HP Smartwatch Prototype Costs $14,500

By Staff Reporter| Aug 12, 2014

A 37-year old Hewlett-Packard HP-01 prototype is up for grabs for a whooping price tag on Ebay.

The listing is by a vintage watch collector from Spain who claims that he's been hoarding collector's items for over a decade already. Based on the Ebay listing, here is what buyers can get for $14, 500:

- HP-01 prototype watch in incredibly beautiful condition

- small clasp mounted stylus

- big pen stylus

- original inner box / case

- original outer box

- original user manual in English language

- original wallet size quick instruction card

- original service papers and envelope

- set of new silver oxide batteries

According to the Museum of HP Calculators, the HP-01 is actually a wristwatch and a calculator at the same time - making it a smartwatch during its time.

"The HP-01 is a unique, interactive combination of time and computation functions that offers unmatched capability and versatility. You can do anything from viewing the time to dynamically calculating to cost of a long distance phone call or, if a pilot, finding the distance to your next checkpoint," the Museum of HP Calculators quotes the device's introduction.

The 1977 smartwatch is a gadget with features such as alarm, countdown timer, stopwatch and calculator which is capable of dynamic calculating and algebraic calculating as well, said the Museum of HP Calculators.

The overall look of the HP-01 resembles that of a QWERTY smartphone as it has a total of 28 tiny keys, the Museum of HP Calculators described the device. Four keys, D for date, A for alarm, M for memory and T for time, were raised for easier access.

"Two more keys were recessed in a way that they wouldn't accidentally be pressed but could still be operated by finger. These were the R (read/recall/reset depending on mode) and S (stopwatch) keys," added the HP-01 information page by the Museum of HP Calculators.

The remaining keys were designed to be pressed using either the small clasp mounted stylus or the big pen stylus.

The HP-01 prototype on Ebay is said to be operational, original and reliable. The red glowing digits, according to the product description, are still "bright, clear and complete."

The Verge said that what makes this $14, 500 vintage smartwatch even more special is that it is in chrome, am HP-01 color which was reportedly never released.

"Chrome never seems to have been made available as a production option, which makes this a rare bird indeed," The Verge pointed out.

Will you buy the vintage HP-01 if you had the money?

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