AT&T E4540 Terminal

Sales tape for the E4540 line of mainframe terminals from AT&T.

The UNIX Connection - AT&T Executive Account Briefing

AT&T UNIX PC Model 7300 "The UNIX Connection" Account Executive Briefing 1985 AT&T Information Systems --- Salesman's companion video to the "UNIX Connection" customer video. A Sam Spade type of character takes you around the 3B1 (Model 7300) UNIX PC, taking it real slow, introducing the mouse, the windows, the pointer, the modem port, etc.

AT&T's The Unix Connection

AT&T Promotional video for the Model 7300 aka 3B1 aka UNIX PC. Silly fictionalized format with Sam Spade type of detective character trying to get to the bottom of this crazy new UNIX thing. Lots of good shots of old PCs and good, pure AT&T UNIX!

Commodore - Creativity in the Classroom

Promotional video for the Commodore Amiga.

Heathkit HERO JR Robot Original and UNBUILT Heath Kit - eBay (item 300224452068 end time May-17-08 18:08:51 PDT)

Below is an excerpt from an eBay auction for an interesting piece of technology history (background): "Up for auction is a Heathkit HERO JR robot kit - straight out of 1984 and amazingly unbuilt. I recently picked this up with the intention of building it myself and turning the HERO JR into my personal servant; however, I definitely don't have the time it requires to assemble, program, and troubleshoot. So, I offer this kit up to you. Here's the deal. The gentleman I got this from purchased it new in 1984, poked around some of the boxes and components, started a little work on it, then packed it up nicely not to be seen again until 2008. He had no reason to believe that anything was missing and, while I can't be 110% sure, I've been through the package several times and everything seems to be in order."

Note: These posts are not meant as recommendations of the items, or seller. If you choose to bid on the item do so at your own risk.

SONY AIBO ERS-110 ROBOT DOG W/Performer Kit

Below is an excerpt from an eBay auction for an interesting piece of technology history (background): "A 1999 first generation AIBO ERS-110 robot dog! This is an incredibly rare model of the highly sought after AIBO dog. In fact, this is the VERY first model of the AIBO robot dog. Not very many of these were ever produced making them VERY difficult to come by. It is metallic grey and retailed for $2500."

Note: These posts are not meant as recommendations of the items, or seller. If you choose to bid on the item do so at your own risk.

Atari Stacy Laptop computer Stacy4 ST (Rare)

Below is an excerpt from an eBay auction for an interesting piece of technology history (background): "This auction is for a Atari Stacy 4 or Stacy4 Laptop computer. Based on the specifications it has 4 megs of ram. It may or may not have a hard drive. I don't know how to check."

Note: These posts are not meant as recommendations of the items, or seller. If you choose to bid on the item do so at your own risk.

Vintage Apple Macintosh II IIfx Computer

Below is an excerpt from an eBay auction for an interesting piece of technology history (background): "You are bidding on this machine for parts, but please note that it does work. Here’s the scoop: At first the machine was dead, so I tested the power supply fuses for continuity (both were good). I then tested the mainboard batteries. One was reading 3.67v, the other was dead. I then installed a fresh battery, and the machine booted. Please note that I can’t supply that second battery (I need it for another machine; the one you need is a 3.6v 1/2 AA, but if you’re looking at this, you probably know that already!). When it booted, all I got was a picture of a floppy with a question mark (I assume that the hard drive is either stuck or has nothing on it, but it seemed to be making the usual spinning noises). Also, the video was cutting in and out (floppy icon, then black screen, then icon, etc), but I was using an adapter with dip switches to hook it up to my flat panel Viewsonic. I have no idea as to the proper dip switch settings (all were on), so that may have been the issue."

Note: These posts are not meant as recommendations of the items, or seller. If you choose to bid on the item do so at your own risk.

Model 1 Computer System Complete Drives Printer TRS-80

Below is an excerpt from an eBay auction for an interesting piece of technology history (background): "TRS-80 computer system with keyboard/CPU, expansion interface, monitor, two 1/2 height 5 1/4 disk drives in a single enclosure, TRS-DOS manual, level II basic manual, expansion interface manual, RS-232 option manual, TRS-80 IB modem (untested, no land line), printer and all of the cables. All components except the modem are guaranteed to be working well. The memory is at the maximum size of 48K. The disk drives are double sided double density (supported by some third party DOSs, compatible with single side TRSDOS). Does not have the double density disk controller option. The disk drive enclosure and drives are third-party parts. The Okidata Microline 80 printer is compatible with the Model 1 character and graphics set and includes 4 ribbons. The new ribbons are not tested and could be dry by now. Software disks includes TRSDOS, Newdos 80 for the model 1, a games disk and a utility disk with assorted programs."

Note: These posts are not meant as recommendations of the items, or seller. If you choose to bid on the item do so at your own risk.

Vintage Digital DEC Rainbow Computer Model PC 100 - B

Part of a new feature for this site, I am going to start to post links to interesting items that I find on eBay. I will try to post only unique items or ones with interesting history.

Below is an excerpt from an eBay auction for an interesting piece of technology history (background): "Vintage Digital Equipment Corporation Rainbow Computer. Model PC 100 - B. It is clean with no musty or bad odors. The top is discolored - you can see the outline of books that sat on top of it. It's very heavy, about 32 or 33 pounds. I have no idea if it still works, so I'm selling it 'as is'. If you need me to take a close up picture of any part, I would be happy to. Buyer pays actual shipping. I accept PayPal, money order or check. Thank you for looking!"

Note: These posts are not meant as recommendations of the items, or seller. If you choose to bid on the item do so at your own risk.

Microsoft says it's time to kill Smart Watches

BetaNews reports: "While SPOT devices were released to great fanfare four years ago, the company says it will stop selling new watches.

Smart watches with the MSN Direct service have sold out, and the company has no intentions of producing new models. It says however, that it would continue to seek out new channels for the SPOT technology."

If you are looking for new vintage technologies to collect, this is a new item that you can add to your collection.

Milliways: Infocom's Unreleased Sequel to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Waxy.org reports: "Milliways: The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, the unreleased sequel to Infocom's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. For the first time, here's the full story: with never-before-seen design documents, internal emails, and two playable prototypes. Sit back, this might take a while."

Are you a fan of the old text adventure games like Zork, or the Leather Goddesses of Phobos (although I never played it, but I did know about it)? According to this site you can now play an unreleased sequel to Infocom's The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

Windows 95 Promotional Video

Promotional tape for several early Windows 95 applications. This was sent to retailers for the Windows 95 launch.

I Think Were a Clone Now

This video was shot in front of Apple's head quarter by Apple employees. The Apple CEO then, Michael Spindler decided to license the Macintosh technology to computer manufactures to create authorized Mac clones.

Dinosaur Sighting: The Atari 2600 Video Computer System

TechRepublic reports: "Video games are a multi-million dollar business these days. But this booming industry owes much of its current success to a simple little console first sold in October 1977 called the Atari 2600 Video Computer System. By today's standards, Atari games are not much to look at, but their simple game play is still addictive, especially when nostalgia for this dinosaur gaming console kicks in."

Here is another TechRepublic Photo Gallery, and this time they're covering the Atari 2600. This was the first game console I ever owned.

By todays standards, wrist watches are more powerful then this device.

ATARI Games (commercial)

Monkey Dust - The internet is expanding!

Behind the scenes of a typical ISP.

Interview: Gordon E. Moore

SEMI (the semiconductor manufacturing equipment trade group) reports: "Gordon Moore is the retired chairman and CEO of Intel Corporation, which he co-founded in 1968. He became president and CEO of Intel in 1975 and held that post until elected chairman and CEO in 1979. Moore remained CEO until 1987 and was named chairman emeritus in 1997. Prior to Intel, Moore co-founded of Fairchild Semiconductor in 1957 and had started his career in the semiconductor industry at Shockley Labs in 1956. Moore is widely known for “Moore’s Law,” a 1965 prediction that the number of components on a computer chip would double every year. Moore earned a bachelor’s in chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley in 1950 and a Ph.D. in chemistry and physics from the California Institute of Technology in 1954. He received the National Medal of Technology in 1990 and the Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor, from George W. Bush in 2002."

This interview is part of an on-going oral history project at SEMI. If you would like to learn about early semiconductor history, you might enjoy reading this.

Intellivision Ad: BurgerTime

1983 Commercial for BurgerTime on the Intellivision video game system.

Featured Vintage Collector's Video

Jeremy Mehrle has turned the basement of his St. Louis home into one of the best private Apple Macintosh computer collections that I am aware of. All of these machines are fully-functional so you can see how the old operating systems worked. Some of the highlights of his collection are an Apple Lisa, a 20th Anniversary Macintosh, and a NeXT computer.

Macintosh Developers Video (from mid-1980s)

Video: The Colossus WWII codebreaking machine

silicon.com reports: "Bletchley Park was the secret home to Britain's top codebreakers during World War II. The base is now home to the fledgling National Museum of Computing, which features a rebuild of the world's first electronic codebreaking computer - Colossus."

This is the best information I have seen on Colossus computer. I have new respect for this machine. Watch the video.

Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

TechRepublic reports: "When it comes to dinosaur computers in the luggable category the first name that should always be mentioned is the Osborne 1. We can talk about innovation with the Air, but we should first consider a PC that was truly revolutionary back in 1981. The Osborne 1 was the first completely self-contained portable computer.

Coming along a few years later was the Radio Shack TRS80 Model 4P, which refined the concepts laid out by the Osborne 1 and made lugging a computer from here to there a common every day reality for many."

I have a Osborne 1 in my personal collection, but I never heard of a Radio Shack TRS80 Model 4P. I like the TRS80 Model 4P keyboard design, it was much better then the Osborne.

nintendo8.com - Play Nintendo 8-bit Games Online

nintendo8.com lets you play classic 8-bit Nintendo video games online, and no software downloads are required. The site is pretty slow, but if you're patient it will load.

The games do require that you have Java installed on your computer in order to run them.

Interview wtih Jonathan Ive (Apple's Famous Product Designer)

A rare interview with Jonathan Ive. The main designer behind Apple's most famous products from the early iMac to the iPod.

Ten years old: the world's first MP3 player

Register Hardware reports: "The MP3 player is ten years old this month. The first commercially released personal music player capable of handling MP3 files was the MPMan F10, manufactured by Korea's Saehan Information Systems and launched in March 1998."

Here is a history of some of the very first MP3 players.

Arcade Games Make A Comeback

MSN.com reports "Yes, the Xbox is more high-tech. But a new wave of game players is bringing home something even more special -- old-style arcade games.

When David Ellis was in high school, he, like millions of other teenagers, became mesmerized by video games. That was back in the 1980s, however, when the most popular place to play a video game was in an arcade."

Every few months I read more and more articles discussing the popularity of collecting vintage technology. So you want to finish collecting what you want while you still can...

Cracking Open the classic Motorola StarTAC flip phone

TechRepublic reports: "Remember the legendary Motorola StarTAC? Released in 1996, it was the smallest cell phone available, and the first to feature the now-ubiquitous clamshell design. It was also the first mobile to sport the vibrate option. In addition, in 2005 it was number six on PCWorld's 'Top 50 Gadgets of the last 50 years.' Not too shabby. Naturally, we had to crack one open."

Want to see the inside of a Motorola StarTAC flip phone? Now is your chance.

Jeff Bezos: After the gold rush, there's innovation ahead

The dot-com boom-and-bust is often compared to the 1849 Gold Rush, and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos offers historical evidence showing how similar they were: from the riches made by pioneers to the media hype that attracted luckless speculators. But a better analogy can be found in the early days of the electric industry, he shows us. His conclusion in 2003: "I believe there's more innovation ahead of us than behind us."

Filmed Feb 2003

Remington-Rand Present the UNIVAC

UNIVAC is one of the earliest commercial computers and was easily the most famous computer of the 1950s. This film, produced between 1950 and 1952, shows how the UNIVAC computer was used in business, defense and by the census. The film shows several of the important portions of the UNIVAC system at work, including the high-speed printer, the UNISERVO tape drive, the UNITYPER, card readers and the mercury delay line tanks that served as main memory. The programming process is fully discussed and a business problem is demonstrated. These films served a promotional film as well as a way to demystify computers to the average person.

Cracking open the Commodore 64

TechRepublic reports: "For many of us, the first computer we can remember having was the Commodore 64. For me the Commodore 64 replaced an Intellivision console and I was intrigued by the ability to not only play games but to also connect to an online community via a 300 baud modem. The Commodore 64 was extremely powerful in its day and we can still marvel at the beauty of its simple design in this TechRepublic Cracking Open."

If you have never seen inside a Commodore 64 then, the article provides a fairly closeup view of the devices inner-workings.

Dinosaur sightings: The Commodore 64

TechRepublic reports: "For many of us in the baby-boom generation, the first computer we can remember having in our homes was the famous Commodore 64. In the early 1980s, this was a very successful home personal computer. It was the first computer I had that not only played games but also had word processing and a modem for downloading free and shareware applications. In many ways, the Commodore 64 was the pioneer of everything we take for granted in a personal computer world today. After soaking in some nostalgia, we plan to Crack Open this C64 to see what makes it tick."

Here is another golden oldie from the 80's.

Dinosaur sightings: The Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer (CoCo)

TechRepublic reports: "Before Microsoft and Bill Gates took control of the personal computer market, personal computers such as the Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer (aka CoCo) were all the rage. The Model 3134 TRS-80 shown in this TechRepublic Photo Gallery, came with a whopping 16K or RAM memory. Our TRS-80 CoCo is slated for a Cracking Open Gallery in the near future."

Meet the Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer (aka CoCo). I still remember when Radio Shack was selling these in their stores.

: Retro Arcade Gaming Fan Heaven Is Worth Infinite Quarters

Game Valhalla reports: "Peter Hirschberg has just finished his stunning retro-gaming heaven, a Valhalla for the best arcade video games ever. His Luna City Arcade has 57 fully-restored arcade classics, which span from Asteroids to Zaxxon, plus a whole load of pinballs. Amazingly enough, he does all this on his own dime, for the love of it. This personal museum is open now to the public by invitation only, and the best thing: entrance and quarters are completely free for his guests. Check the video, huge gallery and the interview with Peter after the jump."

Very impressive collection of video games...

The Evolution of TV

See the TV model trends of the last century. It has a pretty interesting evolutionary path.

Micro-T (Modern Retro Cell Phone)

If you like vintage technology, but don't want to give up all the inconveniences of modern cell phone(such as SMS, web browsing, and more). The Micro-T is modeled after an older Motorola 3200/3300 brick cell phones with a lot of modern bells and whistles.

RETROBRICK is offering the: "Micro-T phone which is identical to the Motorola 3200 and 3300 but has the advantage of using the latest brand new modern circuitry. So essentially this is a retro phone which can be used everyday with all the features of a modern phone."

Software:Altair 32 Emulator

Have you ever wanted to play with your Altair 8800 computer? Now you can virtually play with or program Altair 8800 using this software emulator for Windows.

Intellivision Ad: BurgerTime

1983 Commercial for BurgerTime on the Intellivision video game system.

Apple Switch Ad (Ellen Feiss)

This ad was part of Apple's 2002 'Switch' campaign that got a great deal of attention because the actress Ellen Feiss appeared to be stoned. She eventually revealed that she was tired and taking Benadryl. She still became an Internet phenomena for a little while.

Apple's 1984 Commercial

This commercial is a master piece in my mind, it's one of the best I have ever seen.

The Wonderful World of Early Computing

Neatorama reports: "The history of computing spans thousands of years - from the primitive notched bones found in Africa, to the invention of abacus in 2400 BC, to Charles Babbage’s Difference Engine in 1883, to the rise of the popularity of Personal Computers (PCs) in the 1970s. For the most part, this timeline is marked by devices that bear little or no resemblance to present-day machines both in form and capabilities."

If you would like to learn about some of the earliest computing machines check out this article.

Magnavox Odyssey TV Commercial (February 1973)

A commercial from The Carol Burnett Show aired 2/10/73 for the the Magnavox Odyssey, the first home video game console system.

The Macintosh Marketing Story: Fact and Fiction, 20 Years Later

It was the autumn of 1983. Business Week magazine had an IBM personal computer on its cover, with the ominous words, And the winner is...IBM. Apple Computer was in a world of hurt. The Apple II had lost its competitive edge. The Apple III was a sales disappointment and the Lisa, introduced in January 1983, was a financial failure. Great expectations were being placed on the Macintosh, scheduled to launch on January 24, 1984. Yet there was skepticism both in and outside the company. There was no hard disk support. The screen was too small and it wasn't in color. There was limited software. The engineers knew it. The software guys knew it. And Steve Jobs knew it. The challenge for the Mac Marketing Team was simple: They had to establish and hold a beachhead. Or else they and the product would die. The introduction of the Macintosh computer launched a comprehensive and integrated approach to high-tech marketing. Much of what was highly innovative in 1984 is now standard fare for all product introductions. Join us as six key members of the Macintosh launch team tell the inside stories behind one of the most insanely great product launches of all times.

We Are Apple (Leading The Way)

This was a corporate song that was used during the Macintosh rollout in January, 1984. It was played in Manhattan, before Steve Jobs took the stage to introduce the Macintosh and the new line of Lisa computer systems.

Featured Vintage Collector's Video

Peek and Poke retro computer club/museum on Croatian national television. The video is not in English, but the collection is pretty impressive.