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Californians can now rent original arcade games like Street Fighter 2, Ms. Pac Man
Sure, there's a cool factor to having a vintage arcade game parked in your rec room. But there's more to it than that -- as we saw for ourselves at Engadget Expand, people are genuinely excited about playing the original cabinet games from their childhoods. Now you can rent titles like Ms. Pac Man, Pole Position 2 and Donkey Kong for $75 per month in California, thanks to a company called All You can Arcade. It started as just a collecting hobby for brothers Timothy and Seth Peterson, but has blossomed into a business that now rents over 100 games and is constantly adding more. The best part is that you won't have to part with any of your allowance to play -- hit the More Coverage link for the copious list of titles.
This is the Modem World: Why we go retro
Each week Joshua Fruhlinger contributes This is the Modem World, a column dedicated to exploring the culture of consumer technology. So I was listening to Howard Stern on my way home from work the other night. Satellite radio came with my car and, whether you like him or not, Stern's a pretty good companion in LA traffic. I happen to like him. Anyway. "You know Gary," he prodded, "I'm gonna use a horse and buggy instead of a car, just because it's cool." Turns out he was giving Producer Gary Dell'Abate a hard time about his love for vinyl. Gary did his best to defend the hobby, saying it has been scientifically proven that analog sounds better than digital, that it's just something people do for fun and that it's a really interesting subculture. Of course, he didn't win.
MIDI spans 30 years at NAMM with Commodore 64 and Animoog (video)
You may have heard that the Musical Instrument Digital Interface protocol (aka MIDI) celebrates its 30th birthday this year. And where better than NAMM would the MIDI Manufacturer Association be able to fully demonstrate (and celebrate) the persevering protocol's coming of age? Part of the MMA's installation was a set-up destined to get geek hearts racing. A 1983 Commodore 64 connected to a Sequential Circuits Model 64 sequencer cartridge (with MIDI interface). From these vintage parts, the regular 5-pin MIDI cable heads out through the decades and into an IK Multimedia iRig MIDI, into an iPad, finally feeding its information into the Animoog app from equally longevous Moog. Watch old meet new in the gallery and video below.
YouTube playlist: Apple II games
Hey, it's Friday! Besides Tim Cook going on a media tour recently there's not much going on, so let's reminisce. I grew up with an Apple II and this video playlist of old games for the venerable platform had me watching in awe as someone with more skill than I deftly played through games like Aztec and Castle Wolfenstein. To this day those creepy, scratchy Nazi guard voices haunt me. To cleanse your palate, try some lemonade. And below is a video of the Computer Chronicles talking about the "upcoming" Apple IIc and IIgs. Good times, great oldies.
Macworld lists six rare Macs
Benj Edwards of Macworld takes a walk down memory lane and lists six obscure Mac computers that saw limited production runs. All the unusual machines were produced in 1990s and include the JLPGA PowerBook 170, the Color Classic II, the Macintosh TV, Power Macintosh G3 All-in-One, Twentieth Anniversary Mac and PowerBook 550c. You can view an image of each model and read more about their history on Macworld's website. It's well worth the read!
Atari 2600s get PC innards, 22,857 times more processing power
Atari games redesigned in HTML 5 may bring back a flood of nostalgia, but they leave out a key part of the gaming experience: the classic hardware. Hard Drives Northwest filled that void by gutting a limited number of authentic Atari 2600s and stuffing them with modern PC components. Packing a Core i7 3.4GHz processor, the retro console now boasts 22,857 times more processing power than it did in its heyday, according to Microsoft's calculations -- more than enough oomph to handle the recent remakes. Other internals include 8GB of RAM, a 120GB SSD and a Radeon HD 6570 graphics card with 1GB of video memory. With support for USB 3.0 and 2.0, eSATA, DisplayPort, DVI and HDMI, the system is well stocked on the connectivity front. Finally, the signature of Atari founder Nolan Bushnell acts as the cherry atop the faux wood grain-toting package. While the souped-up machines aren't up for sale, a pair of them are slated for a giveaway. Glamour shots and the full set of specs await you at the source.
Marshall's Hanwell HiFi speaker is bred from guitar amps, at-home with your PMP (update)
It's been a year since the legendary guitar amp and speaker makers at Marshall Amplification made a splash in consumer audio with its Marshall Headphones spin-off (Zound / Urbanears). In commemorence of the amplification division's 50th anniversary, both have announced the Hanwell: Marshall's first speaker rig that's made for a counter-top instead of a festival stage. The Hanwell's design essentially stems from that of a combo guitar amp / speaker, but you won't be able to plug in your guitar, however, as it's specifically made for pumping out the sounds of your music collection. Most anyone who plays guitar, or has seen the likes of Slash and Nigel Tufnel shredding it up, will immediately recognize the iconic Marshall design ethic down to its iconic plastic nameplate on the front grill and gold accents. There's no major tech at play inside of the system, but with looks this cool it's not like it matters -- hopefully, the sound quality will match. Up top there's a familiar panel housing a 3.5mm input, power toggle and knobs for bass, treble and volume, while internally you'll find a duo of long-throw woofers and tweeters. The cab itself is made from wood and wrapped in black vinyl tolex like its bigger JCM siblings -- heck, it even comes with a coiled audio cable. There's no specific information beyond all of that such as pricing and availability -- especially whether "these go to 11" -- but you'll find a press release and close-up shots after the break. Update: We've been informed that the Hanwell will be limited to a run of just 10,000 units -- expect this to be spendy when it's finally available.
Gamestop CEO: Company could expand into vintage games business
Gamestop's brick and mortar locations may not stock gems from yesteryear, but that doesn't mean all those old trade-ins no longer exist. In fact, the resale giant has amassed such a large back catalogue of classics that its heavily considering an entrance into the vintage resale market, though when that will happen remains a mystery."If you go to eBay and look at all of the gaming stuff that's on there, it's unbelievable. Collector's stuff. We've got to be in that business. We will be," Gamestop CEO Paul Raines told Polygon. "We think there's a vintage sales opportunity, so we're accumulating some inventory. It's a big idea, and there's a few problems with it. The first one is sourcing the product, the condition, the refurbishment, all that stuff. But there's a customer for it. And we're working on some stuff we haven't announced yet."If/when it does enter the classic games business, Gamestop will do so through its website, rather than expanding the scope of its retail locations. How many priceless Atari 2600 carts would we have to trade in for a used iPad, do you think?
Insert Coin: Instacube is a hip, Android-based digital photo frame for your Instagram feeds
In Insert Coin, we look at an exciting new tech project that requires funding before it can hit production. If you'd like to pitch a project, please send us a tip with "Insert Coin" as the subject line. Ever wished you had another option aside from using Instagram's mobile apps and permalinks for viewing your retrofied photos? The folks at D2M certainly did, resulting in what it likes to call Instacube. The square gizmo is essentially a 7.5-inch (2.5 inches deep), OneStep-themed digital photo frame purposed specifically for displaying and interacting with Instagram photo feeds. Up front, a 6.5-inch LCD touchscreen (600 x 600, the full resolution of photos on the service) allows you to tap between pictures and type when needed. Apart from that, three physical buttons on its top handle power, switching feeds and favoriting photos. Basically, the unit looks out for your specified hashtags so it can follow multiple Instagram feeds and automatically cycle through the images -- niche yes, but it's still undeniably cool. Android runs the show (no word on what version) atop an undisclosed ARM processor that's bundled with 4GB of storage and 256MB of RAM, while b/g/n WiFi keeps it connected to Instagram independently. Speaking to its OS, tinkerers should be pleased to know that D2M plans to continually enhance its functionality, and potentially open it up to developers. Also worth note, Instacube sports a built-in rechargeable battery, allowing it to operate completely untethered when the mood strikes. Interested in pledging your own coin to help fund the project? 1,000 backers can get in on their own Instacube for a cool $99, after which it'll jump to $150. Another 1,000 can get a duo for $199, and the same goes for a limited edition "vintage spring" green variant that'll set you back $249. Past that, bulk options are on offer maxing out at $5,000 for 40 units, and $10,000 for 25 and a "Design Experience" with D2M. All in all, the Instacube project has 31 days to reach a $250,000 funding goal, with the first units set to ship in March 2013 if all goes well -- hopefully we'll see more than just renders of it well before then. Hit up the project at source link and the video overview past the break if you're interested in liberating your Instagram snaps to that larger display.
Blake Patterson's Byte Cellar: the ultimate man cave for aspiring geeks
Apple IIGS? Of course. Commodore 64C? You betcha. NeXTstation Turbo Color? Booyah! These three classics are just part of Blake Patterson's tricked-out technology den that's known as the Byte Cellar -- and yes, we're seething with jealousy. Take notes, folks, because this is how it's done. In all, the Byte Cellar currently plays home to 69 computers, video game consoles, PDA's and other noteworthy gadgets. Need to switch between the Atari and the Amiga? Not a problem, as each system is thoughtfully laid out on a workbench that allows one to easily scoot between rigs. Even the walls bleed vintage cred with a Space Invaders motif, rare posters and hardware components from bygone eras. Be sure to take it all in with a panorama photo that's been linked up below, along with a complete list of the equipment currently in Blake's collection. Regardless of whether you agree with his taste in hardware, one thing is for certain: the man must go through a lot of compressed air.
Pixar Image Computer surfaces on eBay, $25k will let you buy it now
Still have another cube-shaped hole in your vintage computer collection? Then you may be interested in this rare specimen that's currently up for auction on eBay. Long before Pixar produced its first feature film, it sold the Pixar Image Computer, a high-end system developed at Lucasfilm and intended for a variety of professional uses (from medical to meteorological applications). As the eBay seller notes, the computer also has a distinctive "tombstone" design, with the Pixar logo emblazoned on the front (not to mention a matching CRT). Unfortunately, the seller isn't able to verify if the computer is actually in working condition as it's missing a power cord, but that little detail hasn't gotten in the way of a $15,000 starting bid and a $25,000 buy it now price. Pricey, to be sure, but a steep discount from its original $135,000 selling price.
Metalab wires its Blinkenwall to run from Commodore 64, gives no word on the obligatory Tetris port (video)
We've seen some ambitious Blinkenwalls in our time. Nearly all of the attention is unsurprisingly focused on the wall, however, and not on the often clever hardware and software behind it. Vienna's Metalab wants to shift the limelight by kicking it old school. Instead of the thoroughly modern Arduino and Fonera hotspot that normally light up Metalab's 45-block glass wall, the team's Blinken64 project swaps in a Commodore 64 with a cassette drive and the unusual Final Cartridge III feature extender. Getting lights to strobe requires dusting off more than just hardware -- all the animations have to be written in assembly-level MOS Technology 6510 code that even our nerdy parents might forget. The result you'll see in the video after the break is a far cry from the relatively easy, web-accessible hardware that normally powers such blinkenlight creations, but it's also a testament to how relevant classic technology can remain when it's in the right hands.
Apple II Plus gets torn asunder and restored in this modern teardown (video)
Breathe in that vintage electronics musk, because it's not going to last -- at least for Todd Harrison, a computer hobbyist based in Mesa, Arizona. You see, for Todd, much of his appreciation for old equipment comes from tearing the units apart and restoring 'em to a like-new condition. Fortunately for us, he's taking everyone along for the ride in this teardown and cleanup of the Apple II Plus. Those with an appreciation for all things vintage will certainly want to put some time aside for his two video tours -- which rack up to nearly a full hour of computing marvel. In the process, Todd shares a few tips and product recommendations for those looking to strip 30 years worth of grime from the casing, and he also reveals himself to be a bit of a hardware nerd: you'll find a detailed look at the Apple logic board, an explanation of the memory banks and see how the Apple II Plus can be expanded to 64K of RAM with the use of a language card. Peeks at the 6502 CPU from MOS Technology and the Applesoft BASIC ROM from Microsoft are also on deck, in addition to a bit of a surprise that Todd found lurking within the Apple Monitor III. With that said, cancel your evening plans and hop the break for the complete tour.
Afghan photographers eschew electronics for wooden camera portraits (video)
If retro-style snaps are worth a billion dollars à la Instagram, what does that say about the value of real prints taken with pre-WWII gear? Reminding us that early cameras were photochemical and shutterless, Kabul is home to two lone holdouts who still practice the 75-year-old art of wooden camera photography. Due to a ban on picture-taking by the Taliban, and then an influx of cheap digital cameras, the number of practitioners of kamra-e-faoree has steadily dwindled. But thanks to the Afghan Box Camera Project, the legacy left by these artisans is being preserved -- not least in the video above. Discover how it all works and then leave the faux-vintage to the hipsters.
Bizarre internal Apple video shows Steve Jobs rallying the troops against IBM
We're going to warn you up front: what you're about to see is eccentric, puzzling, and perhaps even disturbing. And undoubtedly, it's the fanboy film to end all fanboy films. According to Network World, who managed to get ahold of an internal 'rally the troops' video, the referenced clip was produced with a $50,000 budget and shown to an international sales force at a 1984 meeting in Hawaii. The film, entitled "1944," was purportedly provided by one-time Apple employee Craig Elliott, now CEO of Pertino Networks. The vintage footage shows then-CEO Steve Jobs as Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and the nine minute film drags on to show Apple-clad soldiers lining up to do battle with IBM -- a massive, massive rival in the space during that era. The full watch can be found in the source link below (embedding was disabled), and again, this will absolutely freak you out. Fair warning.
Apple eMate 300 prototype pops up on eBay, buy it now for $8,500
At this point we kind of just expect vintage Apple machines to surface on eBay: just last month we came across a WALT prototype, followed by a Macintosh 128k a few days ago. Now, the fresh face at eBay's auction party is Apple's eMate 300, which is said to be in "good working order" and showing no signs of wear. There's no bidding war going on at the moment, but there is a "Buy it now" option that's got the laptop priced at a whopping $8,500. Of course, you're likely to get your money's worth, with a 25MHz ARM 710a RISC processor, a 480 x 320 display and an almighty stylus pen -- all while being powered by Cupertino's Newton OS. Think this is worth adding to your fancy collector's shelf? We'll let you chew on that while you pore over the sell-off page.
BBS version of Google takes you back in time, won't hog your phone line
If the third digit of your birth year is a nine (or heck, a zero), you'll likely never have experienced the true agony joy that was BBS or Bulletin Board Systems. Well, thanks to nostalgic developer Norbert Landsteiner, you can take a glimpse at how your dad got online with an HTML / JavaScript emulation BBS Google. Likewise, more seasoned travelers of the internet can take a trip down memory lane and see what Mountain View's search engine might have looked like "back in the day." All the details are there, right down to the familiar modem tones and ASCII graphics, it's even somewhat functional (when the API isn't over its limit.) So, want to appreciate that browser you complain about on twitter all the time over your LTE connection? Tab on down to the source link for a lesson in gratitude.
Texas Instruments TI-83 Plus review
The year was 1999. I was pondering all too carefully what kind of threads I'd be wearing come the new school year. But all I could really think about was exactly how much of my styling budget would be blown on some antediluvian piece of technology that -- in my mind -- was no longer necessary due to the invention of the internet. That hunk was Texas Instruments' TI-83 Plus. So far as I could understand it, the "Plus" meant that it had a few extra megabytes of RAM; why you needed loads of RAM in a graphing calculator, I had no idea. At $119.99, it was the most expensive purchase I made leaving middle school, and now that I've had well over a decade to toy with it, it's about time I sat down and gave it a proper review. Join me after the break, won't you?
Commodore Amiga Mini PC revealed: Core i7, 16GB of RAM and a Blu-ray drive
Yeah, an optical drive. You know, for folks who still appreciate the passing fads of life. Bitterness aside, Commodore is following up its retro-fabulous C64x with a new small-form-factor PC, the Amiga Mini. While not much of a looker, this box houses a potent 3.5GHz Core i7-2700k CPU, 16GB of DDR3 memory, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 430 (1GB), a WiFi radio and a 1TB HDD that can be swapped out for a 300GB or 600GB solid state drive. There's a slot-loading Blu-ray drive by default, internal space for a pair of 2.5-inch drives and a predictable Amiga logo burned right onto the front panel. Unfortunately, the well-specced base model tips the pricing scales at $2,495, but that does include a copy of its Commodore OS Vision. The company's also revealing the C64x Supreme, the new VIC mini and a more powerful VIC-Slim keyboard computer (which now includes an HDMI output), all detailed in the presser past the break.Update: Citing "consumer outcry," Commodore has lowered the entry price of the machine you see above to $1,995. For those of you who paid $500 more yesterday -- well, as least you've got a refund headed your way.
FujiFilm's $1,700 X100 Black Edition now shipping, limited to 10K units worldwide
We somehow missed this retro-styled gem at back at CES, but no matter -- Fujifilm's X100 Black Premium Edition is now shipping and available for purchase. This is exactly the same 12.3-megapixel camera that's been pleasing photographers for nearly a year, albeit in a darker, single-tone finish that's limited to a run of 10,000 units worldwide. Priced at $1,700, the black X100 is 500 more bones than the standard-issue variant and features the same 23mm fixed lens, but it comes with a lens hood, leather case, clear lens filter and an adapter ring; all of which are all painted to match. We'd say this blacked-out shooter gives the NEX-7 a run for its money in the dapper looks department, but you can decide for yourself at the source link below. Full press release past the break.
