Summary of CHEAP SMARTWATCH HACKING, TO RUN YOUR OWN CODE
Aaron Christophel hacked a P8 smartwatch to run custom applications using Arduino and an Android app called DaFlasher. This utility flashes the device via Bluetooth, bypassing the need to open the enclosure. The watch uses a Nordic NRF52832 chip with an ARM processor. While the original Da Fit app is standard, this method allows for greater customization without physical disassembly, though hardware variations may affect compatibility.
Parts used in the P8 Smartwatch Hack:
- P8 smartwatch
- Nordic NRF52832 chip
- ARM processor with built-in Bluetooth stack
- Arduino programming environment
- Da Flasher Android application
- Bluetooth LE connection
[Aaron Christophel] has been busy, he picked up a P8 smartwatch of the type that many of you will no doubt have seen. They cost almost nothing and do almost… nothing. In all fairness, they do connect to your phone using Bluetooth LE courtesy of a chip from Nordic (the NRF52832), and they can do several simple tasks. But they don’t run applications in the way an Android or Apple watch does. [Aaron] wants to run his own applications, so his YouTube channel has a lot of information about hacking the P8 and other watches with similar chips. In one video you can watch below, he demonstrates how he’s written support for Arduino programming to the devices. What we were really excited about was the second video below where he shows his Android app that can flash the devices via Bluetooth. That means you can potentially hack these devices without opening them up.
The app that normally runs these watches is called Da Fit, so [Aaron] called his utility DaFlasher. This is all early stuff so we expect some coaxing to get everything working, but it has great promise.
Inside the device is an ARM processor with a built-in Bluetooth stack. Apparently the same circuit board is in a lot of these cheap smartwatches and fitness trackers. We tried it with a watch we had laying around that uses Da Fit, we never saw its MAC on the DaFlasher screen but it is a lot different from the P8 that appears in the video. The program did find a lot of other BLE devices nearby, though.
Running your own code on your watch gets you a lot of geek cred. But not as much as building your own watch. From what we’ve seen, the enclosure is the hardest part.
Source: CHEAP SMARTWATCH HACKING, TO RUN YOUR OWN CODE
- How can I run my own applications on a P8 smartwatch?
You can use Arduino programming support written by Aaron Christophel to run custom code on the device. - Can I flash the P8 smartwatch without opening it up?
Yes, you can use the DaFlasher Android app to flash the devices via Bluetooth without physical disassembly. - What chip does the P8 smartwatch use for Bluetooth connectivity?
The watch connects using Bluetooth LE courtesy of a Nordic NRF52832 chip. - Does the DaFlasher app work with all watches that use Da Fit?
No, testing showed that while the program found other BLE devices, it did not detect the MAC address of a specific Da Fit watch different from the P8. - What is the name of the utility created to flash these devices?
The utility is called DaFlasher, named after the original Da Fit application. - Is building the enclosure part of the hacking process described?
Building your own watch involves creating an enclosure, which is noted as the hardest part of the project. - Do cheap smartwatches like the P8 run full Android or Apple applications?
No, they do not run applications in the way an Android or Apple watch does. - What type of processor is inside the P8 smartwatch circuit board?
The device contains an ARM processor with a built-in Bluetooth stack.
