![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
New Pebble SmartWatch
Courtesy of CNET
The Pebble Time is Pebble’s newest addition to its smart watch family. The device features a new color screen in place of the typical black and white screen found on the Pebble Smartwatch.
Pebble recently launched a new, color version of their smartwatch product, called the Pebble Time.
Pebble was one of the first companies to enter the wearable tech market with the introduction of the Pebble Smartwatch. This watch connected to an iOS or Android device and featured an e-ink display that could relay mobile notifications such as text messages and other alerts. The Pebble Time is a new iteration of this product, now featuring a color display that is common on most smartwatches. Apart from its display, the Pebble Time functions much like its predecessor and other competitors in the market. The device boasts seven hours of battery life and offers many different personalization options that users can adjust to their liking.
“Pebble’s new color display really improves on previous user interfaces and takes the definition of a smartwatch to a whole new level,” Zabin Bashar (12) said. “Technology consumers always enjoy a color upgrade, and app developers will be able to now create more aesthetic apps. Furthermore, the watch uses a special e-paper screen, so the battery life should not be an issue, unlike most other smartwatches.”
Pebble Time is not available to purchase as of now and is a project that Pebble has listed on Kickstarter. As of Feb. 25, the device has 45,996 backers and has raised over $9 million in funding.
The market for smartwatches is seeing many competing devices vy for customer attention. Android Wear, which powers many smartwatches (such as those made by Motorola and Samsung), and Apple’s forthcoming Watch are products that are expected to dominate the market.
Many students feel smartwatches act as natural extension of their mobile phones, in a way that minimizes interaction with the phone and allows for more flexibility.
“I think that smart watches provide a groundbreaking outlet to access the technology that runs our lives in a classic and familiar manner that isn’t socially awkward or unwieldy,” Nikhil Reddy (12) said.
With many different smartwatches available in the market, users should have no trouble trying to find one that suits them.
Vedant Thyagaraj is the Science & Technology Editor for Harker Aquila. He is currently a senior and has been on staff for the past three years. Vedant...