Lost Relic of the Wi-Fi Watch Kind

In 2007, the dark days before affordable smartphones existed and feature phones reigned supreme, a purveyor of geeky gadgets, Thinkgeek, offered a digital wrist watch that had the uncanny ability to detect Wi-Fi signals. At the time, it was a useful tool for laptop toting business road warriors and college students.

With the push of a single button, the watch allowed its user to see the Wi-Fi signal strength around them. One could then orient themselves closer towards where the signal was the strongest and then use their laptop to surf the World Wide Web without the use of a network cable.

As a Wi-Fi finding tool, the watch was not perfect. Despite its wonderful ability, it was not able to tell you the network's name or if it was an open or closed network. On the other hand, the watch was an impeccable device if graded on its merits as a wrist watch as it had all the desirable features such as daily alarms,chronometer, timer, and a world-time clock.

This watch has been surpassed by better pocketable smart technology such as everyone's smartphone. It is a relic of the early days of mobile computing. A piece of mobile computing history that was brief and eclipsed by the ever evolving technology that it dwelled in.

I bought this watch from Thinkgeek.com as a Christmas present to myself in December 2007. It was Nerdware and "Geek Chic" to it fullest form. As soon as I able to buy a true smartphone, the watch became less useful as a Wi-Fi finding tool and was cast aside in favor of better technology. The watch was then lost in my office for close to a decade until this past week when I found it again.

The watch had not fared well during its time at the bottom of my office desk drawer. The straps were showing signs of rubber rot and the buttons were stiff to push in. I was able to clean up the bands and slightly loosen the buttons, but I'm not sure how long they will last. I replaced the batteries and everything seems to be working except for the back light.

All things considered, I wanted to document this watch before it was completely gone. Online evidence of the watch is now minimal. In a few years, no one will know about it and no one will care. The device isn't very significant to have a story in people's lives to be carried on and discussed on drunken nights. Sadly, only those that produced the watch and those who owned them will probably have a vague memory of it.

It was my hope that this post will keep the memories of this strange watch alive and continue on a little longer before everyone forgets it ever existed.