Mixtile GENA is a Wearables Development Kit Inspired by Pebble Watch

The first Pebble watch with a black and white e-Ink display and Bluetooth for smartphone connection launched in 2012 via Kickstarter, and it  became one of the most successful crowdfunding campaigns so far. The watch can now be purchased for $100, but Focalcrest, a startup based in Shenzhen, designed Mixtil GENA development kit with similar features and user interface, although with different electronics components, that goes for $34 on Tindie.

Mixtile GENA specifications:

• Processors
  • Mediatek MT6260 ARM7EJ-S processor @ 364 MHz with 8MB RAM and 16MB Flash
  • Nordic Semiconductor nRF51822 ARM Cortex M0 Bluetooth Smart SoC
• External Storage – micro SD card slot (Up to 8GB)
• Display – “Energy-saving” reflective LCD
• Connectivity – Bluetooth 4.0 LE
• USB – micro USB 2.0 port
• Sensor – Gravity sensor
• Misc – Up, Down, Enter and Power/Return buttons
• Battery – 270 mAh/3.7V Lithium-ion battery (4 to 5 days on a charge for typical usage)
• Dimensions – 27.6 x 40.2 x 9.1 mm

The company uploaded a video showing how to use the kit with an iPhone, that includes Bluetooth pairing, music control, camera control, notification, and fitness tracker function. Android support is also planned.

One major downside for a development kit however is the lack of documentation, and SDK, but this should eventually come online with JavaScript and Open API. Mixtile GENA actually launched on Tindie on July 8th, and a few people bought the device despite the lack of documentation and API, wrongly expecting relevant documents to be released by the time they receive it. One developer already published his first impressions about this “development” kit.

Jean-Luc Aufranc (CNXSoft)

Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.

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