If you think that Thursday is only for throwbacks or Friday for Flashbacks, today we feature the different kinds of devices from decades ago that you might opt to reflect. These important gadgets did make a lot of lives easy and convenient. We owe it to the past whatever we have in the present and so we say, “I remember yesterday.”
Calculator Watch
First existed in the 70’s and those who are familiar with it would surely remember Casio’s Databank series. Calculator watch is a digital watch with a calculator built into it. It usually has buttons on the watch face. This device is important in technological history because it made people multi-task, not only checking for time, but also being able to manage major or minor computations and petite assets on the go.
Typewriter
The first of it was patented in the United States in 1868. It became a standard piece of office equipment and was also purchased for homes. It was used by students, writers and office personnel. Typewriters are fundamental part of processing documents then and up to the present.
MOTOROLA MicroTac
The MicroTac was released by Motorola on April 23, 1989, making it the most convenient cellular phone in the 90’s. It is a GSM compatible. TDMA/Dual-mode versions were introduced in 1994. The innovative “flip” design became a hit to users. Its mouthpiece was actually located in the base of the phone along with the ringer. TAC means Total Area Coverage in all of its three models.
The Clapper
The Clapper is one of the iconic must-haves in the 20th century. It is an electrical switch activated by sound. Popularly and conveniently used to turn on or switch off lights. It appeared in the films “The Burglars” in 1973, “Uncle Buck” in 1989 and many more. Basically, this device allows the user to activate up to two appliances using sequences of claps. It works on lights, TV’s and radios. Having one allowed users to operate appliances without getting up, switching them on and off made it easy during the 90’s.
CB Radios
Known as the citizen band radio, this device is a system of short distance radio communications between individuals on a selection of 40 channels within the 27 MHz band. Unlike any other two-way radio devices, CB’s are shared by users due to its dynamic functionality. Although one station may transmit at a time, other stations must listen and wait for the shared channel to be available. Since it was the only two-way radio system for individual consumer, it served users such as radio hobbyist, drivers, security personnel and those in need of short-range radio communication.
Atari
Pole Position, Pacman, Joust, Space Invaders and many more are just some of the games made popular by Atari. It was first originally known as Atari VCS (Video Computer System) and it means “to hit the target” in Japanese, giving justice on its name among its users. It was then renamed Atari 2600, a video game console bundled with 2 joystick controllers, a paddle controller and a cartridge game.
Magnavox Odyssey
Just before you became addicted to Sony Playstation, Magnavox Odyssey was the world’s first commercial home video game console. It was released in August 1972 together with Atari Pong home consoles. Often mistaken to be analog because of its hardware design, Magnavox is powered by batteries. Although it lacks sound capability, this game console became a hit to young blood game aficionados.
Polaroid and camera films
In the age of visual culture, photos play an important role to our lives because it preserves our precious memories with loved ones. Polariod instant camera is a type of camera that generates a developed film image. It has been a popular must have gadget for travelers because of its self-developing film. Edwin Land, the inventor of modern instant cameras unveiled his first commercial instant camera in 1948, this idea makes photography seamless and easy for anyone to use.