TicWatch Pro 2020 with Ubuntu Touch as a PineTime Pine64 device?

[Peter Gamma]

I m interested in Linux watch. I cam across the TicWatch Pro 2020. Posting here is a bit off-topic, but what makes a Pine64 device a Pine64 device? Does it need an Allwinner A64 processor?


I compaired the specifications of the PinePhone, the PineTime and the TicWatch Pro:


The PinePhone uses an Allwinner A64 processor, which has four Cortex-A53 cores clocked at 1.152GHz and a Mali-400 MP2 GPU. Its frame and case cover is made of plastic. It contains a 5 megapixel back camera and a 2 megapixel front camera and a USB-C port with USB 2.0 that supports DisplayPort alt-mode


PineTime Smartwatch

• Display: IPS capacitive touchscreen, 1.3 inches (240 x 240 resolution)
  
• Communication: Bluetooth 5 Low Energy.
  
• Sensors: Accelerometer and Heart Rate Sensor.
  
• Battery: LiPo 170-180 mAh.
  
• CPU: 64MHz ARM Cortex-M4F.
  
• SoC: NORDIC Semiconductor nRF52832 (or nRF52840)
  

TicWatch Pro 2020 specifications

• Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 2100
  
• Display: 1.39 inches AMOLED with 400x400 pixels resolution Gorilla Glass 3
  
• Operating system: Google Wear OS
  
• RAM: 1GB
  
• Storage: 4GB internal storage
  
• Bands: 22mm leather/silicone hybrid
  
• Connectivity: Bluetooth 4.2 LE, 801.11 b/g/n WiFi, GPS/Galileo/GLONASS/Beidou, NFC
  
• Sensors: Accelerometer, Heart Rate Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Ambient Light Sensor
  
• Rugged ratings: IP68 dust/water resistant rating and MIL-STD 810G shock resistance
  
• Battery: 415 mAh non-removable
  
• Dimensions: 45 x 45 x 12.6mm and 222 grams
  
• Colors: Shadow Black and Liquid Metal Silver
  

There is custom ROM for the TicWatch Pro available. It is quiet advanced with 402 pages:


https://forum.xda-developers.com/smartwa...13/page402


The TicWatch Pro has a touch display, and it should be possible to run Linux on Android on it, and therefore Ubuntu touch on Android. With such an advanced custom ROM, it should also be possible to access the watch buttons and control those from Ubuntu touch.


What do you think about this project?

[Peter Gamma]

It does not necessarily have to be Ubuntu Touch, also a simpler version of Linux would do the job. With the current PineTime, it is not possible in an easy way to implement a Linux sports watch:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...e+computer

with the Ticwatch Pro and Linux, it would be easier.

---

To be more accurate, it would be a Ticwatch Pro with custom ROM and Linux on Android wear:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Rjvs4aFS5g

[danielt]

I think one of the most striking characteristics of Pine64 products is that they work to reach the widest possible audience through careful cost optimization both during manufacturing, supply chain and sales.

AFAICT the TicWatch Pro 2020 is more expensive than even the flagship Pine64 products and, more specifically, it is >10x more expensive than a PineTime! It is a different product targetting (radically) different requirements.

[Peter Gamma]

You are right. But with for instance BrainFlow software which runs also on Linux, the Ticwatch pro would be the most affordable device on the marked for ECG,MEG,EEG data, etc:

https://brainflow.readthedocs.io/en/stable/

a Linux Ticwatch Pro could be used for sampling for instance heart rate variability data, but also EEG data.  There are watches available on the market which can measure heart rate variability and also EEG data like the SOMNOwatch plus:

https://somnomedics.de/en/solutions/slee...ctigraphy/

but these devices are much more expensive.

[KC9UDX]

You do tend to get what you pay for.

[Peter Gamma]

I see that there is a growing interest in very affordable Open Source Smartwatches and also in very expensive ones. Unfortunately, the community of developers of these devices is still small.  I m a big fan of these devices. Should they not be promoted as much as possible? I m promoting these devices wherever I can:

https://forum.xda-developers.com/smartwa...0-t4166623

[danielt]

I see that there is a growing interest in very affordable Open Source Smartwatches and also in very expensive ones. Unfortunately, the community of developers of these devices is still small.  I m a big fan of these devices. Should they not be promoted as much as possible?

The PineTime is an exciting project precisely because it is creating a community around which the developers interested affordable smartwatches can coalesce (and there is no doubt that it is attracting a wide range of developers at present). However it seems to me that the communities interested in affordable smartwatches based on microcontrollers are likely to be disjoint from the communities interested in very expensive smartwatches built on more powerful hardware.

[Peter Gamma]

O.k. I understand. But also an affordable smartwatch based on less powerful architecture would be desirable, under the condition that it can run Linux software on it. Garmin watches for instance are as far as I know Linux based watches. These watches allow very limited control of the user over the watch by their Connect IQ platform. The only alternative which THIS IS ANT+ offers are Rasperri PI based projects which run also on Linux. Therefore I'm only interested in smartwatches which can run Linux.

[antoinem]

I think one of the most striking characteristics of Pine64 products is that they work to reach the widest possible audience through careful cost optimization both during manufacturing, supply chain and sales.

AFAICT the TicWatch Pro 2020 is more expensive than even the flagship Pine64 products and, more specifically, it is >10x more expensive than a PineTime! It is a different product targetting (radically) different requirements.

I agree.
SIBLIM: Small is Beautiful, Less is More.