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The IBM PC Convertible (model 5140)

Year: 1986 Retail Price: US$2,000 (equivalent to $5,340 in 2022) This is IBM’s first laptop. The grandaddy of Lenovo! The IBM PC Convertible (model 5140) from 1986 was IBM’s first laptop-style computer, following the luggable IBM Portable, and introduced the 3½-inch floppy disk format to the IBM product line. The CPU is an Intel 80C88, the CMOS version …

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Sega Saturn

Year: 1995 Initial Retail Price: $399 US Dollars, is worth $798.81 today The Sega Saturn is a home video game console developed by Sega and released on November 22, 1994, in Japan, May 11, 1995, in North America, and July 8, 1995, in Europe. Part of the fifth generation of video game consoles, it was the successor to the successful Sega Genesis. The Saturn …

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Panasonic AG-500E

Year: 1987 Initial Retail Price: $599, equivalent to $1,891 in 2023 Panasonic AG-500 is well known for having the best vintage looks of any CRT monitor probably due to the VHS Player that is positioned vertical instead of a horizontal mount. Of course the cool factor is present in all vintage devices, but this marvelous …

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PRAE-1000

YEAR:1985 (announced 1983) INITIAL RETAIL PRICE: Unknown PRAE is the first home computer integrating a 100% Romanian technology concept, from design to build. The computer was oriented towards students as a personal computer or home computer. The computer was born at the Institututul de Tehnică de Calcul din Cluj-Napoca  under the surveillance of engineer Miklós Patrubány. In Latin, præ means …

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Am5x86 PC

YEAR: 1995 Initial Retail Price: ? The Am5x86 processor is an x86-compatible CPU introduced in 1995 by AMD for use in 486-class computer systems. It is one of the fastest, and most universally compatible upgrade paths for 486 systems. I found this computer on a local sales site. The seller stated that its a donation for anyone interested in collecting or owning such a computer. …

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The Compaq Plus

YEAR: 1983 INITIAL RETAIL PRICE: $7,495,  $20,257 in 2021 The Compaq Plus or the Compaq Portable Plus is a 16-bit portable computer equipped with a fixed drive. Its the same as the initial Compaq Portable but instead of two 5.25-inch 360Kbyte drives it has only 1 floppy drive and a 10 MB HDD. It can …

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Sega Game Gear

Year: 1990 Initial Price: $149.99, $298 in 2020 The Game Gear is an 8-bit fourth generation handheld game console released by Sega on October 6, 1990 in Japan, in April 1991 throughout North America and Europe, and during 1992 in Australia. The Game Gear primarily competed with Nintendo‘s Game Boy, the Atari Lynx, and NEC‘s TurboExpress. It shares much of its hardware with the Master System, and can play Master System games by …

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Sharp PC-7000

Year: 1985 Initial Price: $1,795, $4,322 in 2020 The PC-7000 is Sharp’s second computer targeted for sale in the US, after the PC-5000 from late 1984. First previewed in July at the 1985 “National Office Machine Dealers Association” show in Las Vegas, the PC-7000 was available for retail three months later in October. While the …

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Commodore PET 4008

Year: 1980 Initial Price: US$795, $2,487 in 2020 In 1980, the 4000-series PETs were launched. They came with BASIC 4.0, which added commands for disk functions. With this series, Commodore discovered that people were buying cheaper 8 KB and 16 KB models of the 3000-series and upgrading the RAM rather than paying extra for the 32 KB model. This particular unit …

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The MEDA 43 Analog/Hybrid Computer

YEAR: 1977 Initial Price: ??? The MEDA 43 is one of the latest analog/hybrid computers built in the former Czecholovakia. The computer was used mostly in Universities in countries that at that time were behind the Iron Curtain ( Poland, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and the USSR). Note:  East Germany, Czechoslovakia, and the USSR have since ceased to exist. The system was …

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Amstrad PC-1512 DD (Schneider-badged version)

YEAR: 1986 INITIAL RETAIL: £499, £1,188 in 2019 The Amstrad PC1512 was Amstrad‘s mostly IBM PC-compatible computer system, first manufactured in 1986.  It launched for £499 and sold very well, as it was one of the first cheap PCs in Europe. It significantly helped open up the European PC market to consumers as well as businesses, and Amstrad’s advertising of the PC1512 was …

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Apple Lisa

YEAR: 1983 PRICE: $9,995, $25,745.96 in 2019 Lisa, with an Apple ProFile external hard disk sitting atop it, and dual 5.25-inch “Twiggy” floppy drives Also known as Locally Integrated Software Architecture Developer Apple Computer Inc. Manufacturer Apple Computer Inc. Type Personal computer Release date January 19, 1983; 36 years ago Introductory price US$9,995 (equivalent to $25,143 in 2018) Discontinued …

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Tandy 1000 TL/2

YEAR: 1988 Initial Retail Price: $1,599, $3,520 in 2020 System Config Model 25-1602 Serial number 002866 80286 running at 8 Mhz 640KB; expandable to 768KB 1000 HD: 10 or 20 MB 640x200x16c and MDA/Hercules Graphics Emulation 3 Voice Sound & built-in DAC/ADC Ports 1 x Card-edge parallel port1 x RS-232C serial port1 x TTL RGB monitor …

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PlayStation 2

Year: 2000 Initial Price: US$299 The PlayStation 2 (officially abbreviated as PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on March 4, 2000, in North America on October 26, 2000, and in Europe and Australia in November 2000, and is the successor to the PlayStation, as well as the second video game console in the PlayStation brand. As a sixth-generation …

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Xbox

YEAR: 2001 Initial Price: US$299.99 The original Xbox was released on November 15, 2001, in North America, February 22, 2002, in Japan, and March 14, 2002, in Australia and Europe. It was Microsoft’s first foray into the gaming console market. As part of the sixth-generation of gaming, the Xbox competed with Sony’s PlayStation 2, Sega’s Dreamcast (which stopped American sales before …

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Nintendo 64

YEAR: 1996 Initial Price: $199 The Nintendo 64 (officially abbreviated as N64, model number: NUS, stylized as NINTENDO64) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Nintendo. Named for its 64-bitcentral processing unit, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America and Brazil, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, and September 1997 in France. It was the …

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The Dreamcast

YEAR: 1998 Initial Price: $199 The Dreamcast is a home video game console released by Sega on November 27, 1998 in Japan, September 9, 1999 in North America, and October 14, 1999 in Europe. It was the first in the sixth generation of video game consoles, preceding Sony’s PlayStation 2, Nintendo’s GameCube and Microsoft’s Xbox. The Dreamcast was Sega’s final home console, marking the end of …

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SEGA MEGA DRIVE

YEAR: 1988 Initial Price: $199 The SEGA MEGA DRIVE  is a 16-bit home video game console developed and sold by Sega. The Genesis is Sega’s third console and the successor to the Master System. Sega released it as the Mega Drive in Japan in 1988, followed by North America as the Genesis in 1989. In 1990, it was distributed …

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Nintendo GameCube

YEAR: 2001 INITIAL PRICE: 199$, 289$ in 2019 The sixth-generation console is the successor to the Nintendo 64. Nintendo’s entry into the sixth generation of the Console Wars, was released in late 2001. In response to third parties being driven away by the Nintendo 64‘s continued use of cartridges, Nintendo shifted away from that format and toward optical media …

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VECTREX

YEAR: 1982 INITIAL PRICE: $199, $526 in 2019 The Vectrex is a vector display-based home video game console developed by Smith Engineering. It was first released for North America in 1982 and for both Europe and Japan in 1983. Originally manufactured by General Computer Electronics, it would soon be licensed to Milton Bradley after they acquired the company. Bandai would release the system in …

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Sanyo MBC-775

YEAR: 1984 INITIAL PRICE: $ 2,599, $6,668 in 2019 The Sanyo MBC-775 was the first portable PC compatible to include a built-in 9 inch color monitor. Instead of the standard 4.77 MHz 8088 microprocessor found in most IBM PC compatibles at that time, Sanyo uses 8088-2, a turbocharged version operating at a fast 8 MHz! …

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The Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES)

YEAR: 21 Nov 1990 Japan Initial Price: $199, $396 in 2020 The SNES is Nintendo’s second programmable home console, following the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). The console introduced advanced graphics and sound capabilities compared with other systems at the time. The development of a variety of enhancement chips integrated in game cartridges helped to keep it competitive in the marketplace. The …

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Palladium Tele-Match 4000

YEAR: 1977 INITIAL PRICE: $99, $425 in 2020 The Palladium Tele-Match 4000 is a subdivision of the mail order company known as Neckerman in Germany. The console was made under the american MAGNAVOX license, featuring the original AY-3-8500 “Ball & Paddle” integrated circuit.   Specifications: ON/OFF power switchRESET buttonSELECT GAME knobBAT SIZE (small/large) switchBALL SPEED …

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Dauphin DTR-1

Year: May 1993 Initial Price: $2,495 $, $4,351 in 2018 “… the world’s smallest Windows-based, 486 computer” Chinese businessman Alan Yong founded Dauphin Technlogy in 1988. Four years afterward, Dauphin had been a seller of high-performance color laptops, including their $10,000 color 386SX laptop from 1990.  Things were looking-up for Dauphin, who in 1992 become the Pentagon’s largest supplier of …

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The Compaq Portable

Year: 1983 Initial Price: US $2,995, $7,400 in 2017 The Compaq Portable is an early portable computer which was one of the first 100% IBM PC compatible systems. It was Compaq Computer Corporation’s first product, to be followed by others in the Compaq portable series and later Compaq Deskpro series. The Compaq Portable was announced in November 1982 and first shipped in March 1983, priced at US $2,995 …

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Compaq Portable III Model 2660

Year: 1988 Initial Price: $4999, $11,091 in 2018)      The Compaq Portable III is a PC/AT-compatible computer released by Compaq Computer Corporation in 1987. It was advertised as being much smaller and lighter than the previous portable x86-PCs, however it was still quite large by today’s standards. Three models were announced at release. The Model 1 had a list price of 3999 USD and …

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Toshiba T1000LE

YEAR: 1990 INITIAL PRICE: $1,799, $3,534 in 2020 SN: 10016686 The Toshiba T1000LE was one of the first laptops to include both a hard drive and a Ni-CD battery. Previous laptops did not have enough power to run a hard drive from battery power (exceptions include the Toshiba T1200, which had a proprietary 26-pin JVC hard drive, and …

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Apple //e

Year: January 1983 Initial Price: $1,298(4 kB RAM) and $2,638 (48 kB RAM)   The Apple IIe (styled as Apple //e) is the third model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The e in the name stands for enhanced, referring to the fact that several popular features were now built-in that were available only as upgrades or add-ons in earlier models. It …

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Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)

YEAR: Japan-1983 \US-1985\ EU-1986 INITIAL PRICE: $179 US Dollar, $451.79 in 2018   The Nintendo Entertainment System (commonly abbreviated as NES) is an 8-bit home video game console that was developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was initially released in Japan as the Family Computer, commonly known by the portmanteau abbreviation Famicom \FC on July 15, 1983, and was later released in New York City in 1985, …

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I.C.E. Felix HC – 91

Year: 1985-1994 Initial Price: ?     The HC stands for Home Computer and it represents a series  of microcomputers made  from 1985 until 1994 at ICE Felix București. They were based on the Z80 CPUs or the Romanian clone, the MMN80 CPU. The design has been inspired from the Sinclair ZX Spectrum. There were 5 series and sub-series of this computer. 1HC 85 …

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EPSON PC/486D4 International Space Station PC

YEAR: 1996-1999 Initial Price: UNKNOWN   Seiko-Epson Electronics America has tackled the next frontier – Space – with one of its CARD-PC products flying high onboard the Space Shuttle, and future application aboard the International Space Station. After successfully withstanding radiation testing at the Indiana University Cyclotron Facility, the CARD-PC/486D4 was selected to serve as the …

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ZEOS Contenda – SubNotebook Pioneer

YEAR: 1991 INITIAL PRICE: $5,299,$10,128 in 2020   ZEOS (ZEOS International, Ltd.) was a PC manufacturer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Originally based in New Brighton, Minnesota, and founded by Gregory E. Herrick, the company incorporated in Minnesota in 1981. Among other notable firsts, ZEOS Contenda was one of the first notebook computers to be known as a SUBNOTEBOOK.  The quality build …

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Schneider Euro PC

YEAR: 1988 Initial Price:  1800,- DEM \ $1,058, 2,208 in 2020   The PC was an MS-DOS-based home computer of the Schneider computer division. The motherboard was installed in the keyboard housing. Almost same hardware was also packed in the Sinclair PC200 and Amstrad PC20. There seemed to be some kind of minor rush to get …

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Psion Series 3A

YEAR: 1993 Initial Price: $899,$1,619 in 2020   The Psion 3a (1993) is part of a range of personal digital assistants made by PSION PLC. Manufacture of Psion 3a was discontinued in 1998 with the 3s version shortly after the launch of the Psion Series 5 (a Psion 4 does not exist, due to Psion’s …

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Toshiba Libretto 50CT

Year: 1997 Initial Price: $1,999, $3,241 in 2020   The Libretto was a line of subnotebook computers designed and produced by Toshiba. The line was distinguished by its combination of functionality and small size, squeezing a full Windows PC into a device the size of a paperback book. Intel Pentium 75 MHz, 16 MB RAM (32 MB max.), 810 MB hard disk, 6.1-inch TFT display (Wikipedia) Libretto machines are …

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The Minitel

Year: 1978 – 2012 Initial Price: #service   The Minitel was a Videotex online service accessible through telephone lines, and is considered one of the world’s most successful pre-World Wide Web online services. The service was rolled out experimentally in 1978 in Brittany and throughout France in 1982 by the PTT (Postes, Télégraphes et Téléphones; divided since 1991 between France Télécom and La Poste). From its early …

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Epson QX-10

Year: 1983 Initial Price: Unknown The Epson QX-10 is a microcomputer running CP/M or TPM-III (CP/M-80 compatible) which was introduced in 1983. It was based on a Zilog Z80 microprocessor, running at 4 MHz, provided up to 256 KB of RAM organized in four switchable banks, and included a separate graphics processor chip (µPD7220) manufactured by NEC to provide advanced graphics capabilities. In the USA, two versions …

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Tandon PCX (TM 6004A)

YEAR: 1984 INITIAL PRICE: Unknown      Tandon Corporation was a disk drive and PC manufacturer founded in 1975 (incorporated in 1976 as Tandon Magnetics Corp.) by Sirjang Lal Tandon a former mechanical engineer.  The company originally produced magnetic recording read/write heads for the then-burgeoning floppy-drive market. Due to the labor-intensive nature of the product, production was carried out in low-wage India which was the key to …

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Game Boy (Original 1989)

YEAR: 1989 INITIAL PRICE: $89.95 The Game Boy is an 8-bit handheld game console which was developed and manufactured by Nintendo and first released in the 100th anniversary of Nintendo in Japan on April 21, 1989, in North America on July 31, 1989 and in Europe on September 28, 1990. It is the first handheld console in the Game Boy line and was created and published by Satoru Okada and Nintendo Research & Development. The Game Boy is Nintendo’s …

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Macintosh SE/30

Initial Year: 1989 Initial price: US$4,369, $9,170 in 2020   The Macintosh SE/30 is a personal computer designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. from January 1989 to October 1991. It is the fastest of the original black-and-white compact Macintosh series. The SE/30 has a black-and-white monitor and a single PDS slot (rather than the NuBus slots of the IIx, with which the SE/30 shares a …

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ICE Felix M118b

Initial Year: 1979 Initial Price: Unknown   The Felix M118b is a Romanian 8-bit computer produced by ICE Felix Bucuresti. This Computer is part of the family of FELIX-M18, M18B, M118 from 1979 also CUB (with i8080) and CUBZ ( Z80), aMIC, TIM-S etc. This particular unit was saved from an old Romanian Factory that was stripped …

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Commodore 64

YEAR: 1982 INITIAL PRICE:  $595,  $1,477 in 2016   The C64 dominated the low-end computer market for most of the 1980s. Part of the Commodore 64’s success was its sale in regular retail stores instead of only electronics or computer hobbyist specialty stores. Commodore produced many of its parts in-house to control costs, including custom integrated circuit chips from MOS Technology. The Commodore …

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Texas Instrument TI 99/4A

YEAR: 1981 INITIAL PRICE: $525, $1,901 in 2021 “Now computers are like toasters, cheap and un-interesting.” The Texas Instruments TI-99/4A is a home computer released in June 1981 in the United States. It is an enhanced version of the less successful TI-99/4 which was released in late 1979. The TI-99/4 and TI-99/4A are the first 16-bit home computers, using the Texas Instruments TMS9900 16-bit CPU. Both …

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Commodore 64 (the highest-selling single computer model of all time)

YEAR: 1982 INITIAL PRICE: $595, $1,477 in 2016   The Commodore 64, also known as the C64 or the CBM 64, is an 8-bit home computer introduced in January 1982 by Commodore International (first shown at the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas, January 7–10. 1982). It is listed in the Guinness World Records as the highest-selling single computer model of all time, with independent estimates placing …

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JUNIOR XT

YEAR: 1987 Initial Price: 30.000 LEI \$700, $1,603 in 2020     The Junior XT is a Romanian computer built at  Întreprinderea de Echipamente Periferice (IEPER). The computer was build around the Intel 8086, 16bit CPU, running at 4.77 Mhz and an i8087 math CPU for those who needed more mathematical power. In the base …

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Apple //c

YEAR: 1984 Initial Prce: $1,295, $3,244 in 2020   The Apple IIc, the fourth model in the Apple II series of personal computers, is Apple Computer’s first endeavor to produce a portable computer. The result was a 7.5 lb (3.4 kg) notebook-sized version of the Apple II that could be transported from place to place. The c in the name stood for compact, referring to …

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Schneider CPC 464 and Green Monitor

Year: 1984 Initial Price: £359.00, £1,161 in 2020   The Schneider CPC (short for Colour Personal Computer) is a series of 8-bit home computers produced by Schneider and Amstrad between 1984 and 1990. It was designed to compete in the mid-1980s home computer market dominated by the Commodore 64 and the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, where it successfully established itself primarily in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, …

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Commodore PET 4032

YEAR:1980 INITIAL PRICE: $1,295, $4,090 in 2020   4032 refers to 40 character display, with 32K RAM memory. The PET 4032 was released three years after the original PET 2001. Although it has the same CPU running at the same speed, improved circuitry allows the 4032 to run substantially faster. Other improvements include more memory and a better keyboard.   …

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Texas Instruments Compact Computer 40

Initial year: 1983 Initial Price: $249.95, $650 in 2020   The Texas Instruments Compact Computer 40 or CC-40 is a battery-operated portable computer that was manufactured and released by Texas Instruments in March 1983. Priced at US$249, it weighs 600 grams (22 ounces) and can be powered by four AA batteries or an AC adapter. It was intended as a portable business computer, …

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ZX Spectrum +

YEAR: 1984 INITIAL PRICE: $210, $526 in 2020   Planning of the ZX Spectrum+ started in June 1984, and it was released in October the same year. This 48 KB Spectrum (development code-name TB) introduced a new QL-style case with an injection-moulded keyboard and a reset button that was basically a switch that shorted across the CPU reset capacitor. Electronically, it was …

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ZX Spectrum

YEAR: 1982 INITIAL PRICE: £175, £566 in 2020   The ZX Spectrum (UK: /zɛd ɛks ˈspɛktrəm/) is an 8-bit personal home computer released in the United Kingdom in 1982 by Sinclair Research. It was manufactured in Dundee, Scotland, in the now closed Timex factory. ZX Spectrum         1982 ZX Spectrum Developer Sinclair Research Manufacturer Timex Corporation Type Home computer Generation 8-bit Release date United Kingdom: …

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Playstation 1

YEAR:  December 1994 (Japan) INITIAL PRICE: $299, $525 in 2020   The PlayStation (officially abbreviated to PS, and commonly known as the PS1 or PSX) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The PlayStation is the first “computer entertainment platform” to ship 100 million units, which it had reached 9 years and 6 months after its initial launch. In …

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ATARI 2600 (30 million units sold)

YEAR: 1979 INITIAL PRICE: $199,  $786.49 in 2016   Manufacturer Atari Type Home video game console Generation Second Generation Retail availability NA: September 11, 1977 EU: 1978 JP: October 1983 (Atari 2800) Introductory price US$199 (equivalent to $786.49 in 2016) Discontinued January 1, 1992[1] Units sold 30 million (As of 2004)[2] Media ROM cartridge, Tape CPU 8-bit MOS 6507 @ 1.19 MHz Memory 128 bytes RAM, …

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Apple Powerbook 140

Year: October 1991 Initial Price: $3,199, $6,113 in 2020   The PowerBook 140 was released in the first line of PowerBooks. It was the mid-range PowerBook, between the low-end 100 and the high-end 170. Component   Processor: Motorola 68030, running at 16 MHz RAM: 2 MB on board, can be expanded to 8 MB ROM: 1 MB Hard disk: 20-80 MB Floppy disk: 1.44 …

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IBM PS/2 L40SX

Year: 1991 Initial Price: $5,995, $11,456 in 2020   CPU 386SX-20(MHz) RAM 2MB up to 18MB HDD\Floppy 20\40\80 MB Drive\ 3.5 inch drive Graphics VGA Display (640×480) STN Display This Computer was having a bad display and a faulty HDD Connector. It took me 2 weeks to finish this project. All working now!

Atari 65XE

Year: 1988 Price: $129, $283 in 2020   These were the 65XE and 130XE (XE stood for XL-Expanded). They were announced in 1985, at the same time as the initial models in the Atari ST series, and visually resembled the Atari ST. Originally intended to be called the 900XLF, the 65XE had 64 KB of …

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Commodore Plus/4

Year: 1984 Price:  $299, $749 in 2020 The Commodore Plus/4 is a home computer released by Commodore International in 1984. The “Plus/4” name refers to the four-application ROM resident office suite (word processor, spreadsheet, database, and graphing); it was billed as “the productivity computer with software built-in”.   Internally, the Plus/4 shares the same basic …

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Commodore 16

Year: 1984 Initial Price: £129, £501 in 2020 The Commodore 16 is a home computer made by Commodore International with a 6502-compatible 7501 or 8501 CPU, released in 1984 and intended to be an entry-level computer to replace the VIC-20. Media ROM Cartridge, Cassette tape Operating system Commodore BASIC 3.5 CPU MOS Technology 7501 or …

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Osborne 1 -the first commercially successful portable microcomputer

YEAR: 1981 INITIAL PRICE: $1,795, $5,139 in 2020 The Osborne 1 was the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, released on April 3, 1981, by Osborne Computer Corporation. It weighed 10.7 kg (24.5 lb), cost $1,795 US, and ran the CP/M 2.2 operating system. Powered directly from a mains socket as it had no on-board battery, it was …

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Epson Equity LT

Year: 1989 Initial Price: ?   The Epson Equity LT (model Q150A) weighs in at only 14.3 pounds, with the hard drive and supertwisted backlit LCD.  Parallel and serial (9-pin) ports are standard, as is the colormonitor port.  Two option slots house the hard drive and optional 300/1200 baudmodem card.Measurements are 12.2″ deep by 13.6″ …

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ATARI 800

YEAR: 1979 Initial Price: $999, $3,581 in 2020 Announced: December 1978 Released: November 1979 Price : US $999.95 CPU: MOS 6502,1.8MHz RAM: 8K base, 48K max Display: 24 X 40 text   320 x 192 monochrome   160 x 96 with 128 colors Expansion: 4 internal expansion slots   2 cartridge slots Ports: 4 controller …

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Olivetti M10 by Kyocera Corporation (Japan)

YEAR: 1983 Initial Price: $800, $2,090 in 2020   The Olivetti M-10 is basically the same computer as the Tandy 100 or the NEC PC-8201. All these machines were in fact conceived by Kyocera Corporation (Japan). Thus they all have very similar characteristics.Olivetti is well known for computers with special design, and the M-10 is not an exception. …

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Olivetti M15

Year: 1985 Initial Price: $5,999, $14,490 in 2020   Manufacturer Olivetti Personal Computers Processor type Intel 80C88 Cycle time 4.77 MHz RAM memory 512 KB ROM memory 16 KB Ports Serial RS-232C, Parallel Operating systems MS-DOS 3.3 Keyboard 78-keys Modem no Screen size 25 lines x 80 columns  LCD Graphics resolution 640 x 320 dots …

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PSION 5MX

YEAR: 1999 Price: $700, $1,093 in 2020 The Psion Series 5 was a Personal digital assistant PDA from Psion. It came in two main variants, the Series 5 (launched in 1997) and the Series 5mx (1999), the latter having a faster processor, clearer screen, and updated software. There was also a rare Series 5mx Pro, which differed only in having the operating system loaded into RAM and …

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The Atari Portfolio (world’s first palmtop computer)

Year: 1989 Price: $399, $837 in 2020   The Atari Portfolio (Atari PC Folio) is an IBM PC-compatible palmtop PC, released by Atari Corporation in June 1989. This makes it the world’s first palmtop computer. The ATARI Portfolio was also used in the Terminator 2 movie when John Connor is hacking the ATM. Atari’s compact clam-shell ran an MS-DOS compatible operating system …

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NEC MULTISPEED

Year: 1986 Initial Price: $2,200, $4,797 in 2020   Processor: NEC V30 4.7Mhz and 9.5 Mhz RAM Disk: up to 126kB RAM: 640Kb Storage: 2X720kB FDD units The unit had a bad power supply and bad jumper config. Fully functional, runs MS-DOS 3.30. See more on Google Docs.

TOSHIBA T3100e

YEAR: 1986 INITIAL PRICE: $6899,$16,383 in 2020   T3100e was a laptop manufactured by Toshiba and released in 1986. It featured a 20 MB hard drive, 12 MHz Intel 80286, 1mB RAM and a monochrome 9.6″ gas-plasma display with a resolution of up to 640×400 pixels.   Five versions ever existed: The T3100 had a 8 …

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Dolch PAC 486

  YEAR:1995 INITIAL PRICE: $9,000, $15,370 in 2020   “Dolch Computer Systems Inc, San Jose, California expects to be the first to market with an 80486-based luggable computer: the new Dolch PAC 486-25 weighs just under 20 lbs, comes with three AT slots, and sells for $13,000 ($23.099 in 2019) with 100Mb hard disk and …

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iMac G3

YEAR: 1998 Initial Price:  $1,299, $2,075 in 2020   The iMac G3 is a line of personal computers developed, manufactured, and sold by Apple Computer from 1998 to 2003. Noted for its innovative design via the use of translucent and brightly colored plastics, it was the first consumer-facing Apple product to debut under the recently …

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Compaq Contura 4\25

YEAR:1993 Initial Price: $3,400, $7,126 in 2020 With the introduction of the INTEL 80486 processors back in 1989, COMPAQ equipped its Contura “All-in-One” notebook series 2820 with these faster chips. Also the 80486 had a mathematical co-processor integrated in the CPU. 4/25[Specifications] i486SX-S (SL enhanced 486SX) running at 25MHz Passive matrix gray scale VGA display, 16 shades …

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The Apple IIGS

YEAR: 1986 INITIAL PRICE: $999, $2,372 in 2020 The Apple IIGS (styled as IIgs) is the fifth and most powerful model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The “GS” in the name stands for “Graphics” and “Sound”, referring to its enhanced multimedia capabilities, especially its state-of-the-art sound and music …

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Tandy 1110HD

YEAR: 1992 INITIRAL PRICE: $1,199, $2,224 in 2020 The 1110 HD was introduced in 1992. The specifications of the Tandy were not spectacular as it was considered a lower middle class laptop. It was still very impressive at its time of release, which proved it to be more successful that it’s competitors.     Processor: 8 bit …

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FIC SportSX – just over 1000 ever made because of Copyright issues

YEAR: 1987 INITIAL PRICE: ??? FIC Sport SX was a laptop manufactured by FIC (First International Computer, Inc.)  and released in 1987. It featured a 40 MB hard drive that was about twice the capacity used in those days, it has and incredible 8 MHz Intel 80286 CPU and a monochrome gas-plasma display. This laptop is so Rare …

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Toshiba T1900

YEAR: 1993 INITIAL PRICE: $3,899, $7,023 in 2020   “Getting a head start is rare these days. Starting in front is almost unheard of. But that’s the feeling you get when you own a Toshiba notebook. The confidence that comes from knowing that what’s standard for Toshiba means leadership for the industry. The T1900 Series …

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IBM PS/2 Note N33Sx Type 8533 (before the Thinkpads)

Year: 1991 Initial Price: $2,990, $5713 in 2020   The Personal System/2 or PS/2 was IBM‘s third generation of personal computers released in 1987. The PS/2 line was created by IBM in an attempt to recapture control of the PC market by introducing an advanced yet proprietary architecture. IBM‘s considerable market presence plus the reliability …

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IBM Thinkpad 345C (Top of the 25 Greatest PCs of All Time)

YEAR: 1992 INITIAL PRICE: 2375 US Dollars LIKE US ON FACEBOOK Among the first IBM’s to use the Thinkpad name As IBM president 1914 to 1956, Thomas J. Watson, Sr. enjoyed using the phrase “THINK!” to motivate and inspire his employees. This simple word has become deeply embedded in IBM’s corporate culture ever since. Decades …

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TOSHIBA T1200XE (first laptop with “Resume-mode” technology)

YEAR: 1987 INITIAL PRICE: $6,499,  $14,890 in 2020   The Toshiba T1200XE was a laptop manufactured by the Toshiba Corporation, first made in 1987. It was an upgraded version of the Toshiba T1100 Plus. Processor Intel 80C286TM microprocessor Adjustable 12/6 MHz clock speed   Memory 1 MB RAM standard 5 MB RAM maximum LIM-EMS 4.0 …

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The TOSHIBA T3100/20

YEAR: 1986 INITIAL PRICE: $6,899, $16,383 in 2020      T3100/20 was a laptop manufactured by Toshiba and released in 1986. It featured a 20 MB hard drive, 8 MHz Intel 80286 CPU and a monochrome 9.6″ gas-plasma display with a resolution of up to 640×400 pixels. Processor Intel 80286 microprocessor 8.0 MHz operating speed Memory 640kB RAM …

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IBM PS/2 Modell P70 386

YEAR: 1988 Initial Price: $7695, $16,930 in 2020 LIKE US ON FACEBOOK The Personal System/2 IBM PS/2 model P70 386 is a portable computer of briefcase size providing the same functions as the PS/2 desktop models. These models are also known as luggables.  It’s meant to be a portable computer, but it’s definitely not a laptop …

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Toshiba T1000

Year: 1987 Initial Price: 1199 USD   The Toshiba T1000 was a laptop computer manufactured by the Toshiba Corporation in 1987. It had a similar specification to the IBM PC Convertible, with an 4.77 MHz 80C88 processor, 512 kB of RAM, and a monochrome CGA-compatible LCD. Unlike the Convertible, it includes a standard serial port and …

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