Video

There's no real trick - some are easier than others, but it can take several minutes for the heat to get right through the glass to the glue. If it really doesn't move you can get a thin scalpel/razor blade and push it between the glass and plastic - if you push in gently it should nudge the LCD over slightly and that may be enough to loosen the glue enough for the suction cup. If you push in and lean it over you can lever the display out but it can dent the plastic slightly (and risk cracking the screen if you're not careful) so should really be a last resort

The case is made of ABS plastic so acetone would dissolve it :( What do you mean by "support for the electronic board"? Do you mean the watch body itself? I'm afraid we don't sell those

There's a bit of information on it in the readme for the Messages UI app: banglejs.com/apps/?id=messagegui&readme - that might be what you're after? But if you have other questions it might be better to ask in the forum at forum.espruino.com/

Hi - I'm not quite sure what you mean. You mean Bluetooth Central (so the ability to connect to other devices)? That works on all Bluetooth Espruino boards we sell.

@@Espruino oh I'm sorry I mean like capacitive touch... like on pin d11 on the puck.js... but on the smaller MDBT42Q

@@StuartDesign Ahh right. Well, capsense direct on that pin is built into the Puck.js because it needs an extra resistor in there. But if you use two GPIO and add a resistor then you can use this code to do it on any Espruino Bluetooth board: www.espruino.com/NRF52LL#hardware-capacitive-sense-on-two-pins

There are a few interesting suggestions at electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/249140/how-can-i-make-connection-on-pcb-circuit-board-holes-without-solder-for-proto but personally i just poke the wire through the whole, twist it back onto itself and around, If you want to do a lot of prototypes with it I'd consider soldering on pin strip and poking it into a proto-board. However in this case, you're dealing with voltage from a car battery that you *really* don't want to short out or connect to places it shouldn't (if 12v gets on one of the board's GPIO pins it'll kill it instantly) and only 4 connections to the board, so I'd say soldering would be a pretty good idea in this case.

Yes - it works great with ESPHome Bluetooth scanners here at least - I use a bunch of them dotted around the house. You just need to adjust the scan interval as by default they only scan 10% of the time so it's easy for them to miss things

Hi! We do have plans on making one eventually, but it likely wouldn't be for at least another 2 years - one of the main buyers of Bangle.js are companies, and to them, having devices discontinued is a total pain so it's good to be able to offer products with a longer life. Realistically a Bangle.js 3 will probably be a similar device to now - a slightly better display, but still sunlight readable, long battery life - just more buttons and user-serviceable. We don't really want Bangle.js to compete with the Apple Watches of the world - an Open Source project with one full time engineer can't compete with companies with multi-billion dollar budgets - we're just going to end up with a bunch of disappointed customers. The Bangle.js 2 hardware has been capable of blood oxygen monitoring for a while (all but the very first batch of KickStarter watches) - so a software update could add the functionality (some users were working on it but I have't heard back). Whether the it's actually a reliable reading remains to be seen though!

@@Espruino Thanks for the responds! I can totally understand discontinuing the Bangle.js 2 would be a pain. Nice to see that maybe in 2 years bangle will release its third version. And I had zero idea bangle did Blood oxygen, perhaps that could be a potential update, as it just seems like wasted potential. Anyways, thanks for the responds, I wasn't expecting one at all. Very informative :D

Please can you ask in the forum and post up exactly the code you're using?

will do@@Espruino

Hi - this is a Bangle.js 2 that you bought? CZcams comments aren't the easiest way to solve things, so maybe you could post on the forum? forum.espruino.com/ Ideally though, try a factory reset in case something you installed/changed is using up so much power it runs the battery down and can't charge (eg GPS on constantly) and also try plugging the charge cable into a different USB charger just in case.

Hi! You may have some success just changing the "Default Alarm Pattern" in Scheduler settings. By default it's two short buzzes, but you can make it 3 long buzzes (===) or even something custom which can make a big difference to how much you feel it. But in theory yes, you could change the motor. I did look at getting it changed but the manufacturer didn't want to do it because they were concerned the increased vibration and also power draw might cause problems, so I think you'd want to be careful.

Hi! Yes, it's totally usable as a watch from the moment you get it from the box - there are hundreds of pre-made apps you can use, but if you do ever want to change it, all the source from those apps is easily available so it's easy to change the apps or make new ones. The GPS is fine for logging runs/etc, but you do really need to upload AGPS data using the app loader before you use it to ensure it'll get a fix in a few seconds (it's easy to forget that phones with an internet connection do it automatically). If you just start the GPS and leave it to find satellites on its own it can take several minutes or fail completely if you're moving the watch around a lot.

@@Espruino thank you for the clear detailed explanation. I come from the Tomtom Runner 2 and as you may know, Tomtom have discontinued their Sports activity to focus only on navigation. As a consequence, my watch is almost only a step and calories counter, and heart rate sensor without possibility of exporting data and running tracks. For this reason, I am looking for another option that wouldn't involve the dependence on dedicated servers that can live the same fate as Tomtom's. That is why the bangle.js sounds as a good alternative. Besides, regarding the GPS starting sequence, I had the same issue with my current watch and there was a QuickGPS function, so it is not much different. Thanks anyway.

We do have a tool that lets you load pre-made code onto one of our boards with a few clicks from a web browser (espruino.com/apps) - if you're actually interested in this I could add the game, but even now it's really simple. Just go to www.espruino.com/Pixl.js+Pong then click the little coffee cup icon in the bottom right of the code there, click connect in the top left of the page that comes up, then the upload button, and it's done. You don't have to type a thing.

I'd suggest a "neutral cure" silicone sealant. The neutral bit is important though because acetoxy silicone sealant lets of acetic acid when it goes off, and that could corrode the PCB.

@@Espruino thank you

There are two pins on the rear of the board (under the battery) called UARX/UATX which I think may be unused and you could maybe solder a sensor onto - but it'd be quite a big job to do. The standard IR sensors like www.espruino.com/IRReceiver are really just too big to fit in the watch itself

@@EspruinoFirst of all thank you for responding, great job with the projects man. I will try and do what you suggested unless you have another idea. I am aware of the spacing issue , that's why Im going to try to get in a case like the casio AE1200. Also not sure if there are any battery consumption concerns. I did try sending an email to the mentioning the a casio module like bangle. Let me know if you do like paid sessions so con ask you a couple of questions.

@@Espruino Was just reading and it seems I can just add a IR transmitter and use the receiver on the Puckjsv2 to get the codes. Do you think that would be easier ?

@@Marcos32709 adding an IR transmitter would definitely be easier - there are two pins, UARX/UATX on the board that you could just wire an IR LED across - although that would still mean peeling back the battery for access. It would be an interesting project but still quite difficult. If you're just trying to control a TV or something like that, just putting a Puck.js (which already has an IR transmitter) by the TV and then controlling the Puck from the Bangle via Bluetooth would be by far the easiest option.

On Android Gadgetbridge provides some logging of data, or if you record runs using the built-in GPS you can download the data in a format that works with Strava/etc - but there's no 'integration' as such, or ability to import data from Apple Watch. If you're seriously into health tracking and want a deep integration (and don't want to do some work yourself to get things exactly as you like them) then Bangle.js may not be for you I'm afraid.

@@Espruino Cool, thank you.

When the watch is running normally the screen is on and showing graphics, but the backlight is off. When the screen is showing stuff but has no backlight it's drawing virtually no power at all (about 10 millionths of a Watt!). It's very easy to customise the OS as well - for example there's an example of changing the built-in message screen at www.espruino.com/Bangle.js+Modification - but even if you want to go far deeper it's all Open Source and easy to compile and upload new binaries

sad that the display is very dim and it’s unreplaceable though.

@@Jack_the_pngtuber at the very least the screen is transflective just like the pebble so it is actually extremely bright in the sun

@@exxon47_ yes but very inefficient for a torch app

I just added a labelled picture here showing where each IC is: www.espruino.com/Bangle.js2+Technical#pcb

You can't use a wired connection on Bangle.js 2 I'm afraid. You may be able to open www.espruino.com/ide/remote/ in a Web Bluetooth capable web browser on the iPhone and communicate with the Bangle that way though (you can then run espruino.com/ide on desktop and initiate a remote connection). On Android if you're using Gadgetbridge there's a remote connection button in Gadgetbridge's App Loader

Yes, if you do Bangle.setOptions({btnLoadTimeout:0});setInterval(()=>E.kickWatchdog(),1000) it'll never reset from a long-press - if you want to be able to reset it with a very long press, you can adjust the call to kickWatchdog to stop calling it after the button has been held for a certain amount of time

Shame it's different, but since you know what to write you're 90% there now! It should be pretty easy to tweak the code - change the UUID strings to just 0xFFD5/etc and the byte array to [0xcc,0x23,0x33] and you'll be fine - feel free to post up on the forum if you have any issues though

@@Espruino I'll give it a go this coming weekend. Thanks for the encouragement.

Yes, although you do need to use a soldering iron. Because usually the Bangle can last over a week without recharging, it should be relatively unlikely that you have to replace it though.

The nRF52833 or nRF52840 offer more RAM, storage, USB and some newer Bluetooth features, but for the vast majority of uses the nRF52832 (in the MDBT42Q) is still more than good enough. When we release new boards we'll probably do so using the newer MCUs to future proof them though.

@@Espruino thanks!

I came here to suggest that a 3D printer bed was an ideal tool for reaching a stable 100⁰C. ☮️❤️🌈

Yes - unfortunately I forgot to suggest a 3D printer bed in the video (which was one of the reasons I did this!). You have to be careful if you have a magnetic bed as they can lose their magnetism around 100 degrees C, but I routinely run my cheap Ender 3 heated bed at 80 (sometimes over) for ABS prints and it's been ok.

@@Espruino it's an Ender print bed with a cheap PEI spring steel magnetic print surface. I hadn't even considered damage to the magnetic sheet. Hot air from a soldering station works wonders. Minimum I could set it to was 100° and I aimed at the perimeter of the screen, trying to target the glue.

Wow, that's interesting! No, I'd never noticed that. Maybe it allows the drill battery to detect if it is inserted into a drill that has a connection to that third pin (which would short them together)? It doesn't really explain why half-sliding it in would make the drill work though!

The drill connects to the furthest part of the third sliding connector, the near part if it is not pressed fully home. If the drill contact is at the +ve potential the drill works fully. If it is at the -ve potential the drill work light operates as normal but the motor does not. Clearly this allows the battery to disable the high current part of the drill. Same in other power tools no doubt. I suppose it could be used if the battery temperature was too high or the cells were too imbalanced.

​@@murdo_mckthe deepest of the 2 pins is a signalling pin. High means the tool is allowed to run, low means tool won't run. I cover it in my 6th video. Unfortuantely I don't think you'll be able to fix your battery. The BMS has likely permanently locked itself.

@@toolscientist I was able to get this battery to work with the Makita charger and the drill. It had been rejected by the charger either 1 or 2 times only before I replaced the cells so the BMS had not locked. I shorted together the front and back contacts of the third slider (the small split one) together with the battery positive slider. BTW it is a 3.0 Ah first generation (no charge indicator) BL1830. Thank you for your video, it is reassuring to know I'm probably missing out only on low voltage protection which I can do without. I have confirmed it charges to the same end point voltage as an unmodified battery and the cells remain balanced.

This code is for something called Espruino (espruino.com) not Arduino - however you could write your own code and could do something similar with Arduino