Retro Tech Tuesday: The Wireless Revolution!

Sure today we're all hearing about 4G this, and LTE that, but 2001 was a simpler time. Today we visit an episode of the Computer Chronicles to hear about a new-fangled technology called bluetooth, find out more about a future in which you will be able to watch videos on your cell phone (what?!), and take a look at the hot new cell phone.. with a browser. 

All joking aside this episode of Computer Chronicles, like nearly every one is a splendid time capsule at a time that seems so distant, yet in actual years, is much more recent than one would believe.

Enjoy!

Retro Tech Tuesday: The Legend of Zelda Ad

It's almost the end of summer... Some kids are already back to school, and others will be shortly. It's a good time to head outside and soak up a little more summer sunshine. I'm a little hypocritical in giving that advice though, as I lost many summer days and nights to the subject of today's retro tech ad: The Legend of Zelda.

I don't know how much of this ad is meant to be tongue in cheek, and how much it is supposed to represent the actual gaming audience at the time. All I know is, the cartridge they slip into that NES isn't gold, so I'm left to question everything. Everything.

My favorite part? The last line, "Your parents help you hook it up!" Do you know how many tech gadgets I've setup for my parents? My how times have changed.

Retro Tech Tuesday: Disney's 1950's Vision of Future Travel

Who could've envisioned GPS, heads-up displays, and bluetooth-like connectivity in the 1950's? As it turns out, the creative minds at Disney, that's who. Sure, they may have also envisioned atomic-powered tunneling machines that would make short work of the toughest tunnels in mere hours. And yes, we don't have cantilevered, irradescent roadways criss-crossing the country, but all in all, many of the predictions in this short from the 50's were spot-on:

Retro Tech Tuesday: 1920's Folding Electric Car

While electric cars are slowly making their way onto the highways here in 2011, we still have precious few folding cars, let alone folding electric cars! If only we would've all rallied behind this gem in the 1920's... It definitely has a bit more assembly than the Sinclair C5 we looked at last week, but dang if that little car doesn't have some moxie:

Retro Tech Tuesday: The Sinclair C5

What's not to love about this week's Retro Tech? It has everything we look for: a retro commerical, retro music/sound effects, and a promise of a cleaner, brighter future that was never to be.

While this ad portrays it as a single-person electric "car", it was really more of a battery-assisted tricyle, hence the claim that you didn't need a license to operate it. While it looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, it looks far less glamourous in this real-world setting. That might be part of the reason it didn't catch on: