World Mobile News

The Pebble Smartwatch is something most of you will have at least heard of, if not seen. Its presence on the wrist of a fellow commuter is usually a sign of an early adopter, someone willing to wear a plastic-based watch in order to be one of the first on board with the next generation of smartphone notifications. The problem is that badge of honour is as much curse as it is blessing - certainly most of the people who don't really care about technology that I've met while wearing the Pebble ask questions such as 'is that a child's watch?'. A little unfair to the progressive tech, but not a point without a valid basis. So with that in mind, Pebble has brought out the Steel, a watch that removes the plastic and puts metal in its place. It also comes in two 'grown up' straps, leather and metal links (the latter in silver or black), meaning depending on the kind of watch face you've got on your device, it can pass as a 'normal' watch while still gi...

A list full of tools, games and holiday fun Welcome to another edition of our Apps of the Week column, where we highlight an app pick from each of the A ndroid Central writers. We take a bit of time each Saturday afternoon to make up a solid list of apps for you to check out, each one being an app that is currently installed and in-use on our phones and tablets. They aren't always the best-in-class or top-selling apps, but the fact that they're installed on our devices should at least give some idea of their worth. Read along with us after the break and see how this list breaks down this weekend. read more        

Heads up, folks: If you're still looking to get a Pebble smartwatch, Amazon currently has them on sale for $120  — that's 20 percent off the full retail price. Best Buy does, too . We've no idea how long that price will last, and it's only good for the black or red colors. While you're at it, be sure to read through our Pebble roundtable for our take on the wearable. Thanks, Caleb!        

Introduction and design When we're all rocking smartwatches in ten years time, will we thank the Pebble? Some people will say so. Some people argue it's not even a smartwatch yet. But whatever chord the Pebble strikes with you, there's no denying that the watch has gained an impressive amount of admiration, completely smashing past its initial Kickstarter funding goal and reigniting interest in an area of tech that was seemingly dead and buried. It's a fact that seems almost ludicrous for something so understated - but the simplicity is half of what makes the Pebble so appealing. A Galaxy Gear -style kitchen sink watch, this is not. The other half of Pebble's success lies in its customisation and openness. From watch faces to apps, you can completely tailor the Pebble to you, and for the resonable price of $150 (about £92, AU$166). It's the Linux of smartwatches, if you will. Design The design of the Pebble might be its biggest area of contestation. Sure, it...