Awesome Retro

Filmmaker Fabrice Mathieu imagines that the Chinese spy balloon actually came from outer space, and it’s not the only one. In fact, an immense inflatable invasion is headed our way. Fabrice used footage from various movies (and music by Danny Elfman) to give his short film a great 1950s sci-fi vibe.

Apple fans, here’s a fun addition to your desktop. Classicbot’s Trashbot 2.0 Stationery Set includes a Macintosh Finder-inspired metal whiteboard, along with Trashbot and Errorbot figures, as well as folder, floppy disk, and mail icons with magnetic backs. It also includes 100 sticky notes that look like computer windows.

Celebrate your love for classic video games every time you take a sip with these fun drink coasters from CoastyMarshmallow. These hard plastic coasters are inspired by both arcade and console games, from Street Fighter II to Dance Dance Revolution to Q*Bert. They also have an extensive pop culture coaster collection.

Accutron’s 1960s Astronaut was the watch of choice for CIA agents working on the A-12 spy plane. This new automatic version does away with the finicky electric mechanism of the original and looks awesome in black and silver. It has a 56-hour power reserve, a sapphire crystal, and Super-LumiNova markings. Limited to 300 pieces.

Caverns of Mars was one of the best games for Atari’s 8-bit PCs. Caverns of Mars: Recharged revamps the downward-scroller with HD graphics, trickier obstacles, new power-ups, destructible environments, local co-op, and global leaderboards. Coming to Atari VCS, Steam, Epic, PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch on 3.9.23.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

(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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.