This is the first in a series of posts exploring how to build a smartwatch in 2025! Plus a dive into my box of ancient hardware projects.
Special guest - Jingming, CEO of SiFli
SF32LB52x reference guide: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FV5-n6thM8XkzVQeAap2eJv97sCO_NrG/view
Github: https://github.com/OpenSiFli
Get a new PebbleOS watch!
https://store.rePebble.com
0:00 Intro
0:55 What makes up a smartwatch?
1:50 Tour of my Ancient History box
5:27 Movie magic in the first Pebble Kickstarter 😅
6:19 Constraint maximization
8:22 Hardware subsystems
9:23 Picking components...
10:06 How do you pick a chip?
12:33 What is an MCU?
15:30 Core 2 Duo MCU
16:43 Core Time 2 MCU reveal!
19:15 Why we picked SiFli SF32LB52J chip
21:20 Interview with Jingming - SiFli CEO
21:37 Why did you start a silicon company?
22:30 What's your background?
25:20 How does one start a silicon company?
32:21 What was your insight that drove SiFli?
35:30 SiFli and open source (no NDA needed)
37:30 What does your dream smartwatch look like?
41:15 Favourite gadgets
44:00 Future of MCUs
47:30 Favourite embedded hack