Awesome Older Tech Gadgets

[Wrend]

I use my TI-89 (non-Titanium) calculator still, and actually prefer it over other options. I talk about it in another thread here somewhere. I know it's only a little over 10 years old, but I mention it here because it uses the Motorola 68000 processor, which is the same kind used in some of the first home computers such as the Apple Lisa, Macintosh, and Commodore Amiga, and also in the Sega Genesis, I believe.

To this day I still occasionally play NES video games on a top-loader Nintendo with a dog-bone style controller hooked up to a Nintendo Satellite remote control system, which I now power by 6 AAA Eneloops instead of C cells, and installed a hard on/off switch on it to keep it from draining the cells when not in use.

[StarHalo]

This still-working original Apple I computer, originally sold in 1976 for $666.66, was sold at a Sotheby's auction on Friday for $374,500.

[biglights]

Awesome

[zenbeam]

Nice! I preferred the smaller Pac-Man handheld game which came later (and my best mate had), does anyone remember those Gaxxon Space Invader games that peaked out at 199 points (max)?

I had one of these in blue...


Image borrowed & rehosted

Being the horder I am I've still got my old Commodore VIC-20 personal computer (with 16K expansion pack & games)

I had one of those in blue too! I played the living heck outta that thing!

Geez that much? I'll admit I always craved a dual screen Donkey Kong variant, perhaps you'll remember these out of 1978?


Borrowed & re-hosted image

Oh yes! My neighbors had this one and I remember the TV commercials to a certain extent even. They used to really push these and other board games on TV a lot back in the day.

[kramer5150]

Any Gallactica kids? I used to play this for HOURS at my cousins house. we were both members of the radio hack battery club and she used the 9V batteries for this game.


See Rule #3 Do not Hot Link images. Please host on an image site, Imageshack or similar and repost – Thanks Norm

[reppans]

Some really old tech tools that are considered state of art by their key user groups: Novelists - Alphasmart and Investment Bankers - HP 12c.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3004/2...56ee6e97_z.jpg

[M@elstrom]

How about the "Classic" Atari 2600?




I came across one of these years ago with a damaged RS-232 controller (and an assorted box of games), well the port cost $5.00 a little time & solder BUT the nostalgic trip down memory lane was priceless... I turned in the now 100% working console at a opportunity/charity store and hopefully someone got as much enjoyment out of it as I did...

[AnAppleSnail]

So far it's been all electronics. I will have to find my planimeter. It is from my mom, who got a math degree before computer science existed as a choice there. A planimeter calculates the area of an arbitrary closed shape. She used it for analyzing radio tower broadcast patterns to ensure FCC compliance of nearby structures.

Wiki Planimeter

It reminds me of old navy fire control computers, where a group of cams and levers could calculate windage, distance, and speed to give arc and bearing for artillery fire from a moving ship. Hers looks like a squat box with a pen and a needle on an arm, like a compass.

[SaraAB87]

The Go.Video. I just bought one for a very cheap price. Its a VCR that has 2 decks side by side so you can copy tapes easily. Unfortunately it doesn't copy commercial tapes so its only useful for home movies, but its still very cool. This thing was really expensive when it came out, like $300.

[StarHalo]

30 years old today:

[Burgess]

Wow !

Time Flies ! ! !

[fyrstormer]

30 years old today:

And I'm only a month behind.

[guiri]

30 years old today:

Ah, the good ol' era of the plastic coasters...I remember it well

[Bullzeyebill]

We don't need anymore quotes of StarHalo's image.

Bill

[reppans]

Very first Blackberry? And a British Psion PDA. Both still work.

[guiri]

I wanted the Psion but it was too expensive at the time

[StarHalo]

1950's Crouse & Hines explosion-proof wall clock; vapor-resistant mechanism, shatterproof bolted cover. 40 lbs.

[Toohotruk]

So, in what situation would an explosion-proof clock be necessary? I mean, I get that they may be used in explosives plants and whatnot, but if the place blows sky high, who's going to be around to give two sh*ts what time it is after the explosion?

[Bullzeyebill]

It was a different time then, and the world had been through a huge war.

Bill

[tam17]

I still have Casio Personal M-1 calculator in my drawer, manufactured circa 1977. It's harder on alkalines (2xAA) than most of my flashlights and won't work on rechargeables. Just love the green glow of its LED display...

Link to image (not mine):

http://www.vintagecalculators.com/CasioPersonalM1_1.jpg

Cheers

[Swede74]

I can't tell you much about this, all I remember is that a relative / friend of the family gave it to me when he (she? no it looks more like it's been handled by the greasy hands of a man) bought a new one for work. I was probably about ten years old, and assuming the label maker was a few years old when I got it, I'd say it's 30-35 years today. I think the contemporary version is essentially the same product that has undergone a facelift.

[idleprocess]

I have a vague recollection of mechanical handheld/pocket "video games" in the early 1980s.

The one that I have the firmest recollection of was a windup Missile Command variant (or knockoff) with an amazingly intricate mechanism. It was a simple timing game with the "aim point" osculating through a 90-degree cone - press a button and the missile would "launch" with a film reel and hit or miss on the target would be recorded (I forget whether your supply of interceptors was limited). I eventually disassembled it one time too many and it stopped working, at which point I likely disposed of it. Unfortunately, I don't remember the exact name nor the manufacturer, so I can't find any information on it. I'm sure it would cost me a pretty penny to re-acquire...

A friend in the early 1980's had Space Turbo and Zaxxon.

[Toohotruk]

This is the very first calculator I ever owned...I was in Jr. High, seventh grade (I think), and it seemed really cool to have a math class that required you to bring a calculator. My mom bought this one for me...it's a "Lloyd's Accumatic 311." It ate AA Alkies, four at a time and they didn't last very long (IIRC). HUGE by today's standards, but to me it was AWESOME!



Not sure whatever happened to it...but that was nearly 40 years ago. Damn, I'm old!

[PhotonWrangler]

I loved those calculators with the big tactile clicky buttons!

[Cannybar]

I've still got an old Sony models direct drive and I used to have one of those all in one turn table, cassette deck and tuner things encased in wood which were about the size of small tank.

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[ericjohn]

I have a Radio Shack Realistic 12-636 from 1985. It is an AM/FM Transistor Radio. Mine says MADE IN HONG KONG on the back among other things. I wish they still made radios like this because it outpreforms all of my "modern" radios. I have a youtube video of it in action.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKcgb7QzLM

This thing is very rugged and lasts forever on a Rayovac Industrial Alkaline 9 Volt battery. Nice to have something older than me that still works wonderfully!

[Bullzeyebill]

Sorry, I did not get much from the video as sound did not come through too well. Maybe problem on my end. Would you post your comparisions with other radio's that you own. What was really better than "modern" radio's? Sensitivity, selectivity, speaker, etc?

Bill

[StarHalo]

40 years old today:

[Jumpmaster]

Some of my favorites...
Atari 800
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atari_800

2-XL
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2-XL

Vectrex
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vectrex

[StarHalo]

Not just a Watchman, but a Watchman with an 8mm recorder on it; watch and record your favorite shows on the go. So you know there's some guy out there who has a library of 8mm tapes of weird things he caught over the air years ago..