Apple has started taking pre-orders for its wearable device Apple Watch. If you are not sure whether to buy that Watch, you may be interested in the “cutting-edge” Apple II Watch from the 1970s. You may want to put on your wrist something more unique than the latest Watch. Instructables user Aleator777 has put together the BASIC-based Apple II Watch. This device is based on the 1977 Apple II.
Apple II Watch is a cool DIY project
The most impressive thing is that Aleator777 has released a step-by-step guide to building it from scratch. If you are a DIYer, you can be the proud owner of Apple II Watch, given you have tools, time, know-how and Aleator777’s tutorial. All it takes is a 3D printer and a few components. It has the look and feel of a device created during 1970s and 80s.
Aleator777 said it took him about a month to build this device. The Apple II Watch features a 1.8? TFT screen with 160×128 pixel display, a Teensy 3.1 ARM processor and an 800mAh LiPo battery that offers up to three hours of operating time. It also boasts of a LiPo charger and boost converter, the SOMO II MP3, a momentary push button and a push button power switch. There is also a 2GB microSD card and a 2 watt speaker.
Apple II Watch features a Digital Crown
Aleator777 says the Apple II Watch packs “a blistering 72MHz MCU.” It even features blinking LEDs and miniature floppy discs. It displays the real date and time. An Apple Watch is never complete without that Digital Crown. So, it has got a massive “winding knob” to create a package that will make you forget the upcoming Apple Watch. The Apple II Watch has an off-white plastic case, the age-old rainbow Apple logo and a rectangular shape.
The watch from the 70s “boots” when you turn it on to mimic an Apple II. However, its creator noted that most of the rest of the interface doesn’t mimic the actual Apple Watch. Instead, it’s just for appearance.
