take out out of the box:

• New timeline Interface. Review Past, Present, and Future events you care about right from your watch. Initial support includes timeline pins for calendars, sports scores, and weather.


• Expanded app storage. Goodbye, 8-app limit! Pebble Time will store as many apps and faces as possible on the watch itself. When needed, an app or face not currently stored will automatically install from your Android or iOS device.


• New Sports app. Keep tabs on the latest MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, NCAAF, and NCAAM scores with an official Sports app. Find which teams you want to follow to get start times, score updates, and more sent directly to your timeline.


• Redesigned system apps in color. Alarms, Calendar, Music, Notifications, Sports, and Settings are all redesigned for Pebble Time’s new color e-paper display.


• Voice replies to Android notifications. Dictate short replies for app notifications that allow direct text replies.

…and what’s confirmed to be on tap for future updates:

• Voice response to Gmail notifications on iOS.


• Voice notes app.


• Stocks app.


• Weather watchface.


• Album art view for the Music app.

Not bad at all. Shipping will begin in the second half of this month, with many of the earliest backers starting to receive their orders in the last week of May or first week of June. Get excited!

[via KickStarter]

Hyundai is the first car manufacturer to offer Android Auto in a production vehicle, starting with the 2015 Sonatas

It’s been possible to get Android Auto in your car for a couple of months now, but we’re still waiting on the first car to offer the smart vehicle system as standard. Wait no more: Hyundai has announced that they’re taking those honors with the 2015 Sonata.

The best part is that you can get the goods even if you already own the 2015 Sonata. Official Hyundai dealers can help you get the update as soon as today if you stop in, though if you don’t mind waiting you can apply it via a simple software update over USB later this summer.

HYUNDAI IS THE FIRST AUTOMAKER TO LAUNCH ANDROID AUTO (PRNewsFoto/Hyundai Motor America)

Android Auto requires a phone with Android 5.0 Lollipop for the deepest level of integration, so if you don’t already have it then you should look into options — official or otherwise — for updating whichever phone you have. Here’s a quick summary of everything Android Auto does to help make your time on the road safe:

• The Google Now card-based experience provides suggested locations and travel times based on the user’s searches, calendar entries and home and office locations, as well as weather information and “now playing” information for music streamed via the phone


• App software (navigation, streaming music, etc.) is automatically updated because the apps live on the phone


• Natural voice recognition with Google voice actions


• Owners can easily bring their personal reminders, suggested destinations, calendar appointments and music preferences with them when they get in their car


• Android Auto automatically pairs with the for phone calls through Bluetooth when connected for the first time via USB


• Android Auto has familiar interfaces that are easy to use and have almost no learning curve

Let’s hope others will follow suit soon enough.

[via Business Wire]