James Bond receives a “text” via his smartwatch in The Spy Who Loved Me in 1977

James Bond can lay claim to popularizing the smartwatch, in addition to smart cars. In “Thunderball,” (1965), his Breitling concealed a Geiger counter. By 1973, he’d progressed to a Rolex with a built-in saw and a high-powered magnet. His timepiece could send and receive text messages by 1976, and in 1983’s “Octopussy,” his Seiko could broadcast live color TV. When Pierce Brosnan took over the role in 1995, the features had progressed to include laser cutters, grappling hooks, and an embedded remote-controlled grenade. H/T>