Skip to main content

The Chronos can make any watch smart, including that old fossil on your wrist

Yearning to own a smartwatch while simultaneously refusing to purchase one can be quite the conundrum. Thankfully, for those DIY enthusiasts (and perhaps the miserly) among us, there are a few easy ways for individuals to build their own smartwatch at home. Follow along to these step-by-step instructions while we guide you through how to make a smartwatch. If simply buying a smartwatch rather than making one yourself is more up your alley, feel free to check out our favorite smartwatches and our full array of smartwatch reviews.

First you’ll need a watch to jury-rig into a smartwatch, and you will also need to purchase a Chronos to get the process started. Once your Chronos arrives, take the included towelettes and wipe down the bottom off the watch. Then stick the Chronos to the backside of the watch using the “micro-suction side” and hold this in place for roughly 10 seconds. Moving forward, you can charge the Chronos by placing it inside of the included charging cradle.

Recommended Videos

Once charged, you can then pair it with the Chronos app from the App Store or Google Play. You can then use it to track your steps, calories burned, and even establish vibration LED notifications for calls, emails, and texts. You can also set up gestures that allow you take a photo or silence calls by simply taping the face of the watch. For those with metrics in mind, Chronos can share its fitness data with Google Fit and iOS HealthKit (when we tested the Chronos alongside our traditional dedicated smartwatch, these fitness metrics were pretty similar).

There are also ways to tie in your preferential playlists — more or less. Using the Chronos, you can double-tap the crown of the watch to pause and play tracks, or triple-tap the crown to skip to the next song. This is exceedingly more complicated and certainly less useful than a traditional smartwatch. Once fully implemented, the DIY version isn’t nearly as versatile as a full-blown smart watch, however, it is still exceptionally more functional than a traditional watch. Nonetheless, you are saving hundreds of dollars by choosing a homemade option. The choice is yours.

David Cogen, a regular contributor here at Digital Trends, runs TheUnlockr.com, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him over at Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

David Cogen
Former Digital Trends Contributor
After always being the person my friends and family came to for help with their tech (see: resident nerd) and realizing how…
Looking for an OLED laptop? Get the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra at $400 off
The screen of the Galaxy Book4 Ultra.

While Samsung Galaxy deals are often linked to smartphones and tablets, you can also score huge discounts on other types of devices. For example, you can currently buy the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra at $400 off from Samsung itself, which brings its price down from $2,400 to $2,000. This premium laptop isn't going to stay on sale for long though, so if you're interested in this bargain, you need to push forward with your purchase as soon as you can to make sure you pocket the savings.

Why you should buy the Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra laptop

Read more
This iBuyPower gaming PC with 16GB of RAM is on sale for $830
The iBuyPower Element SE gaming PC on a white background.

For gaming PC deals that will give you excellent value, you should check out iBuyPower offers. Here's one from Best Buy: the iBuyPower Element SE gaming desktop at $100 off, which pulls its price down from $930 to $830. Gamers who are looking for a gaming PC for less than $1,000 won't want to miss this bargain, but you're going to have to hurry if you're interested because there's no assurance that the discount will still be online by tomorrow.

Why you should buy the iBuyPower Element SE gaming PC

Read more
The Dell XPS 13 and XPS 14 are both on sale at $300 off — hurry!
Angled front view of the Dell XPS 13 with Snapdragon X Elite processor inside.

Are you in the market for a new laptop? You simply can't go wrong with any of the Dell XPS deals that are available, and we've identified two of the best ones you can shop right now. The Dell XPS 13 9350, originally sold for $1,400, is down to $1,100 for savings of $300, while the Dell XPS 14 9440, which has a sticker price of $1,560, is on sale for $1,260, also following a $300 discount.

Following the Dell XPS reset early last year, the Dell XPS 13 and the Dell XPS 14 have further blossomed in popularity. That means you'll have to act fast if you're interested in either of these laptop deals though, as the stocks up for sale may run out at any moment.

Read more