Low-cost Smartwatch powered by ESP32 module

You saved me from disappointment!

I remember reading about another Casio retrofit:

https://github.com/carrotIndustries/pluto

That version did not have wireless comms - they touch on that in the faq.

Maybe not lcd, but eink instead

[0] https://www.sensorwatch.net/

https://randomnerdtutorials.com/esp32-lora-rfm95-transceiver...

Seems like it helps even complete beginners to learn and build something interesting. Other tutorials there seem just as good.

Here, you are mostly paying for the smartwatch package, not the brain.

Garmin makes ones with over 2 weeks of battery life but for the money I can't excuse spending on a watch just to get some gadgets.

When it died, I tried a couple of things for my "active watch" before settling on a first-gen Apple Watch. It turned out to be so dang USEFUL that I wore it more than I wore my real watches, a trend that continues to this day.

There were many people that made similar statements about people listening to their walkman/mini-disc/etc. "People these days can't be bothered to listen to the goin' ons around them!"

Things change over time. Today's phone focused masses will be complaining about the cybernetically enhanced AR users of the future, or whatever crazy technology comes out.

Yes. You had to buy a physical newspaper/magazine, which was simultaneously more expensive and less interesting.

I remember they had books, back then. And you could look out the window (:

Actually, I don't have a smartwatch and don't want one. I guess I'm at a phase in my life where I'm looking for less attention-grabbers, not more.

I've always found a blank piece of paper and a pen were a good way to fill an hour, too.

I don't get how that's a much different disconnect than the person on their smartphone, it's just one that you're comfortable with differentiating yourself using.

there was a point in nearly every transit-style life-span where the entertainment was supposed to be the thing itself. It would have been seen as despicable to read a novel on a very early passenger air flight -- the thrill and entertainment is supposed to be the thing itself.

Then it gets normal, then it progresses to boring, and then you tune out.

It seems like a pretty normal progression, and it has happened time and time again; it'll probably happen with again with flying cars/human-cannons/transporter beams/whatever, too.

p.s. I loved the MD format, is it still practical at all to use? I can understand using it for the powerful seeking ability and such that has gone to the wayside nowadays but aside from that it seems less convenient than a small cheap mp3 player of some sort.. if I still had that equipment i'd probably still be playing with it too, though; md insertion is so satisfying from a mechanical point of view.

When the Walkman came out, it was seen as incredibly antisocial to listen to your own music while out and about instead of participating in the world.

It's an all-in-one device, so everybody uses it to do something different. Some listen to music, others play games, most seem to stick to scrolling Instagram/tiktok/whatever. I personally reqd my RSS and help people out on IRC during long rides. When commuting regularly, I tend to take a book with me, as that requires a longer commitment.

Without the power-saving... An ESP32 draws 90-240ma when active, and I'm sure the battery capacity is significantly overstated, so if you just flash a simple Arduino sketch it'll probably drain the battery in under an hour.