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If the Apple Watch came out in the 1980s, it would look exactly like this

Published Apr 13th, 2015 9:45PM EDT
Apple Watch 1980s

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With all of the Apple Watch reviews now out in the wild, it appears that Apple may very well have another hit on its hands. Though not every reviewer labeled the Apple Watch a “must have” device a’la the iPhone, most were blown away with the technological wizardry involved in packing in so much functionality into a device small enough be worn around one’s wrist.

But what if the Apple Watch was released in the 1980s? What might that look like?

Well, wonder no more.

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A user named Aleator777 on Instructables.com recently put together an incredible, blast from the past, Apple II Watch build. Even better, it comes with detailed instructions on how to put one together yourself. And for any sticklers out there, yes, we realize the original Apple II was released in 1977, but since the bulk of all Apple II iterations were released in the 80s, we felt the product screamed 1980s just a tad more than 1970s.

The video below, which highlights the device’s capabilities, is pretty awesome. Overall, the device should provide those with a mind for DIY projects with a lot of fun. Of course, the device can’t actually do anything the Apple Watch can do. For instance, once you get the device up and running, selecting the “Music” option simply results in a photo of a butterfly. All that being said, the miniaturized disk drive on this puppy is incredibly cool.

The device’s hardware, per the instructions page, includes a 72 MHz ARM processor, 256K ROM 64K RAM, and a built-in real time clock. The display, meanwhile, is an 18 bit color 160×128 pixel wonder.

Yoni Heisler Contributing Writer

Yoni Heisler has been writing about Apple and the tech industry at large with over 15 years of experience. A life long expert Mac user and Apple expert, his writing has appeared in Edible Apple, Network World, MacLife, Macworld UK, and TUAW.

When not analyzing the latest happenings with Apple, Yoni enjoys catching Improv shows in Chicago, playing soccer, and cultivating new TV show addictions.