CES 2013: Pebble smart watch shipping to backers on 23 January

I am a sucker for cool Kickstarter projects and backed the Pebble watch last year. This was a very successful Kickstarter project (something like 85,000 units were ordered) and the good news for backers came today at CES where the Pebble CEO announced that watches will start shipping on 23 January. I look forward to receiving my Pebble E-paper watch soon and think I ordered it in orange.

The Verge spent some time with the Pebble at CES and the more I see the more I am excited about this device. It connects with iOS and Android devices, has Bluetooth 4.0, an accelerometer, and an e-paper display with a resolution of 144 x 168. It looks to be pretty basic to start with, but is fairly open so developers will enhance the watch and enable more functionality. One app we know will integrate with the Pebble is RunKeeper and as a person who has been running a lot the past eight months I look forward to testing out that integration.

Some of the information presented in the press conference today included the fact that it is water resistant to 5 atmospheres and has a magnetic charging cable (I was wondering how we were going to charge it up). You will be able to connect it to your device and get text messages, emails, and missed call notifications. Watch faces can be changed and music can be controlled.