Calculator watch
A calculator watch is a digital watch with a built in calculator, usually including buttons on the watch face. Calculator watches were first introduced in the 1970s and continue to be produced, despite enjoying a heyday during the 1980s. The most notable brand is the Casio Databank series, though watches made by Timex were also popular.
History
Calculator watches first appeared in the Mid 1970s introduced by Pulsar (1975, then a brand of the Hamilton Watch Company)[1][2] and Hewlett Packard.
Several watch manufacturers have made calculator watches over the years, such as Pulsar and Timex, but the Japanese electronics company Casio produced the largest variety of models. In the mid-1980s, Casio created the Databank calculator watch, which not only performed calculator functions, but also stored appointments, names, addresses, and phone numbers.
Mass-produced calculator watches appeared in the early 1980s (with the most being produced in the middle of the decade). Calculator watches are generally considered synonymous with the aesthetics and spirit of the 1980s.
Future
The future of the calculator watch as a practical and useful electronic device has been impacted by the introduction of PDAs, cell phones, and other powerful multi-functional compact computing devices. As a result, many calculator watches are used for aesthetic purposes.
In early 2014, Motorola unveiled the "Moto 360", followed by Apple unveiling its "Apple Watch". Both devices can be considered a modern take on the design aesthetics and functionality of traditional calculator watches.
In popular culture
- Anthony Michael Hall wore a Casio calculator watch in the Breakfast Club.
- On the front cover of The Police song Wrapped Around Your Finger, frontman Sting can be seen wearing a calculator watch.
- Al, pilot in the Tom Hanks film Cast Away is seen wearing one.
- Also, Marty McFly in the Back to the Future series can be seen wearing one in the first two films.
- As a homage to this stereotype, Dwight Schrute, playing the egomaniacal and nerdy character on NBC's American version of The Office, can be seen wearing a Casio Data Bank watch.
- Heavy Metal lead singer Rob Halford of Judas Priest wears calculator watches during interviews.
- In the British comedy series Mr Bean, the titular character wears a calculator watch, which he famously lost whilst stuffing a turkey.
- More recently, Walter White, the main character of the AMC TV series Breaking Bad, can be seen wearing a calculator watch throughout the series.
- Trevor Philips, one of the protagonists of video game Grand Theft Auto V, can also be seen wearing a calculator watch.
- On the Duck Dynasty episode "Burger Commander", Si Robertson can be seen fiddling with a newly acquired Casio watch and calculate how much it costs to make a burger. Martin makes a comment on the beeping when he pushes a button.
See also
- Nelsonic game watch - Multipurpose wrist-watches allowing the wearer to play micro video games, these units were the technological descendants of the calculator watch and were patented under calculator watch patents.
- Smartwatches introduced in the 2010s are similar to calculator watches in both aesthetics and functionality, even though far more advanced in capabilities.
References
- ↑ Going Digital, TIME Magazine, December 22, 1975
- ↑ History of LEDs - Chapter 1 at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute website
External links
- Programmable calculators - Specifications and descriptions
- WATCH. History of the modern wrist watch. - Section on Calculator Watches
- Vintage Digital Watches - Home of Vintage Retro Digital LCD Watches
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