A new Hybrid HR FTW7019 and updated review

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A new Hybrid HR FTW7019 and updated review

Love them or hate them, smartwatches are here to stay. I’ve typically shied away from posting about them too much because we all love traditional watches, but these hybrid watches from Fossil really do press all the buttons! I’ve enjoyed quite a few of the Q series from years past and now I’m on my second in the Hybrid HR series – moral of the story they look like traditional watches, but have smart features without looking like a tablet on your wrist!

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Limited Edition Fossil Q x Cory Richards – a new Blue

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Have you seen the news? There’s a new Fossil Blue in town and it couldn’t come at a more popular time. There’s a video, a blog entry, a press release and I got a special email about the new Limited Edition Fossil Q x Cory Richards smartwatch based on an old Blue watch Richards has. My first thought in reading the coverage, was “Hey I’ve been a Fossil enthusiast longer than Richards, where’s my collaboration?” I’m famous in my own world and I just so happen to be an expert in my opinion. I’m open for any collaboration, I have lots of ideas – let’s do this! Okay jealously rant aside, this is wonderful news and Richards seems like a great guy and from what I read it’s the first of a few collaborations in the future. Now that got my attention.

What makes this collaboration timely and why I'm highlighting it so soon after it's launch is the mention of the Blue watch. When the Underground Fossil Collectors Club site launched in 2010, a lot of the questions and comments were about the watches & advertising from the early to mid-90’s. In recent months a shift has happened and more and more comments and emails and search results are coming in around fans looking for particular Blue models. With all things nostalgic there is a known 20 year cycle where those things become popular again as we age and look for items from our past. Look at the popularity of the Classic NES console this past Christmas or the re-launch of DuckTales coming in the summer of 2017 or the retro Nike Air Max shoes I just bought that came right out the 90’s.

20 years ago just so happens to be when I started college and you know what watch I wore to college? Yep a Fossil Blue. What watch did all my roommates have in the dorm? A Fossil Blue. What watch did my girlfriend buy me for Christmas in 2000? Yep a Fossil Blue. They were everywhere and for years it seemed that the only watches Fossil made in those years were Blue models. I'll be disproving that theory shortly as I post more catalog scans.

Our beloved Defender series launched about 20 years after the original run. Could Blue be next? Fossil has hinted at some of the Fossil Blue series in recent launches with the Breaker, but we’ve yet to see Blue written on the face. It was refreshing to see it in this current release and let’s hope for more. Pictured below are 2 of my Blue watches that like most older Fossil watches have a special place in my collection.

AM-3054. Received as a birthday gift in 1999 from my good friend Tricia, who later that year was killed in a car crash. One of the most generous people I've ever met.

AM-3054. Received as a birthday gift in 1999 from my good friend Tricia, who later that year was killed in a car crash. One of the most generous people I've ever met.

BQ-9065. Received for Christmas in 2000 from my then girlfriend and now wife. She was making big bucks selling Sprint cell phones at Best Buy!

BQ-9065. Received for Christmas in 2000 from my then girlfriend and now wife. She was making big bucks selling Sprint cell phones at Best Buy!

Fossil Smart Watches

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Have you seen the news? There is a lot of talk around Fossil's line of new connected devices called Q. My inbox, my Facebook and my Flipboard are covered in updates from Fossil and tech sites touting this new device. As the owner of a Microsoft Band and a previous owner of a FitBit, I can personally say I'm excited that Fossil took the fashion approach to make these trackers look good and still do all the cool things we've come to expect from our connected devices.

Several articles I read gave readers the impression that this is Fossil's first entrance into the smartwatch/connected device realm, which is true for this decade. However those of us in the know will remember that Fossil was a very early adopter of connected devices as early as 2003/04 with the MSN Direct watches from both Fossil and Abacus. As mobile phones became smarter in the mid-00's, Fossil even released a bluetooth enabled watch (FX6001) that received text messages on your watch along with caller ID. Sadly the watch only worked on Sony Ericsson phones from the period, but it still looks cool and occasionally it's worn.

As a techie and a watch nerd I give you 3 watches + 1 random cool one from my personal collection that I would classify as early examples of Fossil's entrance into this space. I wish nothing but the best for Q and maybe a review will be forthcoming this holiday season once the Founder is available.....wink wink nudge nudge.

Pictured below are the:

  1. Fossil Dick Tracy FX3002 watch featuring WristNet for MSN Direct. MSN Direct was a wireless service that allowed news, weather, messages and sports coming into your watch. In 2004 that was a BIG DEAL and it was $275
  2. Fossil Called ID FX6001 bluetooth watch.
  3. Abacus Smart Watch AU4004 featuring WristNet for MSN Direct. Almost the same watch as the Dick Tracy model minus all the coolness. It was marketed as Smart Watch all the way back in 2005.
  4. Abacus AU4008 Atomic Watch - not really a smart watch, but I'm fascinated with Atomic Watches and this watch uses its global reception to access the correct time from the Atomic Clocks located in Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Japan. Great for the global traveler -- I will say it didn't work in India!