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submitted 17 hours ago by trilobite@lemmy.ml to c/privacy@lemmy.ml

I couldn't find any when I looked around a couple of years ago. Anything these days? And if none are floating on the market, are there any decent wrist watches that respect your privacy and don't send all the dam data home?

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[-] fubarx@lemmy.world 6 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago)

https://lilygo.cc/products/t-watch-ultra

There's also a Plus version.

Also: https://open-smartwatch.github.io/

If you search for "ESP32 open source watch" there are wuite a few out there.

[-] AndyMFK@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 7 hours ago

I have a few Seiko watches, a Citizen, a couple Casios. All of which respect my privacy.

[-] 18107@aussie.zone 14 points 11 hours ago

Pebble has an open source OS and companion phone app.

It's made for developers, tinkerers, and tech enthusiasts. There are many community made apps and watch faces available in the phone app, and fairly good documentation and examples if you want to make your own.

[-] Cramszilla@lemmy.world 3 points 6 hours ago

Whoa! I didnt know they brought them back! I may have to order one! Thanks!

[-] stormeuh@lemmy.world 9 points 9 hours ago

Man I adored my Pebble back in the day, and I'll never forgive FitBit for buying the company just to kill off competition. I kind of want to buy the new one, but with them being based in the US I'm a bit scared of getting a nasty surprise due to import taxes...

[-] anon5621@lemmy.ml 13 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

I guess nobody here knowing about "lilygo t watch" which u can buy on aliexpress it based on esp and entire firmware can be recompiled modified from source code in github https://github.com/sharandac/My-TTGO-Watch It can integrate in gadget bridge too

[-] otter@lemmy.ca 36 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 17 hours ago)

https://gadgetbridge.org/

This is where I'd start

are there any decent wrist watches that respect your privacy and don't send all the dam data home?

I've heard Garmin is decent, and Pebble is coming back

https://repebble.com/

[-] otter@lemmy.dbzer0.com 16 points 15 hours ago

Personally, I'm pretty excited about the Pebble coming back. Cautiously optimistic, but optimistic nonetheless.

[-] OhNoMoreLemmy@lemmy.ml 9 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

Garmin sends all your health data to the cloud and the app won't work without an Internet connection.

On the plus side, they're not part of the Google/Apple/Samsung data ecosystems, and I don't think actually they do anything with the data, beyond computing statistics for you.

Depends how much you're prepared to trust them I guess.

[-] kmacmartin@lemmy.ca 4 points 7 hours ago

Gadgetbridge supports a good chunk of their watches. Completely offline and you can configure watch settings through it.

[-] Ilandar@lemmy.today 6 points 15 hours ago

Garmin sends all your health data to the cloud and the app won't work without an Internet connection.

However, unless something has changed with newer models, you do not need to use the application or connect to Garmin's servers to use the watch.

[-] Tundra@sh.itjust.works 2 points 13 hours ago

however if you want to change goals (eg steps per day) you have to use the app

[-] Ilandar@lemmy.today 1 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

I consider that quite a minor feature (that I don't use) as a Forerunner owner who bought mine specifcally for running and other activity tracking, but Garmin does have a wide range of models so I'm sure there are people who would require the app for other things like you say.

[-] zelnix@lemmy.ml 2 points 12 hours ago

Their privacy policy is good

[-] shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zip 1 points 8 hours ago

I've not played with it and don't know much about it, but maybe the pinetime?

[-] Tundra@sh.itjust.works 26 points 17 hours ago* (last edited 16 hours ago)

there are different approaches to this, but some of these links should help:

Hardware:

https://banglejs.com/

https://pine64.org/devices/pinetime/

OS: https://asteroidos.org/

Gadgetbridge:

I personally use a garmin, which is paired to gadgetbridge

DIY: https://open-smartwatch.github.io/

[-] Sxan@piefed.zip 1 points 6 hours ago

+1 for the BangleJS. So open hardware, you can buy it as a kit you assemble yourself. Or, prebuilt.

I have every model of þe Pebble, including þe absolutely horrible Round. BangleJS is better þan Pebble was, and completely privacy friendly.

[-] codenul@lemmy.ml 1 points 10 hours ago

+1 for PineTime. I have had mine now for 3-4 years. Love the little guy

[-] Defectus@lemmy.world 1 points 10 hours ago

Been curious on pine time. But I'm no developer, just a tinkerer. What can you do on it now?

[-] Nicro@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 11 hours ago

Not to sound stupid, but it really depends on how smart you want the watch to be. From connectionless firmware device to fully-featured Android. +1 for gadget bridge either way.

I have a Fossil Hybrid, that combines physical hands with a 2-color e-ink display. It can't do apps, but it has standalone timers, notifications, media control, pulse/oxygen and step counter. I personally don't need more. It's cloudless and lasts a week.

If you need full Android/WearOS check AsteroidOS and specific ROMs. Hardware tends to be on the older side here.

The only thing that's hard to do is sleep tracking. That tends to rely on proprietary algorithms and cloud compute a lot.

AsteroidOS is a linux based replacement for wearOS (android for watches) which is FOSS and removes all the google privacy issues.

https://asteroidos.org/

[-] piefood@feddit.online 7 points 16 hours ago
[-] snap@feddit.org 6 points 15 hours ago

+1 for banglejs. Been loving mine

[-] jordanlund@lemmy.world 5 points 16 hours ago
[-] Zoldyck@lemmy.world 5 points 16 hours ago

I suppose you're talking about smart watches?

[-] solrize@lemmy.ml 3 points 15 hours ago* (last edited 15 hours ago)

sensorwatch.net is the only one I'd want. Note it doesn't have any data communications to speak of. It's an old fashioned digital watch with some cool features including software thermocompensation for accuracy within a few seconds per year. And it runs on a regular coin cell for a year or so, not a stupid nightly recharge like it thinks it's a phone.

this post was submitted on 09 Aug 2025
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