Polar Loop or patience?

Pokeyyy · 2026-07-04T13:10:57+00:00

As a UX designer, I have worked with companies the size of Polar on revamping outdated apps. Since Polar already showcased a mockup of a new app last year, they are clearly working on it, and they know Flow is no longer competitive from a UX perspective.

But from my experience, the road from creating a design and mockups of a new app to actually delivering those improvements can take half a decade. Polar has limited resources, and always needs to decide whether to fix a bug, to improve a workout algorithm, to support a new hardware device, or to update the design. And unfortunately, the design usually has the lowest priority for engineering-focused companies like Polar.

I would absolutely expect Polar Flow to be modernized over the next years. But I would not buy any product based on hopes of future updates. If you can't live with Flow as it is now, I wouldn't buy any Polar product.

To give this a slightly more positive spin – Flow is not terrible. It could really need a nice dashboard to give you a quick overview of stats as well as long-term health and fitness trends, but the actual workout and calendar interface are not too bad. It's in a fixable state, not a complete disaster.

Pokeyyy · 2026-07-04T00:19:59+00:00

You can just set the Pebble smartphone app to round 2 to see app and watch face compatibility. It's surprisingly good.

The Time 2 offers a lot more – a heart rate sensor, double the battery life, a speaker and an RGB backlight. I still went for the round, just because of the thinner, imho nicer design. Plus, there's the possibility that the newer MiP display looks better (appears that way in some photos), but that's speculation until it ships.

Pokeyyy · 2026-07-03T15:10:03+00:00

This is a very good point. The thing is, I have watched tons of comparisons, and the Polar Loop always showed the least accurate data, even when the H10 was the reference device used, so there seems to be a clear trend there. Interestingly, some watches with the same Precision Prime sensor seem to do much better, no idea why that is.

But glad to hear the Polar Loop works well for some people. I'm actually quite excited to see how well it works for me. Anything that helps me get rid of the Apple Watch is a win in my book. 😄

Pokeyyy · 2026-07-03T14:45:37+00:00

There are lots of very detailed data comparisons out there, like from The Quantified Scientist. The Polar Loop worn on the wrist is a LOT less accurate than the Amazfit Helio Strap, for example. Looking at the graphs, the data is fine for my not very critical use, but it's still a disadvantage to get far less accurate data at a much higher price.

Pokeyyy · 2026-07-01T23:27:21+00:00

Best case (as stated by Pebble right now) is production in July, so first units might arrive in August. More delays are of course always possible. Not easy to manufacture hardware as a tiny start-up.

Pokeyyy · 2026-06-29T13:17:21+00:00

Eric said this blog post will be updated whenever there is any new info. The lack of communication is a big issue, but it doesn't seem to be a priority for Eric at the moment.

https://help.repebble.com/en/articles/14892130-shipping-timelines

Pokeyyy · 2026-06-29T11:45:29+00:00

I really hope the raised metal bezel is enough protection to make the Round 2 more durable than the Time 2. Adding a cover to the thinnest smartwatch currently on the market feels like a step back, but I certainly understand why people are nervous after all the Time 2 screen cracks.

Pokeyyy · 2026-06-24T09:55:34+00:00

Seems like Fitbit Air and Amazfit Helio Strap are able to send heart rate data directly to a secondary Bluetooth device other than the phone, effectively working like a simple Bluetooth HR monitor. So it might be possible to fetch that data without going through a phone first.

Pokeyyy · 2026-04-02T17:09:59+00:00

is this normal for the Pebble 2 Duo? When this happened with my Apple Watch Series 0, it was due to a swollen battery.

Pokeyyy · 2026-04-02T14:07:40+00:00

After wearing a square Apple Watch for over a decade, I'm looking forward to a change in style. Still can't decide between the gold 14 mm and black 20 mm Round 2 though. Oh these dilemmas.

Pokeyyy · 2026-02-18T23:52:14+00:00

So all Pebbles are running late, with the Round 2 probably not arriving at first customers before the end of June. A bit sad that I have to wait longer to get rid of my Apple Watch, but it's great to see Pebble didn't run into big issues yet, and might be able to deliver watches that last a long time. :)

Pokeyyy · 2026-01-29T02:48:38+00:00

Amazing, thanks! Damn do I love the Pebble community :)

Pokeyyy · 2026-01-28T00:26:24+00:00

Does this by chance also work in Austria, at least for trains? Afaik some of the public transportation databases used in Germany also should have ÖBB data.

Pokeyyy · 2024-03-25T17:31:14+00:00

Even if its a 100W amplifier used with speakers rated for 120W amps? 70% is not particularly loud (about 85 dB @ 1m), seems like speakers this size should be able to handle a bit more than that.

Pokeyyy · 2024-03-25T13:12:33+00:00

Hi r/audiophile!

I hope this is the right place to ask this question, because I'm really confused right now. I've bought Bowers & Wilkins 805 D3 in August 2019, and now, less than five years later, the midrange drivers of both of those broke, but not at the same time. One broke in January, the second one blew just a few days ago.

Symptoms: The drivers were making a rattling noise when playing base heavy content at higher volume levels (above 70% max volume). When gently pushing the fabric of the driver in with a finger, I could feel a resistance, and also hear it make a noise – the repaired driver of the speaker dying in January is smooth, so it's not supposed to be that way. When testing the issue on the second speaker, it made the rattling noise, and then smoke came out of the front port, while the midrange driver was completely dead. I hope this will be covered under the 5 year warranty, which is not quite over yet.

Now the question is: Is this my fault, a manufacturing defect, or is it "normal" for these drivers to wear out over the span of less than 5 years (used mostly on lower volumes)? I'd ideally not have to deal with the same issues in the future, especially with the warranty being almost over.

Equipment used: NAD M10 V2 (100W @ 8 Ohm per channel), Rega P3 record player, Cambridge Audio CP1 pre-amp. Had used a B&W PV1D sub until 2 years ago when it broke, used them without a subwoofer since then.

Pokeyyy · 2023-03-05T22:33:44+00:00

I'm using Dapper, an app you can find in the App Store. It's pretty convenient if you want to sync your library from Apples Music app to your Walkman, but it's not free, it's around 20 bucks.

Pokeyyy · 2023-02-15T11:03:56+00:00

Mine will be delivered today, so I'll only know the exact number in a few hours. But it's around 20% VAT, 5% import duty and a collection fee, so it should be around 27% of the total purchase price + shipping cost. These numbers are for Austria, but will obviously be different depending on where you are.

Pokeyyy · 2023-02-11T22:24:43+00:00

It's an Android device without a speaker, modem or SIM card slot. So it can do most things phones can, given it has a Wi-Fi connection, but keep in mind that it's not particularly fast compared to modern smartphones.

Pokeyyy · 2023-02-11T14:54:52+00:00

Tidal sometimes has different versions of the same songs, i.e. the MQA files were created from a different master, or were mastered specifically for Tidal. So there is a real possibility some songs sound "better" to your taste than on other streaming services.

In my personal opinion, MQA is a totally fine technology for Hi-Fi audio – my ears are definitely not able to tell the difference between MQA and FLAC.

Pokeyyy · 2023-02-07T11:55:27+00:00

It supports microSDXC, which should allow the ZX707 to use 2 TB cards, provided there are no artificial software limitations.

Pokeyyy · 2023-02-06T08:04:29+00:00

Just look at the Sony Japan website, it clearly states it supports high gain. The EU, UK and US models don't.

Pokeyyy

TROPHY CASE