In some countries, GPS or SatNav are so common that in Tokyo, every taxi has one!

Clean seats, courteous driver and very informative taxi.

Then just recently I found this online. A 1920s “SatNav”, also called The Route Finder. It is a tiny machine complete with maps that would tell motorists which way to go. Isn’t that cool or what! Imagine, a wristwatch-style device equipped with mini maps.

1920s Route Finder

But this is no GPS, not even a full and proper map, which requires you to fold, unfold and refold all the time. Plus, with such small prints, it could be a problem for those who had eyesight problems. Face it, its the 1920s. And how many vehicles were there then? The so-called “invention of the future” never took off. What could a person do then? Simple, look at the star for directions or just wait another 80 years for a GPS.

Nevertheless, however weird, funny or even if it is not really usable, it is historically amazing how human mind works for the better of mankind. Whoever invented this, I salute him/her.