WATCH: Would Apple watch in the ‘70s look like this?

It boots, it blinks, it makes a lot of retro sounds, and oh, it tells time, too.

Meet the Apple II watch, a 1970s-style parody of Apple's latest bauble Apple Watch.



"When I set out to design the Apple II watch, I originally planned to create a faithful tiny replica of the classic machine in a wrist-sized form factor. While researching the design I began to ask if I really just wanted to make a miniature, or something altogether new? I settled on the latter. The design would be a working* device, heavily inspired by the form factor of the full size computer, but it would also be an imaginative exploration of a wearable tech world that began long before we had the technology to do so in a meaningful way," said Instructables user Aleator777.

Aleator777 said the project was also an opportunity to test 3D modeling and printing skills - and it shows in the watch's enclosure.

The watch is modeled after an Apple II computer running the ancient BASIC operating system and uses a knob to scroll the display.

On the other hand, a tiny speaker sounds off alerts and notifications that mimics the Apple II booting up.

"My version does keep and display the real time and date, the rest of the UI is mostly for fun," said Aleator777.

But the best part of the watch is that hobbyists can build it too - using a Teensy 3.1 (72 MHz ARM processor, 256K ROM 64K RAM, built-in real-time clock), a 1.8-inch TFT LCD (160x128 pixels 18 bit color) and a SOMO II MP3 for sound effects.

The project also needs an 800-mAh LiPo battery for a three-hour lifetime and a coin cell battery, a microSD card - and a ton of patience.

The resulting watch parodies the Apple Watch's functions, such as:

3d printing

Aleator777 printed the entire watch with a 3D printer, allowing for the fine details and certain parts like the "CRT glass."

Aleator777 also used stickers and paint to polish the design.

But Aleator777's vision doesn't end here, saying "I would also love to see someone build on this and make a fully featured 'smart watch' using a retro computer design and true OS." — Joel Locsin/LBG, GMA News