# No longer think digital watches a pretty neat idea? What's a pretty neat idea now??? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2005, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948 "2005-05-01T11:15:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/1 "2005-05-01T11:15:18Z")
Although they avoid the topic of digital watches in the new **Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy** movie, I have though that any update of the story would have to change the object that humans still think of as being a pretty neat idea. If you were to touch up the “digital watches” passage for 2005 what would you change it to (if you would change it at all). I’ll submit: _Orbiting this at a distance of roughly ninety-two million miles is an utterly insignificant little blue green planet whose ape- descended life forms are so amazingly primitive that they still think_ **camera cell phones** _are a pretty neat idea._ ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/2 "2005-05-01T12:26:35Z")
iPods… ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/3 "2005-05-01T12:35:04Z")
the internet ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/4 "2005-05-01T14:48:45Z")
organized religon ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/5 "2005-05-01T14:53:57Z")
Organized iPod-based internet religions. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/6 "2005-05-01T14:58:24Z")
Democracy ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/7 "2005-05-01T15:23:46Z")
I was actually about to post this question last week, but decided that without a doubt, the neatest idea we have right now is the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/8 "2005-05-01T21:13:23Z")
I was going to suggest camera cell phones, but since that’s already taken, I’ll toss out “cell phone ringtones.” ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/9 "2005-05-01T21:48:07Z")
Say, what ever happened to digital watches, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2005, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/10 "2005-05-01T22:09:41Z")
Blackberries. ---
**Author:** ![Call\_me\_Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Call\_me\_Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Call_me_Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/11 "2005-05-02T02:33:48Z")
The scroll wheel on computer mice, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/12 "2005-05-02T04:12:54Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Say, what ever happened to digital watches, anyway? they got assimilated into everything else, like camera phones for example. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2005, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/13 "2005-05-02T12:14:14Z")
As a bit of a hijack… was the original point of that line mostly to mock everyone who thought digital watches were the bee’s knees (as it were) or did Adams himself think they were pretty cool at the time?? Just mentioned this because Adams has several quotes out there about how truly revolutionary and amazing the internet is in terms of the human experience… and IIRC in ‘salmon of doubt’ there was a mention of the press conference announcing the ipod or something, and the fact that Douglas missed it by about six months, and wondering what he would have thought of it, being a big Mac fan and all that. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/14 "2005-05-03T01:06:26Z")
> [@chrisk](#): > > As a bit of a hijack… was the original point of that line mostly to mock everyone who thought digital watches were the bee’s knees (as it were) or did Adams himself think they were pretty cool at the time?? I think that joke was that you needed both hands to work the earliest models, and how is that an improvement? ---
**Author:** ![mdrobbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/edb3f5/32.png) [@mdrobbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mdrobbo)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/15 "2005-05-03T05:39:11Z")
I know someone with the line “…even the ones with digital watches” tattooed above her ankle. I wonder how she feels about the new film. :smack: So many classic lines omitted …so much crap inserted. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2005, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/16 "2005-05-03T05:43:24Z")
Video phones that tell you how much time you have to mow the lawn before it rains. Oh, and the pollen count, so you’ll know if you can breathe when you’re done. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/17 "2005-05-06T14:08:02Z")
Also, remember that this line on digital watches is then recapitulated when Dent and Ford run into the Infinite Improbability Field… > [@](#): > > "My legs are floating off into the sunset… > > …and now my right arm… how am I going to be able to use my digital watch now? > > Ford, you’re turning into a penguin: Stop that" But yes, for general gadgettry-for-gadgetry’s-sake I’d have to go for cameraphones with downloadable ringtones. And by the early 80s many people were indeed starting to grow disenchanted with digital watches. ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/18 "2005-05-06T15:12:10Z")
I have a digital watch, which is solar powered, and synchronizes with an atomic clock down south somewhere, through mysTERious etherial waves. It also is highly resistant to damage… the only time I had one die on me due to physical trauma was when I got hit by a bus. (So, I’m standing on the street, and someone asks where the nearest hardware store is. I point across the street, looking at them, at the same time a bus screeches to a stop at the curb. My hand kinda bounced back and spun me around and I fell over. Watch died, but all I got was a bruise) I think that’s still pretty neat. Also, it tells time in a whole bunch of different cities. Including mine. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/19 "2005-05-06T15:17:34Z")
…but…but…but… cameraphones ARE a pretty neat idea! right? ::dejectedly takes picture of crotch and posts it on internet, where no one ever looks at it:: ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948/20 "2005-05-06T17:45:44Z")
> [@vibrotronica](#): > > \::dejectedly takes picture of crotch and posts it on internet, where no one ever looks at it:: Cite? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-longer-think-digital-watches-a-pretty-neat-idea-whats-a-pretty-neat-idea-now/301948.md?page=2)