Pokétch
The Pokémon Watch (Japanese: ポケモンウォッチ), or Pokétch (Japanese: ポケッチ) for short, is a personal tool manufactured by The Pokétch Company for Trainers from Sinnoh, in the form of a watch with a touch screen. In Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, it is the navigational successor to the PokéGear and PokéNav, and is seen on the bottom touch screen of the Nintendo DS when the player is walking around.
Apps
The Pokétch's functionality comes from the applications, or Pokétch apps, that are installed in it, making it extensible. The Pokétch Company, as well as independent developers, periodically create new apps. The user scrolls through a Pokétch's apps by tapping a button on the side of its screen.
In Diamond and Pearl, there are 25 available apps, four of which are included with the Pokétch. The rest are not available at the start but can be received at a later time, and a few must be obtained by showing a certain species of Pokémon to another character. Listed in each section below is the in-game description of its app, followed by its in-game location and further information about it. The apps are ordered in the same order as they are on the Pokétch in Diamond and Pearl.
Digital Watch
"The Digital Watch displays the current time. Don't be late for meetings with your friends!"
Included in Diamond and Pearl with the Pokétch. As its most basic feature, the Pokétch will digitally display the time of day, much like the PokéGear of Johto had, only this time running in 24-hour format, instead of 12-hour AM/PM format. It runs off of the Nintendo DS's internal clock, and through this, can keep track of the date of a Pokémon's capture as well as the time of day. There is also an analog clock app, which unlike its digital version is not available from the beginning.
When the screen is touched, it brightens slightly.
Calculator
"The Calculator can handle up to ten digits. It's perfect for figuring out math questions that might pop up."
Included in Diamond and Pearl with the Pokétch. It is a basic calculator, with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division apps usable. When an answer is displayed, if the player has a Pokémon whose Pokédex number matches the answer rounded down to the whole number below it, the calculator will play that Pokémon's cry.
Memo Pad
"The Memo Pad is useful for jotting down a note, or just doodling. There's an eraser, too, just in case you make a mistake."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from the president of The Pokétch Company after obtaining the Coal Badge. It is a notepad for Trainers to use while out in the field to draw or write (e.g., to jot down notes on the area or on which Pokémon to get to beat the next gym), however the memo is erased if the application is changed.
Pedometer
"The Pedometer keeps a count of the number of steps traveled. It automatically counts steps. Touch the button to reset it."
Included in Diamond and Pearl with the Pokétch. Useful for out-of-battle poison damage, egg hatching, and Safari Zone excursions. It is also instrumental in accessing the Surf glitch. When the counter reaches 99,999, it simply rolls back to 0.
Pokémon List
"The Pokémon List indicates the statuses of your team's Pokémon. Touch them to hear their cries. Their HP bar is also displayed."
Included in Diamond and Pearl with the Pokétch. Displays the icons of the Pokémon in the Trainer's current party. Also indicates their HP level and whether or not they are holding an item. Touching the screen resets and updates the display. Note that if a Pokémon is inflicted with a status condition, it has a different cry.
Friendship Checker
"The Friendship Checker indicates how friendly your Pokémon are to you. Touch the screen. The Pokémon that like you will come closer."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a woman in Eterna City's Pokémon Center. Displays the icons of Pokémon in the Trainer's party milling about. Touching and holding on a Pokémon will play its cry and display zero, one, or two hearts around it corresponding to its own happiness; the hearts may be either large or small. Double-tapping makes all the Pokémon displayed jump. If a Pokémon has 2 giant hearts, it is at maximum friendship.
Dowsing Machine
"The Dowsing Machine searches for hidden or obscured items. Touch the radar screen. If there is an item nearby, it will respond."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from Dawn/Lucas upon arriving on Route 207. Similar to the Itemfinder, it displays a radar field divided into four quadrants corresponding to northwest, southwest, etc. Touching the field sends out a "ping", and if a hidden item is near where it was touched, a ping will repeatedly show or a dot will blink, indicating where it is relative to the user.
Berry Searcher
"The Berry Searcher is a map that shows the locations of Berries. It indicates the presence of Berries in areas you have already visited."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a girl in the Berry Master's house in Route 208 after answering "yes" to her question. Displays a basic Sinnoh map similar to the Marking Map's showing where mature Berry trees are located in areas already visited. Touching the screen resets and updates the display.
Day Care Checker
"The Day-Care Checker shows the Pokémon you have in the Day Care."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a man in Solaceon Town's Day Care. A result of a collaboration between the Day Care and The Pokétch Company, this app allows Trainers to see the levels, genders, and species of the Pokémon (up to two) located in Solaceon Town's Day Care, and will show whether or not an egg has yet been produced. This is unlike previous generations' games, where Trainers attempting to breed two Pokémon would need to stay near a Day Care to make sure that they got an egg as soon as it was ready.
Pokémon History
"The Pokémon History" keeps track of the Pokémon you have obtained. It shows the last kind of Pokémon you obtained."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a resident of Solaceon Town. Displays icons of the twelve most recent Pokémon captured, evolved, hatched, or traded into the game. Touching an icon plays the Pokémon's cry.
Counter
"The Counter is used for counting things one at a time. Touch the button and count whatever needs counting."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a lady in Veilstone Department Store at the counter on the second floor. Counts anything players choose to; upon press of the button on the bottom screen, the number goes up by one. It resets when the player switches Pokétch apps or turns off the game.
Analog watch
"The Analog Watch displays the current time. The short hand indicates the hour, and the long hand shows the minute!"
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a resident of Celestic Town. An alternative to the digital watch, with the same touch-light feature.
Marking Map
"The Marking Map lets you mark intriguing locations. Drag marks to places on the map that you want to remember."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from the president of The Pokétch Company after obtaining the Cobble Badge. Not to be confused with the more in-depth Town Map, it displays a basic Sinnoh map similar to the Berry Searcher's and allows players to drag and drop different markings (●, ★, ■, ▲, ♥ and ◆) on the map. It also displays the current locations of the two Pokémon that travel around Sinnoh, Cresselia and Mesprit.
Link Searcher
"The Link Searcher searches for players on wireless communications. Touch the screen to get a list of people using wireless communications."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from the president of The Pokétch Company after obtaining the Relic Badge. Once touched, it lists the number of Pokémon games nearby participating in DS Wireless Communications, such as in Union Room, Underground, Colosseum, and other links. A wireless signal icon is also displayed in the upper-right corner of the screen. (It should be noted that while active until the menu is opened or something is talked to, DS Wireless Communications are enabled and so the DS's battery drains somewhat faster.) The Link Searcher can only be used while standing still. Moving will cause the Wireless Communications to end.
Coin Flip
"The Coin Toss flips a coin that comes up heads or tails. If you can't choose between two choices, a coin toss might be handy."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a guest in one of Hotel Grand Lake's suites by Lake Valor.
Move Tester
"The Move Tester checks how effective moves are by type. Switch the attacker and defender types to see what is effective."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from the president of The Pokétch Company after obtaining the Icicle Badge. Allows the user to simulate a type's effectiveness in battle by choosing the type of the attack and the type(s) of the target Pokémon, and displays whether the attack is super effective, regularly effective, not very effective, or ineffective against an opponent and a number of exclamation marks corresponding to the damage's multiplier--three being "regularly effective", and each additional or missing mark corresponding to a factor of two.
Calendar
"Use the monthly Calendar to make a note of important dates. Touch any date to change its color. Touch it again to change it back."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a Pokétch developer by Pokémon Rock in Sunyshore City after showing to him a Pokémon with a serious nature (Rock Climb is required).
Dot Artist
"The Dot Artist lets you draw pictures in a mosaic style. Touching the same dot makes its color turn darker."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a Pokétch developer by Pokémon Rock in Sunyshore City after showing to him a Pokémon with a naïve nature (Rock Climb is required). A different type of drawing pad, this one allows the player to change the shades of the screen's large pixels by touch. There are four different shades each square can be. Upon reception, it contains the text "Touch!". Unlike the Drawing Pad, the image on the Dot Artist is maintained even if one switches Apps.
Roulette
"The Roulette features a wheel that can be written on. Draw numbers, items, or whatever on the wheel and give it a spin!"
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a Pokétch developer by Pokémon Rock in Sunyshore City after showing to him a Pokémon with a quirky nature (Rock Climb is required). Alongside the blank roulette wheel, on which choices may be drawn, are a spin button, stop button, and reset button.
Trainer Counter
"The Trainer Counter tracks the performance of the Poké Radar. It shows how often you have met the same kind of Pokémon in a row."
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from Professor Oak upon entering Pal Park. Lists the icons of the top three Pokémon met in a row using the Poké Radar. Touching an icon plays its cry.
If one is currently using the Poké Radar for chaining Template:Shiny2 Pokémon, the area at the top will display the current chain.
Kitchen Timer
"The Kitchen Timer can count down from up to 99 minutes, but not precisely. Set the time with the center button, then start the countdown."
Timer with an alarm. Pauses when the DS is closed.
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a girl in Pal Park's lobby after showing a Snorlax to her.
Color Changer
"The Color Changer changes the Pokétch's display color. Slide the switch to select one of eight colors."
Changes background color of the Pokétch from the basic green to yellow, orange, red, purple, blue, turquoise, or white.
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a girl in Pal Park's lobby after showing a Kecleon to her.
Matchup checker
Checks whether two party Pokémon are compatible to breed.
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a Nintendo Event. Japan obtained this during the release of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl in America.
Stopwatch
Reverse of the egg timer, counts up instead of down.
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a Nintendo Event.
Alarm clock
Sets an alarm to ring at a certain time.
Obtained in Diamond and Pearl from a Nintendo Event.
Pokétch Company
The Pokétch Company (Japanese: ポケッチカンパニー Pokétch Company) is a Jubilife City-based, family-owned company, and the manufacturer of the Pokétch. It is relatively small, unlike Silph Co. or the Devon Corporation, and actually started as a hobby of the owner, who made what he liked before the business grew to its present state. The company's motto is "Pokémon Watches for the World!"
New model
Revealed in issues of CoroCoro and Famitsu Magazines, Lucas and Dawn were shown to be wearing a new design of the Pokétch in the next game for the Nintendo DS, Pokémon Platinum. It seems to have two buttons; one of them likely has the same function as the single button found in Diamond and Pearl has. The other may be a button to cycle backwards through the various apps.
Trivia
- There are currently two models of the Pokétch--a girl's model and a boy's model, pink and blue respectively. However, the official art and sprites of Pearl show him wearing an orange Pokétch.
- For DP010, Professor Oak's lecture is about the Pokétch. He writes this Pokémon senryū about it: ポケッチに まだまだふえる アプリかな For the Pokétch, an ever-growing Application.
- The father of the President of the Pokétch Company remarks about saying Pokétch the long way, saying "Pokémon Watch! That's Pokétch for short. Say it the long way and... What does Pokémon stand for again?" This is the first time that the fact that Pokémon is short for Pocket Monsters is referenced in the English translation. Essentially, this would also mean that the real long way to say "Pokétch" would be to say Pocket Monster Watch.
- The games show the Pokétch with a traditional LCD, while the anime switches between an LCD display and a full-color LED display.
