Sure SSDs are great, because they’re fast, sturdy, and quiet. But do you ever feel like it’s a little too quiet around your computer? If you find yourself missing the signature ticking sounds that accompany hard drive activity the $25 HDD Clicker is here to help. The HDD Clicker is little bit of retro-inspired fun […]
retro
This DIY retro programming calculator is powered by Arduino Nano
What do you do when your trusty, 45 year old calculator finally needs to be retired? If you’re a programmer with a knack for making things — like Simon Boak — you custom build a replacement. This is the SB116, an 8-bit programmer’s calculator powered by an Arduino Nano. It features a 128 x 64 […]
Fisher-Price adds Bluetooth to classic Chatter phone so you can embrace your inner child
Fisher Price has made tons of iconic toys for children over the years. One its most memorable, the Chatter phone, got a 21st-century reissue this year. The updated Chatter phone features Bluetooth connectivity, allowing you to pair it with your smartphone to make and receive calls. This cheerful little device can even be used as […]
SerenityOS offers a Unix-like experience with 90s computing vibes
Microsoft is busily working away on Windows 11 and its redesigned, modern interface. Andreas Kling, meanwhile, is building the wonderfully retro Unix-like SerenityOS from the kernel on up. Maybe Fluent has really struck a chord with you. If, however, you feel like Windows interfaces peaked with Windows 2000, you’ll love the aesthetic in SerenityOS. Kling […]
$25 Carmen Sandiego handheld game system coming soon
Remember last year when a handheld Oregon Trail game system hit the streets for about $25? Now the company that produces it is getting ready to launch a second model… but this time it comes with a different classic educational game for kids. Basic Fun‘s new Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego handheld game […]
TheC64 is coming in December 2019 (A full-sized Commodore 64 clone)
For the past few years we’ve been inundated with a slew of mini retro consoles like the NES Classic Edition, Sony PlayStation Classic, Sega Genesis Mini, and the recently-announced TurboGrafx-16 Mini. But not all classic game systems were consoles… so last year a company called Retro Games Ltd launched TheC64 Mini for folks looking to […]
The C64 Mini is getting a full-sized follow-up
You can’t throw a 9-pin serial mouse these days without hitting a scaled-down retro gaming system. Two months ago the $80 C64 Mini joined the ever-expanding list. Like the NES Classic Mini, SNES Classic Mini, and Playstation Classic, it shipped with a bunch of pre-loaded games… 64 of them, to be exact. The original Commodore […]
What old tech are you hanging on to?
Microsoft’s Zune music player never caught on the way Apple’s iPod devices did. But the company actually made some pretty compelling portable media players, and it turns out some folks are still using them. Motherboard’s Jordan Pearson spoke with some Zune diehards earlier this year and discovered that some are hanging onto tech that others […]
Lenovo ThinkPad 25th Anniversary Edition launches… for $1899
It’s been 25 years since the first ThinkPad laptop hit the streets. Since then IBM sold the ThinkPad brand to Chinese PC maker Lenovo and laptops have gotten thinner, lighter, and faster. But some folks aren’t convinced all the features on modern laptops are upgrades. So when Lenovo announced that it was developing a 25th […]
Really retro ThinkPad: X62 and T70 mods put modern specs into old laptop cases
Lenovo may be working on a 25th-anniversary ThinkPad with some retro design elements including a classic keyboard layout. But all signs point to the new ThinkPad 25th anniversary model sporting a widescreen display, which I know some folks have found disappointing. But it turns out there is a way to get a truly classic ThinkPad […]