Pebble smart watch shipping to Kickstarter backers on January 23rd

I'm not a backer, but I've heard people on Twitter make fun of the Pebble for being a bit bulky, a bit dorky, or even "a useless novelty product that will burn out faster than the Slap Chop". But these people are short-sighted, and should be ignored, because they're missing what the Pebble represents.

The Pebble is one of the first entrants into the relatively young hardware category of wearable computers. So is Google Glass, FitBit, Jawbone, and others. But the Pebble has a place in there too. Being able to access your iMessages, Email or Calendar without taking out your phone is actually a pretty useful skill. And once people get over the "dork factor" (remember the first iPhone users?), they'll pay for a device like Pebble if it offers enough convenience.