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Awesome Retro

NixieX Nixie Alarm Clock + Speaker

NixieX Nixie Alarm Clock + Speaker

This unique tabletop alarm clock features a vintage IN-12 nixie tube display and a built-in Bluetooth speaker. Adding to its retro look is a glowing analog VU meter that shows the audio level. Its case is made from aluminum alloy, and it comes with a clear cover to protect its tubes.

Retro Breakfast Cereals

Retro Breakfast Cereals

While staples like Rice Krispies and Frosted Flakes have stood the test of time, some cereals last only as long as the fads they’re associated with. Weird History Food looks back at some of the sugary cereals that popped up briefly on the breakfast scene from the 1970s to the 2000s. We still have a box of C-3POs that we should eBay.

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ImpactRack Refurbished Newspaper Boxes

ImpactRack Refurbished Newspaper Boxes
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ImpactRack takes those old streetcorner newspaper vending machines, removes the coinboxes, and makes them look as good as new. The boxes can be used for storage, a sidewalk library, or for vinyl storage and a turntable stand. They’re available with classic newspaper logos or can be custom painted.

Tokyoflash Airo LED Watch

Tokyoflash Airo LED Watch

This retro digital watch from Tokyoflash Japan packs Hewlett-Packard LEDs from the 1990s and visible circuitry beneath a red mineral crystal lens. In addition to time and date functions, the stainless steel watch can be factory-programmed with a four-letter digital monogram. Save $20 through 1.14.23 with code AIRO.

(Richard Donner is) Forever Young

(Richard Donner is) Forever Young

Bored at home during the 2020 lockdowns Michel + Nico, decided to make a movie with their sons Sacha + Robinson. The result is this wonderful short about kids dreaming up their own action-adventure flick. The title pays tribute to The Goonies and Lethal Weapon director Richard Donner. A must-watch for film buffs.

Inventions We Don’t Use Anymore

Inventions We Don’t Use Anymore

It hasn’t been that long since people used landline telephones, tape players, and VCRs on an everyday basis. But like so many other devices, they’ve been replaced by smartphones or other technology. Rhetty for History looks at these and other inventions which were popular in the 20th century and are now obsolete.

Retro Typewriter Keyboard

Retro Typewriter Keyboard
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This 83-key mechanical keyboard from KnewKey looks just like a vintage typewriter. It offers both wired (USB-C) and wireless (Bluetooth) connectivity and has a built-in tablet stand that mimics the design of a typewriter’s carriage. It also has blue LED backlighting, and its side knob can bye be used as a volume controller.

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Atari x Misfit JK500 Watch

Atari x Misfit JK500 Watch
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This colorful Artist Edition watch celebrates 50 years of Atari. The forefathers of video games and Misfit teamed up with artist JK5 (Joseph Ari Aloi) to create this collectible 42mm watch, illustrated in a vibrant pop art style incorporating classic gaming elements. Limited to 500 pieces.

The Best Xmas Toys of the ’60s and ’70s

The Best Xmas Toys of the ’60s and ’70s

Many of today’s popular toys are pretty different from those sold in the 1960s and 1970s. But in this video from Rhetty for History, you’ll see for as many things have changed, classics like NERF, Hot Wheels, and LEGO are still selling well today. And then there’s the Pet Rock.

Transparent VFD Tube Clock

Transparent VFD Tube Clock
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This retro-modern table clock from Vintage Tube Clocks incorporates a new old stock IV-18 vacuum fluorescent tube at its center, displaying the time or date in a cool blue-green hue. It’s built into a see-through acrylic enclosure, exposing its circuitry from both front and rear and wrapped in a stainless steel frame.

Donkey Kong Begins

Donkey Kong Begins

(PG-13: Language) Nintendo didn’t start making arcade games. The Japanese video game juggernaut made playing cards, toys, and board games for years before getting into arcade and console gaming. Videogamedunkey offers up a brief history of Nintendo’s early days and the origins of the game that would change everything.

N30 Gamepad Phone Charger

N30 Gamepad Phone Charger
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8BitDo makes lots of cool gadgets and accessories inspired by retro gaming systems. Their N30 wireless charger incorporated design elements of the Nintendo Entertainment System’s classic gamepad. The charger offers 15-watt fast charging and is compatible with just about every wireless charge-capable phone.

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Hyperkin Xenon Game Controller

Hyperkin Xenon Game Controller

The Xbox 360 had one of the best game controllers ever. Hyperkin is readying a new version that’s compatible with the Xbox Series X/S and Windows 10 and 11 devices. It’s very similar to the original, with the addition of Menu, View, and Share buttons, as well as a 3.5mm headphone jack and detachable USB-C cable.

Popcorn on Church Organ and Drums

Popcorn on Church Organ and Drums

You might not remember the band Hot Butter, but you’ve probably heard their tune Popcorn at some point. The 1969 instrumental track was one of the earliest examples of synth-pop. Elias Niemelä and Suvi Buckman of Drumorg replaced the original’s Moog synthesizer with a church organ and upgraded the drum kit.

ZIN-70 Giant Nixie Tube Clock

ZIN-70 Giant Nixie Tube Clock

If you love the warm orange glow of nixie tube clocks, Millclock makes a variety of them. In addition to their more accessible models, they now sell the ZIN-70 series, which has the largest nixie tubes available, with each of its handmade tubes measuring 4″ tall. Techmoan got to test out this impressive timepiece.

Audio-Technica Sound Burger AT-SB2022 Portable Turntable

Audio-Technica Sound Burger AT-SB2022 Portable Turntable
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In the 1980s, Audio-Technica sold a portable record player called the Sound Burger. Now it’s back, with Bluetooth connectivity and a USB-C charging port. It can play 33-1/3 and 45 RPM LPs and singles using a spring mechanism that maintains pressure between the stylus and the record. A 60th-anniversary limited edition.

Commodore Meets Bach

Commodore Meets Bach

Engineer Linus Akesson shows off his typing and musical skills with a performance of Bach’s Prelude from Partita No. 3 on old Commodore 64 computers, along with a 1541 floppy drive which makes sounds with its motors. Stick around to the end of the video or visit his blog for details on the project.

The Commodordion: A Commodore 64 Accordion

The Commodordion: A Commodore 64 Accordion

Known for its graphical and sound abilities, the Commodore 64 personal computer was home to some of the best games of the 8-bit era. Engineer Linus Åkesson took advantage of its audio capabilities to build this unique accordion which consists of two C64 computers connected by bellows made out of floppy disks and tape.

The Gilligan’s Island Theme as Other Songs

The Gilligan’s Island Theme as Other Songs

We already know that the theme song from Gilligan’s Island can be transformed into Stairway to Heaven. Turns out the trick works with other songs too. Cherokee Phil shows off more than 30 songs which can be sung to the tune of the Gilligan’s Island theme or vice versa, though the latter isn’t quite as effective.

Video Game Stamp Sheet Print

Video Game Stamp Sheet Print
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Print shop Dorothy pays tribute to 50 years of video games with another postage-stamp-inspired design. It features images based on 42 iconic video games, from Pong to Sonic the Hedgehog to Grand Theft Auto, each represented as a minimalist graphic along with the year of its release. The print measures 80 cm x 60 cm (~31.5″ x 23.6″).

Taking a California Freeway Drive: 1988 vs. 2022

Taking a California Freeway Drive: 1988 vs. 2022

David Parke took some 1988 video footage of a drive on the 405 from Culver City to Sherman Oaks, and copied the route precisely in 2022 to see what has and hasn’t changed. He had to speed up and slow down the footage to sync the two drives at times, and left the original 1980s audio track.

Atari Video Music Light Show

Atari Video Music Light Show

A while back, Techmoan showed off the Atari Video Music, a device that produces colorful patterns from audio. YouTube channel Atari Video Music CRT Garage makes music videos with the 8-bit box, displaying its images on a roomful of TV screens. There are more than 40 videos in the series. Here’s a playlist of our faves.

Adam Savage Meets the Original Johnny 5

Adam Savage Meets the Original Johnny 5

1980s kids, Johnny 5 is alive! Adam Savage got to geek out over one of the original screen-used models of the friendly and inquisitive robot from Short Circuit. This particular Johnny 5 was never functional but it still looks amazing. It’s one of the many amazing props and artifacts headed to Prop Store’s 2022 London auction.

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