There are many gadgets that made history. Analog, digital, and ones that can't even be classified into a single category. We wanted to make a top 10 of the analog gadgets that revolutionized the '80s, but since we figured you already know all of them, we put together a report on forgotten gadgets of the '80s. They weren't that successful overall and didn't sell millions of units, but they definitely left a mark that we see in many current devices.
Some Devices That Changed Our Lives
You know the usual suspects: the ones that really changed our lives, but they're nothing new to any of you. Nothing that isn't a couple of search terms away, conveniently placed in your long-term memory, or something you can ask an older relative about. So, we got bored just thinking about writing about them again. So what to do? What to show? Fine, let's get past all that and look for products that were also considered gadgets but that met with reduced success, or that aren't as widely covered as the ones above. With their own merits, great ideas that are hard to understand why they didn't take off, and also objects that were obsolete in their own time but now, due to their scarcity, are worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars among collectors.
- Commodore 64 as a representative of personal computers, where a game took 8 to 10 minutes to load.
- The Sony Walkman of 1984 and the Discman of 1987 that revolutionized personal entertainment in a way that still feels magical.
- The craze of Betamax (1975-1990), VHS (1985) and advanced portable recorders as founders of an era where we are all potential film directors.
- Home video game consoles (Nintendo, 1986) that immersed us in action and adventure through a controller.
- The microwave as the revolutionary of the kitchen.
- The Dynatac 800 mobile as one of the parents of mobile telephony and the fax machine from the late '80s as the predecessor of email.
And the list could go on with more obvious and widely exploited items. So we went looking for products that were also considered gadgets but had limited success, or are not as reviewed as the ones above. With their own merits, great ideas that are hard to understand how they didn't prosper, and also objects that were obsolete in their time but now, due to their scarcity, are worth hundreds or thousands of dollars among collectors.
Forgotten Gadgets of the '80s
Seiko M516 (Voice Note Watch)
The Seiko Voice Note wristwatch was exclusively produced in 1983, and although sound quality was reported as bad to terrible, the concept must have made many feel like the James Bond who was a huge TV hit at the time. Want more fame? The Ghostbusters used it in the filming of the movie we all love. You could record between 4 and 8 seconds of audio, it had a light to see the display, date, chronometer, and loads and loads of style.
PocketMate (Multifunction Stereo)
Nowadays we're used to multi-function devices, but many years ago, a mobile was a mobile and a portable radio was a portable radio. Except for the PocketMate, which was an FM stereo radio with headphones, calculator, and quartz clock. It was 1984 and, for its innovation, it deserved a spot among these forgotten analog gadgets. Several models were seen, but only the PocketMate managed to combine aesthetics. Others, like Sony's, ended up larger than desired and weren't liked. Where Sony won over this one was in distribution.
Fisher-Price PXL 2000 (Portable Video Recorder for Kids)
For a 15-year-old, having their own digital camera on their mobile phone is as common as having a bathroom at home, but in 1980, it was dad and mom who filmed. Until the Fisher Price PXL 2000 came along: a portable video camera with a small screen to watch the videos you recorded. 100 lines of resolution, 15 frames per second, and a 4-inch screen sold separately. Even at $100, not having had one back then is a reason for psychoanalysis for many adults.
Mr. FM (Portable Radio for Runners)
The 1984 Olympics produced a combination of sports and technology seen in every possible medium. Mr. FM from Hattori-Seiko (the brand behind the stadium scoreboard) was sold as a portable radio you wear directly over your ears. No volume wheel; you chose between High, Low, or Off. Sales weren't as high as the creators imagined, but they still got rich by patenting the ear-grip design that, incredibly, hadn't been patented yet.
Sexum Adult (1981) - Wristwatch with Erotic Animation
By this time, watches are barely used anymore or if they are, they're becoming more minimalist, aiming for a design that strokes aesthetics more than utility. However, in 1980, the watches with the most features ruled attention, for better and worse. And speaking of attention, how about having an erotic animation inside your wristwatch? No calculator or voice recorder, but little figures mixing bytes on your wrist to liven up your nights, afternoons, mornings, or any moment. A great invention for those who couldn't bring a magazine to the bathroom.
Pocketeers and Other Analog Portable Games
Portable games inevitably bring to mind portable video games, but from 1978 to 1985, Pocketeers were the entertainment of many children and also teenagers. They were generally plastic games in a rectangular shape where, through movement or the impulse of metal alloy balls or plastic, you had to navigate obstacles and complete objectives. Some involved getting the balls into holes in the game's structure, others invited you to push certain objects. Although they evolved gradually, they were very, very simple in their creation. That said, if you found the one that suited your tastes, you had hours of challenge and fun ahead.
AIWA HR-S01 - The First Wireless Headphones?
You've seen them in several movies, but surely you haven't seen two or three in your life. We're talking about the AIWA HR-S01. These headphones with integrated radio could be considered pioneers in wireless headphones. They had OM and FM wave ranges, rechargeable batteries or 1.5V batteries, an external B.F. amplifier, weighed 135 grams on your ears, and were made in Japan with significant export to the European and US markets. Yes, little friend. There was a time when it was cool to walk around with giant headphones and an even more prominent antenna.
Casio CFX-40 - Scientific Calculator Watch
Useful today when smartphones exist, much more useful decades ago. Wristwatches with a built-in scientific calculator were a badge of "I'm a nerd and proud of it." Casio made a fortune selling this model, which cost $40 at the time. Its battery lasted about 2 to 3 years, depending on the length of the equations you solved. Some say the Casio CFX-40 introduced the stylus system ahead of its time, because its buttons were so small that those with fat fingers would accidentally input the entire Liouville Theorem with their pinky. (The nerd level of that joke is over 9000!) Enter here to learn more about retro calculators.
The Bone Fone - Body Stereo
Rappers of the 80s and 90s carried their boombox (another 80s gadget) on their shoulders. Amateur marathon runners and skaters carried their music on their chests. How? With the Bone Fone, an invention that didn't amount to much but did sell quite a bit (maybe people used it out of embarrassment?). The Bone Fone was a stereo system wrapped in a kind of lycra sleeve/sock that you put around your neck, shoulders, and chest, and the music it transmitted was felt through your own body until it reached your 'inner ear' (or something like that). Drugs, among 80s inventors, were also a success.
Casio IF-8000 Touch Screen - The First PDA in History?
No Saint Seiya could defeat this Casio, and in 1986 the IF-8000 was introduced, the grandfather of touch devices or the father of Palmtops. Extended calculator but not scientific, agenda, directory, and a word recognition system through a stylus on a touch screen. The first consumer technology device sold as a touchscreen organizer. "Touchscreen and digital ink!" its salespeople shouted at the astonished customers. 16KB RAM, a 64-pixel black and white display, unknown processor, and capability to work with layers of text and graphics. It lacked an interface and a clock, but it definitely inspired much of what we know today.
Epoch - Portable Video Console
One of the first serious video consoles had only five games available: Astro Bomber (in the style of Scramble), Mahjong, Reversi (Othello), Store Keepers, and the most famous, Block Maze (a very weird kind of Pac-Man). It had built-in games, like a puzzle one and a very simple program for drawing. The system came with an LCD screen of 75x64 and the sound was... well, intermittently unbearable. Of course, the games were very fun, and truth be told, being a Japanese portable console that remained in the shadows since its launch in 1984, it silently inspired other great consoles like the Game Boy.
Looking back at old and forgotten gadgets in relation to the present seems to us a worthwhile exercise in revaluing those things we admired so much when they appeared. It's also a way to note where the ideas that modern gadgets have used to develop to the levels we know today come from. From here, we invite you to share with us more forgotten gadgets or the gadgets from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that impressed you the most, so that at least you fulfill the first commitment of this offbeat article. See you next time!
