Awesome Older Tech Gadgets

[Toohotruk]

I remember your post Burgess...seems like you (or someone) posted a pic of it as well, right?

[Burgess]

I believe it was StarHalo who located (and posted) a photo
of the Radio Shack version. It had a few minor changes (keyboard layout ?),
but was also manufactured by Sharp, and fundametally the same device.

They both took the same "memory upgrade" module, too.

And, of course, they ran the same (BASIC) programs.

[RBR]

Not sure if these are awesome but here are two pocketable calculators, each with an addition and a subtraction side.

Both about 80 years old.

Cheers

RBR







Almost forgot this one here.

Prussian bushwhacker, called Faschinenmesser, about 150 years old.

[PhotonWrangler]

I believe it was StarHalo who located (and posted) a photo
of the Radio Shack version. It had a few minor changes (keyboard layout ?),
but was also manufactured by Sharp, and fundametally the same device.

They both took the same "memory upgrade" module, too.

And, of course, they ran the same (BASIC) programs.

I had one of those Radio Shack basic computers also. I think I paid $70 for it at the time. It was a marvel of engineering in it's day. But then so was the Texas Instruments SR-10 calculator, the first calculator that could do square roots. That was also a big deal in it's day and offered freedom from that damned slide rule. I loved those large tactile 'clicky' buttons and I still have it.

[StarHalo]

Not sure if these are awesome but here are two pocketable calculators, each with an addition and a subtraction side.

Both about 80 years old.

Awesome, I haven't seen anything like that; those must've been prohibitively expensive considering the popularity of slide rules.

I had one of those Radio Shack basic computers also. I think I paid $70 for it at the time. It was a marvel of engineering in it's day.

It's crazy to think that the power of supercomputers of that era are now the size of that handheld device (literally - a current smartphone has the same processing power as a washing machine-sized liquid nitrogen-cooled Cray-II); for five bucks, I can download and play X-Plane, a full featured flight simulator, on the Android phone I got for free from my carrier..

[guiri]

Almost forgot this one here.

Prussian bushwhacker, called Faschinenmesser, about 150 years old.

That one's for subtracting people's heads, right?

[RBR]

Hehehe,

yes, that might be possible.



Main purpose has been cutting willow / hazelnut ... branches which have been, bundled to bunches, used for reinforcing fire trenches...

These bundles were called Faschinen.

Cheers

RBR

[Candlelabra]

Nope, still before my time, though somebody on EBay has one with the box and manuals for ~$250. I definitely remember Simon though, and I got a lot of mileage out of my Merlin (though it took too many batteries.) And speaking of taking too many batteries, I also owned a Pac-Man Mini-Arcade:

Dang, seeing one of these makes me want to see if I can buy one now...nice flashback.

[PhotonWrangler]

Old radios with Magic Eye Tubes for tuning indicators.

More here.

[SlickSlabMcKnab]

I remember being as proud as punch having the first Nintendo handheld game on the block back in the early 80's I had this one (Snoopy Tennis) and my brother got "Parachute"


Borrowed & re-hosted image

Kinda reminds me of:

Even though I haven't used mine and it's been in the box for a while now, it's still pretty neat.

Sega Game Gear!



Who'd have thought a little LED technology would seriously extend this little console's runtime (backlight modification)? I just won one off eBay should be en-route soon, can hardly wait... Sonic the Hedgehog - awesome!

I still have mine. XD Surf Ninjas and Sonic were my favorite. Add the TV tuner that you once could pop into it and it was beyond a BEAST!

[Toohotruk]

Those Magic Eye tubes are cool! I've never heard of them, but I could see how they could be pretty handy way back in the "olden" days of non-digital radio tuners.

[StarHalo]

There's a Chinese company, VAL Shenzen, that makes high-end tube radios that still feature the Magic Eye tuner:

[tam17]

My old boombox, the legendary Grundig RR621 Elite:



Back in the Eighties it wasn't sleek and fancy as Sanyos were, but I just loved it. Guzzled primaries like hell... Excellent sound quality, though.

Cheers,
Tam

[LEDAdd1ct]

Those were the good ones! Back then, Grundig was Grundig, and not Eton.

[Groundhog]

One of my favorites, was the Coleco Electronic Quarterback...back in the day, if you had one of these babies, you were considered very cool!

The graphics were unreal!





I've still got mine somewhere...

I used to save every dollar bill I earned in a little recipe card box with a lock on it until I finally saved up enough for my most coveted game ever.

[RBR]

Some more olde tyme gadgetry..., hope you enjoy.

First a gasoline blowtorch





along with some accesories, like a jet cleaner...



and it´s little brother...



And finally an old fashioned flashlight...





unfortunately not working anymore.



Cheers

RBR

[PhotonWrangler]

Wow, look at the heavy glass lens on that light. They don't make them light that any more!

[PapaLumen]

Wasted quite a few afternoons at a friend's house, tormenting his dog with one of these...



I'm not sure if Milton Bradley's behind it or not, but someone's putting it back in production. Wonder if I can get away with giving one as a Xmas gift to a five year old girl...

Wicked, i had a bigtrak.


Also my first computer -http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Sinclair_ZX81.jpg


Your image is too large and has been replaced with a link. Please resize and repost.
See Rule #3 If you post an image in your post, please downsize the image to no larger than 800 x 800 pixels. - Thanks Norm


It had 1k of memory. Thats 1000 characters!!! I got the 16k rampack for it to play 3d monster maze - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...6k.rampack.jpg

3D Monster Maze -

[Toohotruk]

WOW! The graphics are so good on that game it's scary!


Love the old blowtorches too!

[RBR]

Less a gadget but more curiosity/memorabilia, great-grandpa´s embroidered picture as a keepsake for his time in the far east fleet 1903.

Had this stored on a shelf in the cellar.

Hope you enjoy.

If this should not fit this thread please feel free to delete.

Cheers

RBR

[ewmccraw]

One of my favorites, was the Coleco Electronic Quarterback...back in the day, if you had one of these babies, you were considered very cool!

The graphics were unreal!





I've still got mine somewhere...

I had on e of these! Loved that thing.

[RBR]

Another little piece of engineering.



This is an "Autoknips", a mechanical self timing longtime shutter control for old style cameras prepared for a screw in shutter release for improved exposure control from 1/2s to 10s.

Hope you enjoy

Cheers

RBR

[Toohotruk]

Never seen one of those...bet it's worth something.

[tam17]

USSR-made pocket video game from the Eighties.



Main characters, rabbit and wolf, are from a popular Soviet era kids' animated series "Nu Pogodi".

Manufacturer info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elektronika

Back in those times I had Nintendo's Donkey Kong II, too

Cheers,

Tam

[ericjohn]

One of my favorites, was the Coleco Electronic Quarterback...back in the day, if you had one of these babies, you were considered very cool!

The graphics were unreal!





I've still got mine somewhere...

my dad had one of these in the late 80's/early 90's. batteries leaked all over it and ruined it. i bought him a replica of it in 2007.

[StarHalo]

Commodore is back..

[Obijuan Kenobe]

Electronic QB for the win.

Sent from a long time ago...in a galaxy far, far away.

[Sub_Umbra]

I often think about the guy who invented the first Fire Piston in some hot, steamy, prehistoric jungle.

[Toohotruk]

Those new Commodore computers look pretty cool!

A bit pricey though for the models with more options.

[buds224]

I used to save every dollar bill I earned in a little recipe card box with a lock on it until I finally saved up enough for my most coveted game ever.

My all time favorite too! I still have mine somewhere.