elbbeP lets you read Arabic and Hebrew everywhere on your Pebble smartwatch: notifications, calendar alerts, apps & more. Any Pebble can be upgraded to support Hebrew and Arabic. There's no extra phone app required, so it works on iOS and Android. Follow these steps, and you'll never see □□□□ again.
Step 1/3 - Install Firmware
elbbeP is a firmware update for your Pebble, so you need to download the right version for your watch. If you've got an Original Pebble, check your Pebble’s settings screen under "System → Information" to find out what hardware revision you own. Don’t worry if you get it wrong; the Pebble app will catch the error.
Once you download the firmware, open it in the Pebble phone app. You need to open the PBZ file directly in the Pebble app - don't unzip it first. For example, if you're on iPhone you'll see a screen like this - tap "Open in Pebble" or "Open in..." and select the Pebble app. On Android, you may need to open it via your file manager. If you're on a desktop right now, open this site on your phone, or email the files to yourself. Once it's open in the app, read the warning and start the firmware update.
Step 2/3 - Install Language Pack
I couldn't fit all the right-to-left goodness in one file, so you'll also need to install a special "language pack" to complete the setup. Like the firmware, just open the downloaded file in the Pebble app and confirm the installation. If your eyesight is better than mine, try the "compact" font size.
Step 3/3 - Get Updates
There isn't really a step 3. But, when a new version of the official Pebble firmware is released, you'll want to repeat the above steps. Sign up for updates to receive an email when a new version of elbbeP is ready to install.
FAQ
It mostly works, but notifications are still reversed :(
You might have a system extension or modified version of the Pebble app installed on your phone that's reversing the notifications before they're sent to the watch - so they still end up backwards. Turn that off, and notifications should be back in proper order.
"Cannot install external language pack" ?
This can happen on Android when you open the language pack (.PBL) file directly from your phone's browser. Try saving the file to your file manager first before opening it in the Pebble app, or emailing it to yourself from the desktop.
Will elbbeP work after the Pebble server shutdown?
Yes - elbbeP runs entirely on your watch and does not rely on Pebble's servers.
Does elbbeP work with Rebble.io?
Yes - elbbeP is kept up to date with the latest Rebble.io firmware releases.
Will this damage my watch?
Almost certainly not. Each Pebble watch has a recovery mode built-in, so you can restore the watch to factory defaults even if the main firmware isn't working.
Will this stop official firmware updates?
No - the Pebble app will still notify you of new firmware versions. If you install an official firmware update, you'll lose the ability to see Arabic and Hebrew on your watch until you install the corresponding version of elbbeP.
Can I uninstall elbbeP?
Yes. First, put your Pebble into recovery mode by holding the back, select, and up buttons at once until it starts rebooting (your data will not be erased). Then, open the Pebble phone app and follow the prompts to reinstall the official firmware. You can then unselect the elbbeP language pack from the phone app's settings screen.
Arabic's neat, what about Farsi/Urdu/Pashto/…?
On Time-series watches, no problem. Unfortunately, classic Pebbles (including the Steel) don't have quite enough room to fit the extra characters.
Hebrew and Russian at once: possible?
Yes - use any of these language packs created by another developer instead of the one provided in step 2. If you already downloaded the elbbeP language pack, just install over top of it.
Does this translate my watch's user interface?
Nope - it'll still be in English.
I still see □□□□ sometimes!
Some Pebble apps use custom fonts instead of the ones built into the watch. These custom fonts generally don't include the characters required to display Arabic or Hebrew - so you'll be back to squares, unfortunately. Alternatively, you may be using some more unusual characters not supported by the system.
Contact
Send questions and comments to [email protected].