Vintage -- Engadget

vintage posts

World's first camera goes on public display in Macau

by Darren Murph, posted May 24th 2009 at 4:23AM

If you thought the golden anniversary of Olympus' Pen camera was something, get a load of this. From now until August 23rd, an elaborate exhibition entitled 'The Invention of Photography and the Earliest Photographs' will showcase some of digital imaging's earliest tools, including the planet's oldest camera. The wooden sliding box shown above will undoubtedly be the centerpiece of the Macau-based expo, though it will be surrounded by 250 photography antiques and 180 old photos, which were collections lent by the Nicephore Niepce Museum and 12 other museums, cultural institutions and private collectors around the world. Anyone planning on making the trip over? Make sure you take a few snapshots with your 90s-era point-and-shoot, cool?

Infallibly Polite Speaking Alarm Clock does what it says

by Darren Murph, posted May 20th 2009 at 1:07AM

Truth be told, there's an alarm clock out there for every type of waker, but this bad boy just might be the most enjoyable (if such a thing actually exists). Sold by the always intriguing Hammacher Schlemmer, the Infallibly Polite Speaking Alarm Clock supposedly "reproduces the subtle wit employed by P. G. Wodehouse's most famous character, the valet Reginald Jeeves." In fact, it plays back 126 fey wake-up messages in the voice of Stephen Fry, with our favorite being the following: "Excuse me sir, I'm so sorry to disturb you, but it appears to be morning... very inconvenient, I agree... I believe it is the rotation of the Earth that is to blame, sir." If only the thing weren't $99.95, we'd have one in every room.

[Via Slashgear]

Update: ThinkGeek has it for just $69.99 -- score! Thanks David!

Samsung Eternity retrofitted within NES controller, has never looked better

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 28th 2009 at 8:41AM

Not that we've never had the pleasure of seeing an NES phone mod before, but there's just something especially elegant about this one. The not-at-all-ancient Samsung a867 Eternity was chosen by one Taylor Merrill to be shoved inside of a now-defunct Nintendo Entertainment System controller. The result, naturally, is what you see above -- er, half of it, anyway. For a look at the whole thing in its entirety, hop on past the break and mash play. Per usual, we take no responsibility for damage dealt to your retro game consoles, existing handsets or pride should you attempt to replicate.

[Thanks, stagueve]

Continue reading Samsung Eternity retrofitted within NES controller, has never looked better

Nerd jewelry roundup: Guitar Hero cufflinks, gilded Atari ring and EQ wedding bands

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 31st 2009 at 8:22AM

Not that we haven't seen nerdy wedding bands before, but for those who aren't really enamored with networking, we've stumbled upon another option that's just too awesome to pass up. Granted, the sound wave bands have been around a finger or two, but really, how awesome is a wedding ring with an EQ interpretation of "I Do" engraved in it? We'll tell you -- really awesome. Moving on, we've got the 1981 Atari ring, a solid piece of kit sporting an original Atari chip splashed with gold or silver. Lastly, we've got Cufflinks.com's latest, a set of Guitar Hero links that will undoubtedly make the faux rocker in your life grin from ear to ear. Dig in below for more details, but don't expect to purchase any of 'em but the last, and at $50 per pair, you should probably think twice.

Read - Guitar Hero cufflinks
Read - Atari ring and EQ wedding bands

Gallery: Nerd jewelry roundup: Guitar Hero cufflinks, gilded Atari ring and EQ wedding bands

NES Joystick Test Cartridge lands on eBay, complete with lowest replay value ever

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 29th 2009 at 9:02PM

Not that we haven't seen some pretty crazy Nintendo gear fetch some pretty crazy prices on The Bay, but this is definitely amongst the weirdest. Shipping directly from the frigid tundras of Fairbanks, Alaska, this Joystick Test Cartridge for the Nintendo Entertainment System will undoubtedly spend a record low amount of time within your still kickin' NES console. Put simply, these carts were passed out to game stores for them to test out their NES machines, and after they were done, they were instructed to ship the cart back to the Mushroom Kingdom. Clearly, one renegade employee shoved it in his coat pocket and made a beeline for The Last Frontier. Surely all that's worth $1,050, right?

[Via TechEBlog]

ReBraun music jukebox is beautifully retro, woefully expensive

by Darren Murph, posted Mar 17th 2009 at 7:48AM

Got a thing for vintage, do ya? If so, you owe it to yourself to have a gander at the ReBraun music jukebox, which was modeled after the absolutely stunning Audio 1 Kompaktanlage (circa 1962). This here device is crafted from aluminum and sports twin LCD displays in place of radio scales, and the optional WiFi module gives it a link to legions of internet radio stations. Needless to say, the mix of old and new is downright tear-jerking, but we'd argue the €12,000 ($15,561) price tag is even more so.

[Via today and tomorrow]

Limited edition red 'Resident Evil Code: Veronica' Dreamcast pops up on eBay

by Darren Murph, posted Oct 3rd 2008 at 2:09PM

Console collectors know good and well that Sega dished out a few less-than-easily-attainable versions of the Dreamcast back in the day, but only the hardest of hardcore fanatics are apt to have one this bad boy. Just 1,800 of these limited edition bundles were made, which feature an atypical Code: Veronica box, a translucent red version of the Japanese console, a matching controller, a copy of Biohazard Code: Veronica (Japan's version of Resident Evil Code: Veronica), all the traditional connection cables and a huge dose of bragging rights. Number 280 out of the 1,800 units can be yours right now for the low, low asking price of $800, and believe us, we don't foresee this one hanging around sans an owner for too much longer.

[Via Gadget Review]

Atari Hero mod lets you rock out with ET

by Tim Stevens, posted Sep 29th 2008 at 9:17AM

Those of us old enough to remember crap games like E.T. and Sssnake have every right to be thrilled by the relative quality of modern gems like Guitar Hero. We're guessing modder Conner Flynn over at SlipperyBrick feels that way too, melding the old with the new by inserting an Atari 2600 console into the body of a faux-Gibson from Guitar Hero. This meant adding two controllers to the body (an eight-way joystick plus a paddle-style controller for Breakout), wiring up the green button on the neck, and adding a small screen where the strum bar would normally reside. It's a layout that makes this axe best suited for play Jeff Healey-style, and with a pocketful of AA batteries you can game your Angel Eyes out wherever you like. No, it's not the most ergonomic portable 2600 we've ever seen, or most practical, but is certainly is the most badass.

[Via technabob]

The Cuffless Cufflink button hack

by Thomas Ricker, posted Sep 17th 2008 at 8:04AM

We've covered a surprisingly robust number of nerdy cufflinks in our day -- now this, the Watch Movement "Cuffless" Cufflink. Designed by Grace Acosta, these faux cufflinks made from "shiny vintage watch movements" snap onto the cuff buttons of an ordinary oxford shirt -- no fancy french cuff required. $55 and available now, ironic mustache not included.

Mini ColecoVision hits eBay, finds a special place in our hearts

by Darren Murph, posted Aug 20th 2008 at 6:56AM

Call us biased, but we still prefer Ben Heckendorn's portable ColecoVision over this one, but that's not to say we don't deeply respect the immense amount of work that went into the mini ColecoVision. The seller of the unit stripped a ColecoVision PCB from an original casing and got to modding; when all was said and done, the miniaturized version still operated fine and required a lot less floor space. 'Tis a shame the bidding just ended -- now you're stuck with Atarimax's oh-so-similar (but not nearly as satisfying) MulitCart as you embarrassingly attempt to relive the past.

[Via technabob]

Vintage cassette tape holds Apple I BASIC, killer modem tune

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 19th 2008 at 2:47PM

Fair warning: this here post is nerdier than usual, and those who begin to feel nauseous at the mere mention of data-bending may want to refrain from continuing on. For you brave, hardened souls that are following through, feast your eyes on the "first piece of software ever sold by Apple." The Apple I BASIC cassette wasn't even included with all of the 200 Apple Is produced eons ago, but a few engineering souls have managed to extract the data and create an MP3 of the wave structure. Not surprisingly, the tone resembles that of a 1200 Baud connection, and if we should say so ourselves, would make for a wicked ringtone. Believe us, it gets even weirder in the read link, but you'll have to determine whether venturing down is something your brain can handle.

[Via BoingBoing]

Power Pad hacked into musical controller, DDR trembles

by Darren Murph, posted Jul 7th 2008 at 3:12PM

We're not quite sure how Seth Sternberger, one member of 8 Bit Weapon, was able to pull this off, but he somehow compiled a number of old parts from local shops and eBay in order to transform an NES Power Pad into an instrument of awesomeness. Click on through for a video of Micro Boogie being performed on said Pad, and don't be shocked to find yourself immediately overcome with the need to get one of these in your own house (only to remember that you can't dance).

Continue reading Power Pad hacked into musical controller, DDR trembles

Hand crafted cassette tape lamp turns old tech into fresh lighting

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 27th 2008 at 1:31PM

Remember that hundred pack of blank cassettes you bought back in '93 when they hit 90-percent off? Man, those were the days. Unfortunately, you only got around to making three or four mix tapes, leaving you with quite a few unused hunks of junk cluttering up the closet. If you've managed to hang onto 'em just knowing a worthwhile use was just around the bend, congratulations. The ingenious cats over at Transparent House have glued an assortment of old tapes together and inserted neon lights within to keep things cool and create a rather impressive source of lighting. Oh, and if you can't figure this one out sans a how-to guide, maybe DIY work just isn't your bag.

[Via technabob]

Dig Dug Pillows spark dreams of retro gaming paradise

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 23rd 2008 at 9:16AM

We've seen folks lay their noggins on some pretty interesting pillows, but these critters just stand out like no other. Featuring Dig Dug himself along with a menacing Pooka, these homegrown cushions were created by manicmaiden for his / her brother's birthday. We know what you're thinking, but it doesn't seem as if this particularly thoughtful individual is accepting applications for adoptions.

[Via CRAFT]

Vintage Mr. Microphone hacked into spy device

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 16th 2008 at 9:18AM

We've seen the viewfinder of a VHS camcorder hacked into a night-vision headset, but this just might be even more retro than that. For those ~~old~~ seasoned enough to remember Ronco's Mr. Microphone, you may recall just how boring it became after a few short minutes of use. If you somehow managed to not discard the thing over the years, we've found the perfect use for it: a discrete spying device. Essentially, DIYers can strip the innards out, re-solder a few pieces and shove the resulting tidbits into an unassuming air freshener. From there, just tune to whatever open frequency you can find and you've got yourself a wireless eavesdropping tool like no other. Video after the break.

Continue reading Vintage Mr. Microphone hacked into spy device