“Zenith Data Systems Innovates Again”

I’ve used my fair share of hefty laptops like the Zenith Supersport SX and 286e seen above. Their relatively large size by modern standards made them no less miraculous for their time.

Even in 1990, we’d come a long way from foot-breaking luggables like the Osborne 1, the Kaypro II, and the Compaq Portable. Gone were the bulky CRT displays; in their place sat thin LCD panels that would vastly expand in capability over the next 19 years. The LCDs in most early laptops started off monochrome with no backlighting, low contrast, poor viewing angles, and slow refresh rates, but that was worth suffering through if it meant you could have a full-powered PC on the go.

Interestingly enough, computers like those seen above — even with their display limitations — are not completely obsolete: I still use old monochrome laptops for writing outside because you can easily see the displays in full sunlight. If you try that with most modern laptops, you’ll see nothing but a dark blur.

Discussion topic of the week: What’s the largest portable computer you’ve ever used?

Yep, here’s one more Game Boy 20th Anniversary article from yours truly, this time on Ars Technica. It covers six strong reasons why the Game Boy was so successful during its long run. Judging by your RSOTW discussion answers yesterday, many of you already agree with me, so odds are that you might enjoy reading the piece.

But don’t worry, folks. The torrent of Game Boy coverage will soon be over.

“Just pop it in your pocket and pull it out any time.”

Twenty years ago tomorrow, the Game Boy went on sale for the first time in Japan. It retailed for ¥12,500 (about $94 US at 1989 rates), and Nintendo offered four games at Game Boy’s initial launch: Super Mario Land, Baseball, Alleyway, and Yakuman (a Mahjong game). Four months later, Game Boy reached American shores with a retail price of $89.99 and a powerful pack-in game — Tetris.

Nintendo’s inclusion of Tetris as the US pack-in was a stroke of absolute genius. The handheld version of Alexey Pajitnov’s addictive puzzler made such waves in US that its release will long be remembered not just as a defining moment in video game history, but as a major cultural event for an entire generation.

As we now know, Game Boy’s long and successful run created an immense legacy, far beyond just Tetris. Overall, publishers released 1246 licensed games for the Game Boy in Japan and 952 in the US. To date, Nintendo has sold 118.69 million units of the original Game Boy line (including Game Boy Color) worldwide.

Above, we see an original Toys ‘R’ Us newspaper advertisement announcing the arrival of the Game Boy and its launch games in the United States. (Gotta love that line art.) It really brings back memories of my excitement regarding Nintendo’s first handheld system.

Discussion Topic of the Week:

In your opinion, what factors made the Game Boy so successful?

On the other hand, what mistakes, if any, did Nintendo make with the Game Boy over its twenty year run?

More Game Boy Scans & Coverage:

Game Boy Oddities (Technologizer)
Inside the Game Boy (PC World)
Happy 20th b-day, Game Boy (Ars Technica)

Game Boy Bubble Gum (VC&G)
Irem Game Boy Ad (VC&G)
Hudson Game Boy Ad (VC&G)

If you use this week’s image, please support “Retro Scan of the Week” by giving us obvious credit for the original scan. Thanks.

Just up is a new slide show I put together for Technologzier that showcases Game Boy oddities. It’s like a freak show for Nintendo’s venerable handheld, which turns twenty next week. Ever seen a Game Boy peripheral that dispenses laughing gas? How about one that demands tributes of child blood? If not, then mosey on over to Technologizer and take a look.

Computers? What is the world coming to?

Here’s another item from my grandmother’s cedar chest — I love these old newspaper line-art illustrations. ECS was Oak Ridge, Tennessee’s first retail computer store, if I recall correctly from an old article I read. They advertised quite a lot in the local newspaper, including the ad for the Apple II you see above.

The Apple II’s configuration with two Disk II drives and a small monitor on top is interesting. I believe I’ve seen Apple promotional photos from the early Apple II days with the same setup. The relatively tiny display seems somewhat silly from a modern perspective, but computer monitors were very expensive back then. A large one that would have covered the entire top of the Apple II would have cost $400 or more in 1980-ish dollars.

In fact, just perusing some ads in the back of a 1981 BYTE magazine, I don’t see any monitors offered larger than a 13″ color Zenith for $399.95 ($933 in 2009 dollars). 9-inch to 12-inch monochrome monitors cost anywhere from $150 to $260, which is equivalent to $350 to $606 in 2009 dollars. You get the point — even entry-level displays back then cost an arm and a leg. Even if you paid two arms and two legs, the monitors were still relatively small.

Discussion topic of the week: Tell us about your first Apple II experience. Where and when was it, and why were you using it?

If you use this image on your site, please support “Retro Scan of the Week” by giving us obvious credit for the original scan and entry. Thanks.