RETROGADGETS®

APPLE
As a long time fan of Apple (I got my Mac SE with the big 20 meg hard drive back in 1987) I love to take a look back at all Jobs and Wozniak have accomplished. Isn’t your new iPad just a version of the before-its-time Newton? Here’s a great site with a lot of Apple history.

Video Cassette Recorders
VCRs have come and gone. You can’t even find one now without a DVD player built into it. The history of the VCR and VHS vs BETA is a fascinating one.

DVD
I sometimes joke that I’ve been covering tech for so long, I remember when VCRs were made out of wood! Well, I do remember when DVD players were made out of wood. The first one I ever showed was a model, made out of wood, that had been shown on the floor of the Consumer Electronics Show in 1997. All it had inside was a light bulb and a “C” battery. It also had a hand made wooded case to protect it. If you stood 3 feet away it looked real. Here’s more on the history of this amazing advancement in technology.

SEGWAY
The Segway Personal Transporter is still an amazing invention from a brilliant guy, Dean Kamen. The Segway was launched to the general public with a contest. 30 lucky people who won the contest were able to get their Segway by Christmas that year, and I was one of them! You’ll find mention of it in this Segway timeline. I still have mine, signed by Dean. Here’s a little overview from the Segway site:

“In 2001, Dean Kamen announced the arrival of the first self-balancing, zero emissions personal transportation vehicle: the Segway® Personal Transporter (PT). Founded on the vision to develop highly-efficient, zero-emission transportation solutions using dynamic stabilization technology, Segway’s research and development was focused on creating devices that took up a minimal amount of space, were extremely maneuverable and could operate on pedestrian sidewalks and pathways.
In 2006, the second generation Segway PTs were introduced. All the products feature breakthrough LeanSteer™ technology and a wireless InfoKey™ controller that enhance the Segway experience by making the ride even more intuitive and adding new and useful functions.
Today, Segway continues to develop safe, unique transportation solutions that address urban congestion and pollution and leverage our in-house expertise. No matter the platform, our products allow you to experience more with less.”