tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4131617540103360792024-03-13T03:18:45.710-04:00RetroGeekerHey! You got your retro in my geek!Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-90989019582533935862018-01-20T21:11:00.001-05:002018-01-20T21:11:14.829-05:00Word.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRQLLRVzYYnYGJX4fmQIrrVq8WgOr0iI9BTxUXpi00DrQCOkUdKl2YRfUWUhyphenhyphenbwArjYN8U3w-LLmy-txhQxwTR11fdebM_biuAiwVZ7fFMhJfM_v6NPgV-iaZH9uF3uHhNdlCDXzCSet8/s1600/PhotoFunia-1513640587.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="750" height="458" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYRQLLRVzYYnYGJX4fmQIrrVq8WgOr0iI9BTxUXpi00DrQCOkUdKl2YRfUWUhyphenhyphenbwArjYN8U3w-LLmy-txhQxwTR11fdebM_biuAiwVZ7fFMhJfM_v6NPgV-iaZH9uF3uHhNdlCDXzCSet8/s640/PhotoFunia-1513640587.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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To make your own insanely fun, ridiculous images, play around at <a href="https://photofunia.com/categories/lab" target="_blank">photofunia</a>.
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-12538307119323475782017-05-07T11:57:00.000-04:002017-05-07T12:16:11.208-04:00The First Internet Band<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisN96JQmtB0TTNOLp-MSK5gQjzRmtvjIIljSpck-mzqdgeQux-gGCbeTjDxYbetOip1WomxYpzLws1KDyOk-Eqdr3dr0wV0-jn98bChtmj1cdLQmZh0Unj8CkebExLwjyEvjW8sM6wRko/s1600/STD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisN96JQmtB0TTNOLp-MSK5gQjzRmtvjIIljSpck-mzqdgeQux-gGCbeTjDxYbetOip1WomxYpzLws1KDyOk-Eqdr3dr0wV0-jn98bChtmj1cdLQmZh0Unj8CkebExLwjyEvjW8sM6wRko/s1600/STD.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">STD...in the flesh!</td></tr>
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Kids, it was 1994.<br />
<b><a href="http://static.srcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/rambo-1.jpg" target="_blank">Desert Storm</a></b> was still fresh on everybody's minds.<br />
The fun <b><a href="https://www.askideas.com/media/45/I-Said-To-Them-Look-I-Am-The-President-Of-The-United-States-Dammit-Funny-Bill-Clinton-Meme-Image.jpg" target="_blank">Clinton</a></b> was running the show.<br />
<b><a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Music/Pix/pictures/2008/07/31/grohl460.jpg" target="_blank">Nirvana was dead</a></b> and the <b><a href="http://www.hooch.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2016/12/Uniform-behavior.jpg" target="_blank">Spice Girls</a></b> were just beginning to peek their vacant heads over the horizon.<br />
Oh, and the <b><a href="https://tctechcrunch2011.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/1993_mosaic_browser_large.jpeg" target="_blank">internet</a></b> -- most of us were just starting to test out the proverbial e-waters with our digital toes (see what I did there) and just a select few of us were regularly dabbling with a kind of black magic called "email."<br />
Also some guy named Jeff founded a book reselling outfit called <b><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Amazon_rainforest.jpg" target="_blank">Amazon</a></b>, of all things, but nobody really cared.<br />
Despite the fragile, house-of-cards state of the web at the time, a handful of <b><a href="http://www.shiojitei.jp/en/japanese-culture/images/note-of-bathing.png" target="_blank">hippy</a></b>-engineers from <b><a href="https://static.artuk.org/w800h800/CDN/CDN_WELL_L_30887.jpg" target="_blank">California</a></b> decided to see just how far they could push this fledgling technology by promoting an event that was likely the first use of the internet to broadcast a live rock-band performance, even though the <b><a href="http://c8.alamy.com/comp/C7Y4NW/five-old-men-chatting-in-andalusian-village-in-the-alpujarras-region-C7Y4NW.jpg" target="_blank">Rolling Stones</a></b> would actually do the same thing immediately following it.<br />
Check out the short vid below for a bit of old-school schooling about <b><a href="http://www.std.org/" target="_blank">Severe Tire Damage</a></b>, the first internet rock-band. Party on, <b><a href="https://33.media.tumblr.com/00bd75833a42b660151391375f1e1cd2/tumblr_mv3cb6UTiM1rkpfcgo2_250.gif" target="_blank">Garth</a></b>!<br />
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<b><u>VIDEO</u></b><br />
<b>HISTORY OF THE INTERNET - SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE</b><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" mozallowfullscreen="" src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/56349011?portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="700"></iframe><br />
<br />
<b><u>BONUS VIDEO</u></b><br />
<b>COMPUTER CHRONICLES INTERNET EPISODE FEATURING SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE - BEGINS AT 3:40</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XluovrUA6Bk" width="700"></iframe><br />
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<b><u>LINK</u></b><br />
<b>FOR EVEN MORE INFO VISIT THE OFFICIAL (AND SWEETLY RETRO) SEVERE TIRE DAMAGE WEBSITE AT WWW.STD.ORG BY CLICKING <a href="http://www.std.org/" target="_blank">HERE</a></b>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-66176969182178927112016-11-09T06:20:00.001-05:002016-11-23T16:27:56.718-05:00First look at the Atari Flashback 7, non-portable<p style="margin-top: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Oswald; font-size:28px;color: #00ff00;font-style: italic;">Plus other flashback style product</span></p>
<p>"Flashback" consoles are <a href="http://theseconddisc.com/2010/09/reissue-theory-general-public-all-the-rage/">all the rage</a> these days. Well, they're not <i>all</i> the rage but they're at least half the rage, as evidenced by the veritable onslaught of consumer product shaped like gaming consoles appearing in the facebook feeds of aging Gen-Xers. So many that such a cheap thrill purchase seems like a societal expectation. Some folks are desperately looking for a retailer with stock left in time for christmas. But the question of the day is: should a retrogeeker put forth hard earned money for one?</p>
<p><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #00ff00;">What's new (yet again)?</span></b></p>
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<a href="http://www.nintendo.com/nes-classic/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQug3ctZjDLi1qjwlXjocWiX73OSOfB8WghFE0FrH2ON_iOHNzx3D12lIWS03vVt3piD931A7Nzw2fLjQsqkX25DEJvIKfFhnQExrYxJAf_cGSrKoKg9V3THsVCpdZHG83r1NNKeCnmPH0/s320/nes-classic-edition-in-hand.png" width="320" /></a></div>
This year it's the babysmall NES classic with 50 built in games, officially sanctioned by Nintendo of America, and available for around $50 from Target, Gamestop, BestBuy, and other retailers.</p>
<p><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #00ff00;">Pros? cons? You decide:</span></b> The miniNES output is HDMI for compatibility with modern TVs. There is no cartridge slot so no need to fumble with cartridges, but at the same time, you're stuck with a set of games that includes most of the classics, is missing a couple definitive NES titles, and inexplicably includes a few games no one ever played on NES (Pac-man.) Also, of course, the games are played in emulation mode so purists will notice inexact audio in the emulation, and possibly other retrorection-killing artifacts.</p>
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<a href="http://www.dailydot.com/parsec/sega-mini-mega-drive-genesis/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhRkAVJCDyeQJVKbz5iV7Qu646ho7_1JKIoeuhboXhF8LhPGsNUoW4vfwHNb7yD8OALggFHh0ygbBSh5AJMkebl2RXFaxqeRPLipXuddidqedO2jzZRSrqZPxw6FWcDN7J8BwVWDQVFWM/s320/minigeni.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<p>Not to be outdone, ATGames hits back with a <a href="http://www.dailydot.com/parsec/sega-mini-mega-drive-genesis/">Mini-Genesis</a> with 80 games. Same price point, $50 at Target, but also available at weird outlets like Bed Bath & Beyond and Family Dollar. They're marketing it as a pseudo-response to the Nintendo product as a <a href="http://realgamemedia.com/listing-for-sega-classic-mega-drive-console-pre-loaded-with-80-games-spotted-online/">25th anniversary Sonic edition</a>, but let's be real, this product has been available with different packaging for at least 3 years now. All the usual caveats apply: wireless remotes require direct line of sight to the console, 40 of the 80 games are not fun, and although it has a cartridge slot for playing your own thrift shop finds, the games run on a cheap megadrive emulator on an android-based platform.</p>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFncCLZ9Rgk-U469y2pK-SuAbC3HVtf9z96OhLtPlmzi5teGHjxLwaAS2DwV2A0prHdwG-9m5d7VxXKqSwvGe2575R9uVnPxHwB540r96hsKNqtki3_84MKnK5NoChS-5Gj-0Ee1eOffww/s1600/intell.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFncCLZ9Rgk-U469y2pK-SuAbC3HVtf9z96OhLtPlmzi5teGHjxLwaAS2DwV2A0prHdwG-9m5d7VxXKqSwvGe2575R9uVnPxHwB540r96hsKNqtki3_84MKnK5NoChS-5Gj-0Ee1eOffww/s200/intell.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>
<p>← And of course, these baby Coleco and Intellivision versions of these mini-reissues already came out last year.</p>
<p><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #00ff00;">Spend your money?</span> For committed retrogeekers, I say no. Most of us already have some of the original consoles, or can still acquire one for less than the near $50 asking prices of these essentially disposable knockoffs. If you want the convenience of playing lots of games from a single cartridge, and would rather do it using real hardware, I'd recommend putting your money toward an EverDrive flash cart from StoneAge Gamer. They offer SD-based multicarts for <a href="http://www.stoneagegamer.com/everdrive-n8-basic-nes.html">NES</a>, <a href="http://www.stoneagegamer.com/super-everdrive-basic.html">SNES</a>, <a href="http://www.stoneagegamer.com/mega-everdrive-x3-basic.html">Megadrive</a>, <a href="http://www.stoneagegamer.com/everdrive64-v2-basic.html">N64</a>, Gameboy, and more.</p>
<p>And what about the original? The Atari 2600? It's now on Flashback revision 7. Lord Karnage has a thorough rundown:</p>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P7KdCGX2TDM" width="700"></iframe> <br />Review by Lord KarnageKatohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-83119616731844238502016-11-04T16:09:00.000-04:002016-11-04T20:44:35.939-04:00Atari Flashback PortableFellow retro geeks, nostalgic nerds and dated dorks, as far as I am concerned, this is the Holy Grail of portable gaming and <a href="http://www.thebostoncalendar.com/system/events/photos/000/050/640/original/molly-ringwald-1.jpg?1444858897" target="_blank"><b>I've wanted this for as long as I can remember</b></a>.<br />
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It's the friggin' Atari Flashback Portable.<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56vaiDqD7m6R6flWlY_A-5UaA7E-3vOzFhXFdChUI68RAzSF7l3iO9lybeA8QnO5KaMKwMuVBtlK_9MBQT2IH0y_KGMxjRt0Y__zr8XYJTudnqxcK2JMRhKx8aMxqK8qgJnaeKGARSPw/s1600/atari_fb_portable.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh56vaiDqD7m6R6flWlY_A-5UaA7E-3vOzFhXFdChUI68RAzSF7l3iO9lybeA8QnO5KaMKwMuVBtlK_9MBQT2IH0y_KGMxjRt0Y__zr8XYJTudnqxcK2JMRhKx8aMxqK8qgJnaeKGARSPw/s640/atari_fb_portable.jpg" width="700" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Badass</td></tr>
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Even as a child back in the <b><a href="https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--UlKSTLx5--/c_scale,fl_progressive,q_80,w_800/dzkiask2ymatavbgojrh.jpg" target="_blank">Dark Ages</a></b>, I recognized that technology was getting smaller, faster and cheaper and I often pondered how long it would be before the industry would eventually get to the next logical place and release a hand-held Atari, Colecovision or Intellivision system. I recall spending far too much time in my bedroom sketching and designing what I thought such a system might look like but of course, it was all just a bored kid's fantasy.</div>
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Now the good folks at <b><a href="http://atgames.us/" target="_blank">AtGames</a></b>, who previously brought us a slew of retro machines like the SEGA Classic Gaming Console, the Intellivision Flashback as well as the venerable Atari Flashback, are planning to release the Atari Flashback Portable, first officially licensed hand-held <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxnbfiswPd4" target="_blank">Atari 2600</a></b> game system. The unit should be out November 2016 and here's some marketing verbiage from their site:<br />
<ul>
<li><i>LCD screen</i></li>
<li><i>Video out port (cable not included)</i></li>
<li><i>Rechargeable battery included</i></li>
<li><i>SD slot for downloaded games</i></li>
<li><i>A travel-friendly MUST HAVE for the avid gamer</i></li>
<li><i>60 Legendary Atari 2600 hits including: Millipede®, Pong®, Missile Command®, Asteroids®, Centipede®</i></li>
</ul>
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If AtGames follows their previous pricing from the SEGA Portable, which was updated earlier this year, then the Atari Flashback Portable should be priced around $50. Not too shabby.</div>
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The big selling point for me is the built-in SD card slot. In the past, the Flashback consoles have been limited by the built-in games that the producer was able to license for that particular version of the machine. So for example, the Atari Flashback 2 may have had a few more games built into it than the Flashback 1, but it may no longer have included a couple of your favorites due to the ongoing legal challenges of trying to license early computer-game technology from companies that often no longer exist or others who have now grown so large, their licensing fees have become too prohibitive for small companies like AtGames to tackle. Hell, I'm still not sure if there's ever even been a Flashback console released that has included Activision's top-seller, <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yz58ZjJ5Ag" target="_blank">Pitfall</a></b>, arguably the most popular 2600 game ever made!<br />
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But now we finally have a Flashback system with an <b><a href="http://funnyaussiesigns.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/floppy-disk-400x376.jpg" target="_blank">SD card slot</a></b> that lets you load up your own downloaded <b><a href="https://www.atariage.com/system_items.html?SystemID=2600&ItemTypeID=ROM" target="_blank">Atari 2600 roms</a></b>, meaning that you're no longer stuck just playing the same included games over and over again. Better yet, you can most likely fit the entirety of the 2600 library on one inexpensive SD card enabling endless hours of retro-gaming Atari goodness on the go! That, to me, is worth the price of admission.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://atgames.us/Atari-Flashback-Ultimate-Portable-Game-Player-AP2632.htm" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO VISIT ATGAMES ATARI FLASHBACK PORTABLE PRODUCT PAGE</a></span></b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
<b>WATCH THE VIDEO ANNOUNCEMENT FROM "THE NO SWEAR GAMER"</b></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GE5NBonvUt4" width="700"></iframe><br />
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<b>BONUS VIDEO: ENGINEER-EXTRAORDINAIRE BEN HECK'S HAND-WIRED PORTABLE ATARI 2600</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/21qZKo0f280" width="700"></iframe>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-83356689283919637482016-10-25T00:02:00.001-04:002016-10-25T00:18:18.403-04:00The Art of Atari<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZ9bjUxlii3SorlRvbOiPLwkTxV4ohjr3DQbPhldQVyE23h7zIYqsky-9wD_8nSlO480Q7R-fB5iowtbPa5_chD0sWaxprGsHrPBG0SV00DgHUC7ACGpW6ppItrYn8NI4re7Ik8XXaEg/s1600/atari-logo-clr.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnZ9bjUxlii3SorlRvbOiPLwkTxV4ohjr3DQbPhldQVyE23h7zIYqsky-9wD_8nSlO480Q7R-fB5iowtbPa5_chD0sWaxprGsHrPBG0SV00DgHUC7ACGpW6ppItrYn8NI4re7Ik8XXaEg/s200/atari-logo-clr.JPG" width="161" /></a></div>
As you all pretty much know, when I was just a wee tot living in suburban Wisconsin, milking cows and <b><u><a href="http://picdash.com/image/f/dash/6cb42e8bb9ac7f3aa48b4c8375462efb.jpg" target="_blank">drinking beer</a></u></b>, I spent a lot of cold winters sitting in front of our (alarmingly) warm <b><u><a href="http://ehs.fiu.edu/Programs/Radiation-Safety/Documents/safety-sign-radiation.jpg" target="_blank">TV</a></u></b> set playing classic Atari games like Missile Command, Adventure and Asteroids. Games that, when played on a home console in 1981, looked pretty much like <b><u><a href="https://peopledotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/justin-bieber-tattoo-435.jpg" target="_blank">ass</a></u></b>. The graphics, as some of you will recall, were embarrassingly simple -- one game's soccer ball was another game's ICBM missile. The sound of an explosion in a space shooter might double as the sound of a crowd cheering on a football team. What I'm getting at here folks is that the narrative power of these 2-kilobyte game programs was <b><u><a href="https://coolpapaesreviews.files.wordpress.com/2013/12/grown-ups-2-movie-2013-poster-1.jpg" target="_blank">extremely, extremely limited</a></u></b>, so we had to actually use our own imaginations while playing our video games back then. Which, ironically, was something that I think was lost on many parents of the time, as they often lashed out against this wicked new video-technology that would most assuredly <b><u><a href="http://thehill.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_full/public/blogs/trumpclinton082016getty.jpg?itok=lWB2yK3k" target="_blank">eat their children's souls and melt their brains</a></u></b>.<br />
But how do you market and sell a game that contains only a dot, a line and a wall of bricks to millions of <b><u><a href="https://peopledotcom.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/justin-bieber-tattoo-435.jpg" target="_blank">sweaty, greasy teenage kids</a></u></b> who can't wait to hop into their station wagons and cruise on over to Kay Bee Toys to pick up the latest radical game cartridge?<br />
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Like this:<br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6P_Gus1GCifTCz7n92-9h9jCRUaHhlSvjOBZCtDDmQtyW7z2GHBxcn-nqU8G8UafNwGULr0Ag3zOhO_WX7XfmvNiK_Xi9XbgGEsve-LcHPo6dCeNn5CFBRWZnq5j4z8fZ1VkFVDzSQvM/s1600/sbreakout.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6P_Gus1GCifTCz7n92-9h9jCRUaHhlSvjOBZCtDDmQtyW7z2GHBxcn-nqU8G8UafNwGULr0Ag3zOhO_WX7XfmvNiK_Xi9XbgGEsve-LcHPo6dCeNn5CFBRWZnq5j4z8fZ1VkFVDzSQvM/s1600/sbreakout.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not real, but an incredible simulation.</td></tr>
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Nope, not what you're thinking about at all when you're eight years old and spinning a paddle in your hand -- sorry, that sounded weird. But believe it or not, this approach ended up working well for Atari and having been initially run by a bunch of <b><u><a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/3xeIGYRhhv0/hqdefault.jpg" target="_blank">stoners and hippies</a></u></b> anyway, they were very up on the idea of dedicating a fair amount of cash and resources to art and design right from the start.<br />
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So wouldn't you know it, some forty-odd years later and long after the original company imploded, someone has finally put together a <b><u><a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/content/dam/news/2016/04/21/01-baby-dinosaurs.adapt.768.1.jpg" target="_blank">book</a></u></b> chronicling this hitherto overlooked aspect of our favorite video game behemoth, and it's available today in hardback.<br />
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Penned by Chicago-based designer, Tim Lapetino, <i><b><u><a href="http://www.artofatari.com/" target="_blank">The Art of Atari</a></u></b></i> gives the reader a comprehensive overview of the various design initiatives employed by Atari over the course of its entire history and reveals the stories behind them as well.<br />
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From the official site:<br />
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<i>"THE ART OF ATARI is the first official collection of such artwork. Sourced from private collections worldwide, this book spans over 40 years of the company’s unique illustrations used in packaging, advertisements, catalogs, and more.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Includes a comprehensive retrospective collecting game production and concept artwork, photos, marketing art, with insight from key people involved in Atari’s rich history, and behind-the-scenes details on how dozens of games featured within were conceived, illustrated, approved (or rejected), and brought to life!"</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Pick up your copy for only $39.99 from their site by clicking the link below!<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.artofatari.com/" target="_blank"><b>VISIT THE MAIN ART OF ATARI SITE HERE FOR MORE INFO</b></a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8ha0ua-yfE" target="_blank"><br /></a></u></b></span>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>BONUS VIDEO: INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR, TIM LAPETINO</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m8ha0ua-yfE" width="700"></iframe>
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-82795743775973294542016-02-23T15:04:00.000-05:002016-02-23T15:04:54.048-05:00The Retro Advantage: home computers
<p>Everything I do with computers today, I learned in <strike>kindergarten</strike> 1986.</p>
<table class="pretty">
<thead>
<tr><td><b>Task</b></td><td>Then</td><td>Now</td></tr>
</thead>
<tr><td><b>Word processing</b></td><td>Corel Wordperfect</td><td>MS Word</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Music production</b></td><td>CSound</td><td>Logic Pro X</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Spreadsheet</b></td><td>VisiCalc</td><td>Google Sheets</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>OS</b></td><td>ProDOS</td><td>El Capitan</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Graphic Design</b></td><td>Broderbund Print Shop</td><td>Adobe Illustrator CC</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Amusement</b></td><td>Apple Panic</td><td>Kingdom Rush</td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="3">etc.</td></tr>
</table>
<h3 style="margin: 20px 0px;">Watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wDtxYeJdzg"><i>Old Computers Did It Better</i></a> ↓</h3>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0wDtxYeJdzg?rel=0&showinfo=0" width="700"></iframe>
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<code><!-- <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptz_OIWETAVl_yCUZHrQp5vpD8Btl85EPUOggojSnUsycOL8cBkTeW2qL0WHEI8-nfdxjDZL_bj7_OGmaIfLdeKnJYMTW67qpUfJJHmp-sUrtOuUBp7UJj5QfXxXMdf683QNCYL4YUtQG/s1600/bg_header.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiptz_OIWETAVl_yCUZHrQp5vpD8Btl85EPUOggojSnUsycOL8cBkTeW2qL0WHEI8-nfdxjDZL_bj7_OGmaIfLdeKnJYMTW67qpUfJJHmp-sUrtOuUBp7UJj5QfXxXMdf683QNCYL4YUtQG/s1600/bg_header.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibws7PiTgVcSgkw68oOXp3kV6HvacczJwKNVH9KW_Ro5lXHoFFoa_g6PdaTFhUPuWuNbeADWvm-VeEnvGWaH6m-AvBhZzChLFaddDmexSQz5j5POO5TwvTxny54solFlMNYH5v7Z4V9_4S/s1600/bullet1.gif" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibws7PiTgVcSgkw68oOXp3kV6HvacczJwKNVH9KW_Ro5lXHoFFoa_g6PdaTFhUPuWuNbeADWvm-VeEnvGWaH6m-AvBhZzChLFaddDmexSQz5j5POO5TwvTxny54solFlMNYH5v7Z4V9_4S/s1600/bullet1.gif" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYERlVxRnJ8SyIv9xNdTJ22CB5nM4WDa7xi3xoTWnjP38Z3rVYrLAyIG4opv_VGkmaFspU1x4SxvWo6SMwAUgrnX8pAu7s-kgfBiRdr0gBGypIspk1oYbpTWo9j1ZECZJz3MV-JpgX2tsF/s1600/bullet2.gif" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYERlVxRnJ8SyIv9xNdTJ22CB5nM4WDa7xi3xoTWnjP38Z3rVYrLAyIG4opv_VGkmaFspU1x4SxvWo6SMwAUgrnX8pAu7s-kgfBiRdr0gBGypIspk1oYbpTWo9j1ZECZJz3MV-JpgX2tsF/s1600/bullet2.gif" /></a> --></code>Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-67484754896083494842015-11-04T20:32:00.000-05:002015-11-04T20:32:36.441-05:00Fix-It Felix Jr. Mini<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TuA-yo0FHWaGsbSbH-sApAVRr169BNYvbvlsSJu4t8_oI0xEWsYZVmUH9_iZnRv3Q2LS3WiCCvwKLUevy3TNVMDp2duXRT41OuKdV8yIThFWUhPi1aQYzgaOSbNIxARwPVJUEK7ggq0/s1600/fifjmini01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5TuA-yo0FHWaGsbSbH-sApAVRr169BNYvbvlsSJu4t8_oI0xEWsYZVmUH9_iZnRv3Q2LS3WiCCvwKLUevy3TNVMDp2duXRT41OuKdV8yIThFWUhPi1aQYzgaOSbNIxARwPVJUEK7ggq0/s320/fifjmini01.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't tell, but this is tiny.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Disney's 2012 animated epic, Wreck-It Ralph, paid tribute to many classic video games from the '80s and '90s by bringing to life some of the most beloved game characters of all time such as Q*Bert, Pac-Man and my personal fave, <b><a href="http://hadleyquarters.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/tapper_large.jpg" target="_blank">Tapper</a></b>. However the main story centers around a fictional creation of Disney's called Fix-It Felix Jr., a game that most likely took inspiration from the legendary Nintendo hit, Donkey Kong. In it, our titular hero takes on the task of repairing a crumbling building while avoiding the wrath of the evil Ralph, who tries to take out Felix by hurling rocks, or clumps of dirt or something at him...you know these 8-bit games make it tough to tell, sometimes.<br />
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<br /></div>
<div>
It's not a bad little game and I know because Disney went the extra mile of actually designing and programming the concept into a playable game which you can download for your iPhone, Android or Windows phone -- sorry Blackberry (kids be like, wtf is a Blackberry?) You can even play it on your <b><a href="https://vintagecpu.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/zx2.jpg" target="_blank">home computer</a></b>, as long as you have Flash. (kids be like, wtf is Flash?)<br />
<br />
But because it was never actually a real arcade game, you retro game collectors out there can forget about getting your hands on a working model, unless one of those kit-bashers, game-hackers or MAME-floggers that live in your web browser decides to build one. I'm looking at you <b><a href="http://www.element14.com/community/community/experts/benheck?CMP=KNC-USA-TBHS" target="_blank">Ben Heck</a></b>!<br />
<br />
But until that day arrives, what you can do is stop by eBay and pick up a (relatively expensive) mini-replica of the arcade game itself. This decorative miniature doesn't actually let you play the game, but it does feature an LCD screen with a video loop and sound effects and would be a worthy addition to any geek's man-cave. The bidding starts at $70, which I think is a little steep, but if you're a fan of the film, this is one collectible that you probably won't find anywhere else.</div>
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<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Wreck-it-ralph-Arcade-Machine-Mini-custom-made-working-lcd-and-sound-rare-/231741460458?hash=item35f4de0fea:g:lB4AAOSwl9BWGpYW" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO PAY BIG BUCKS FOR A FIX-IT-FELIX JR. REPLICA</a></b></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://games.disney.com/wreck-it-ralph-fix-it-felix-jr" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO PLAY THE GAME ONLINE FOR FREE</a></b></span></div>
Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-55080519919407720862015-10-23T11:54:00.001-04:002015-10-23T14:14:01.835-04:00VHS Camcorder App<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xZAUOZSlifkJGcv2zLPTZfP2KfuEALy3Kwfh-1ZxKir8XO0OSwGw-dQ-pE4YBMeDBE0PKwOQl9Pk-iizDhdSCaKRb0qHGxe0o9E_Ndg8ankxMaU_ELd1PCfwetOww9AbTlT_4NvvY94/s1600/iphone_40.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_xZAUOZSlifkJGcv2zLPTZfP2KfuEALy3Kwfh-1ZxKir8XO0OSwGw-dQ-pE4YBMeDBE0PKwOQl9Pk-iizDhdSCaKRb0qHGxe0o9E_Ndg8ankxMaU_ELd1PCfwetOww9AbTlT_4NvvY94/s320/iphone_40.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rad!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;">High Def is for suckers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;">You wanna be like Marty McFly and document your time traveling adventures in true 80s style? Then pick up this bitchin’ app and you’re halfway there, minus the <b><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/10.12.14DarrylMcDanielsByLuigiNovi1.jpg" target="_blank">DeLorean Motor Car</a></b>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;">VHS Camcorder is a $3.99 app for iPhone, iPod and iPad that lets you go back to the days when 333 lines of video resolution were more than enough to capture all those <b><a href="http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/6980/60l.jpg" target="_blank">awkward coming-of-age moments</a></b> that you still spend each waking moment of every day trying to burn from your mind. Everything you need to create <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMINSD7MmT4" target="_blank"><b>convincing historical video</b></a> is included in the app right down to the ubiquitous time stamp feature with that wonky raster font.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: sans-serif;">And if you have any retro or retro-style videos with that you'd like to share with the world, send them to me so I can post them here on the site. Enjoy!</span><br />
<div style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">
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<div style="font-family: sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vhs-camcorder/id679454835?ls=1&mt=8" target="_blank"><b>CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE "VHS CAMCORDER" APP</b></a></span></div>
Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-16563699617533975312015-08-20T17:30:00.001-04:002015-08-20T17:30:17.812-04:008-Bit Cinema<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE_fExKpKov3TyUk5qPkm-VYvDe4pkrwReYnhDSEapA6UwZtOJtQVQkqpknFrwzgKMhSPLOwdcWhFXcvXMgN9yU_mNtoYfbiQuyvpZZiqFFVi8mjDBtWvFVXJytsrRCDgQi_L_ELDxbs/s1600/8btv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsE_fExKpKov3TyUk5qPkm-VYvDe4pkrwReYnhDSEapA6UwZtOJtQVQkqpknFrwzgKMhSPLOwdcWhFXcvXMgN9yU_mNtoYfbiQuyvpZZiqFFVi8mjDBtWvFVXJytsrRCDgQi_L_ELDxbs/s320/8btv.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stolen from Deviant Art. How's THAT for deviancy?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Ever wish you could see your favorite movie or TV series remade into an old school Nintendo-style video game? Well now you can with CineFix's 8-Bit Cinema series on <b><a href="https://rogueoperator.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/fascism.jpg" target="_blank">YouTube</a></b>. A partial list of their remakes includes Jurassic Park, Big Lebowski, Terminator 2, Happy Gilmore, The Shining, Frozen (for the kiddies) and even The Walking Dead. While a more anally-retentive nit-picker would point out that some of their productions tend to lean closer to the 16/32-bit era art-style, I won't do that here.<br />
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Whoops, sorry.<br />
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So enjoy the videos and check out the links below for even more CineFix craziness. Sorry for the pre-roll ads, Google are greedy bastards.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Gdv55pki5As" width="700"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wu8wS5no0_U?list=PL1AXWu-gGX6LNsfQ-KkeGPxL76CFONTom" width="700"></iframe>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hj0uJwZrAdA" width="700"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1AXWu-gGX6LNsfQ-KkeGPxL76CFONTom" target="_blank">CLICK HERE FOR MORE 8-BIT CINEMA</a></b></span><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/CineFix" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO VISIT CINEFIX</a></span></b>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-13389724395644145322015-08-17T17:31:00.000-04:002015-08-17T17:31:27.565-04:00Camp Atari<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqxwPn2uZkeJohgL1x_m-40y1zK6wTvjvTbqUQ3OoEhkFnUQInOFCf0E2cwWsmVVWBL40PbUl9D314617T8FHXAgfifLyelEatfGF0IBdCSVWR7edtBzZefzQL6kchwByv1PHb0f8UkY/s1600/AtariComputerCampLogo1200xl.tif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="183" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVqxwPn2uZkeJohgL1x_m-40y1zK6wTvjvTbqUQ3OoEhkFnUQInOFCf0E2cwWsmVVWBL40PbUl9D314617T8FHXAgfifLyelEatfGF0IBdCSVWR7edtBzZefzQL6kchwByv1PHb0f8UkY/s200/AtariComputerCampLogo1200xl.tif" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wet Hot American Summer</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
When I was a kid back in the 1980s, I remember being in the back seat of my parents' <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2mfKvc03f0" target="_blank">car</a></b>, probably on our way back home from the <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IY_bhVSGKEg" target="_blank">mall</a></b>, and listening to two guys on the radio prattling on with some "back in my day" rant -- kind of like this blog. At one point, during the laughter and comedy, one of the DJs says to the other "if your kid comes back from summer camp with a tan this year, it's because they moved Pac-Man outside." The idiot kid I was, I immediately sat up in my seat and inquired of my father as to just exactly where this awesome summer camp was where they play video games. "It's a joke, son, they were joking" was all I got back.<br />
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Well as it turns out, there actually was such a camp, sort of.<br />
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Back in 1982 our old pal, Atari, decided to throw their fortunes at a risky proposition (<b><a href="http://www.atarimuseum.com/videogames/dedicated/cosmos/cosmosad.jpg" target="_blank">they were great at doing this</a></b>) by investing in a series of computer camps across the U.S. called, of course, Atari Computer Camps. I never got to meet anyone that actually went to one, and at nearly $3,000 for a week's stay that's not a shocker. Keep in mind, $3,000 back in 1982, adjusted for inflation, would be about one kajillion dollars today. So you know, that one <b><a href="https://holaitsalex.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/tom-cruise-risky-business.jpg" target="_blank">super-duper-rich kid</a></b> in your school probably got to go. Along with the normal camp activities, swimming, baseball, volleyball, weaving, bonfires and sing-a-longs, kids got to learn how to program and operate Atari 8-bit computers, thereby positioning the next generation of kids to be well-informed future-consumers of all things gadgety and technical. I would have LOVED it! Legend has it that all of the remaining <b><a href="http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/scale_small/9/93770/2367692-a2600_ettheextraterrestrial.jpg" target="_blank">E.T. carts</a></b> that weren't buried in that landfill in New Mexico were used to stuff mattresses at the camps while the instruction manuals were stacked high in the commodes for, ahem, personal use.<br />
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Want to know more? Then watch this historical document:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lsbN6_8LqXs" width="700"></iframe>
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Oh, and there's a mini-documentary on the subject as well. Have a gander at this:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/esq0wc1dT9s" width="700"></iframe><br />
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Still not enough? For even more info check out the links below:<br />
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<b><a href="http://www.atarimagazines.com/v2n7/Computercamp.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">CLICK HERE TO READ AN ARTICLE FROM ANTIC MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 1982</span></a></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://archive.org/stream/Atari_Connection_Volume_2_Number_3_1982-09_Atari_US#page/n15/mode/2up" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO READ AN ARTICLE FROM ATARI CONNECTION, AUGUST 1982</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.rakahn.com/clients_pages/Atari/" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OFFICIAL ATARI LITERATURE INCLUDING BROCHURES</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://ataripodcast.libsyn.com/antic-special-episode-atari-summer-camp" target="_blank">CLICK HERE FOR THE PODCAST AND MORE LINKS FROM THE TEAM AT ANTIC</a></b></span><br />
<br />Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-61999860587644033082015-08-11T15:35:00.001-04:002015-08-11T15:35:11.473-04:00The IBM WatchPad (2001)<div style="text-align: left;">
Smartwatch, you say? Why, that's the buzzword of the day! You think Apple showed us the way? Better take a look at yesterday!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlnrCLygKWcxvTv8_wYvIKXXnCCb1hpb0mCXptr6KroASJ6TgDAvzvC1K8RF2eGLcgRft6LGjNBbmprhhQIzew3NBgREdFlpqyl39ueadccIH680t-ppAls4d0Qid1I-aIEuW2ZFOCJs/s1600/ibm-watchpad700.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlnrCLygKWcxvTv8_wYvIKXXnCCb1hpb0mCXptr6KroASJ6TgDAvzvC1K8RF2eGLcgRft6LGjNBbmprhhQIzew3NBgREdFlpqyl39ueadccIH680t-ppAls4d0Qid1I-aIEuW2ZFOCJs/s1600/ibm-watchpad700.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not actual size</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3ZimehP3tchKia6twGrVv_WMJm2JVG7dPJ7sBVYaflHX3D3sWhwokIKOGtTcS9FRU8eu25cTGCyIe0jm-J4EDeGjITEELMkIEYPWgBb6BTMa3zrOQZkd-3LIVnXtGOfQupwIW4-dBps/s1600/ibmwatchpadspecs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3ZimehP3tchKia6twGrVv_WMJm2JVG7dPJ7sBVYaflHX3D3sWhwokIKOGtTcS9FRU8eu25cTGCyIe0jm-J4EDeGjITEELMkIEYPWgBb6BTMa3zrOQZkd-3LIVnXtGOfQupwIW4-dBps/s1600/ibmwatchpadspecs.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://researcher.ibm.com/researcher/view_group_subpage.php?id=5617" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ABOUT THE IBM WATCHPAD</a></span></b></div>
Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-29545987730319686252015-08-10T14:54:00.000-04:002015-08-10T14:54:58.918-04:001970s Stereo Geek<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCf9VAXfxLi7tEORhMtYzxt8mCQnN6MPkch4QQJgUIfcinFqPAd61mhh0uezx-S1rkd9f0GqCJyXzrk-ko1k0v22EkbDuhUz02rAIC-jYwdV1q9JvFF6DyFZ0zJ7Qw64TLHbMGU16iLQM/s1600/system_17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCf9VAXfxLi7tEORhMtYzxt8mCQnN6MPkch4QQJgUIfcinFqPAd61mhh0uezx-S1rkd9f0GqCJyXzrk-ko1k0v22EkbDuhUz02rAIC-jYwdV1q9JvFF6DyFZ0zJ7Qw64TLHbMGU16iLQM/s320/system_17.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These were called "speaker cabinets." They made noise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Back before high-school <b><a href="http://coppergeek.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/copper-geek-guide-investing-copper.jpg" target="_blank">geeks</a></b> had computers to get all wet over, they fiddled about with what used to be called stereos or hifi sets. These were modular systems designed to play back music and other recorded audio in the comfort of one's home, without all that tedious trekking back and forth to the village bandstand just to catch the latest <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyrmVBfe2Bg" target="_blank">Sousa</a></b> march.<br />
So for the sake of historical record, vintage tech-head, Joe Roberts, decided to detail his personal epic-obsession with stereo gear, that began in the 1970s, on his homepage - which is an old fashioned word for "blog." Yup, his page has been up on the information superhighway since way back in <a href="http://images.rapgenius.com/9e3bab8818b75068b0309c9372c3e16f.500x499x1.jpg" style="font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">1998</a>, you know, back before it <b><a href="https://static-cdn1.3dissue.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/nyt-paywall1.jpg" target="_blank">sucked</a></b>.<br />
So click the link below to take a trip into the ancient world of patch-cord spaghetti and grey-backgrounded web pages and who knows, you might even learn something along the way! <b><a href="http://churchofchristarticles.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/knowledge-is-power.jpg" target="_blank">Knowledge is power</a></b>!<br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.rocketroberts.com/stereo/stereo.htm" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO READ MORE</a></span></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>BONUS VIDEO: A 1970s STEREO STORE COMMERCIAL</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oNk4IHdiGgA" width="700"></iframe>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-20850686608510681522015-08-08T11:43:00.004-04:002015-08-08T11:43:51.509-04:00A-Bit of Doctor Who8-Bit musician Joe Jeremiah mixes it up with some Doctor Who. You can check out some of his original music here: <a href="https://soundcloud.com/joejeremiah" style="font-weight: bold;">https://soundcloud.com/joejeremiah</a>. Enjoy!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZRTNExqKabU" width="700"></iframe>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-69885512255054236762015-08-06T01:04:00.000-04:002015-08-06T01:04:37.196-04:001980s Video Store and Arcade ModelsVideo stores and arcades. We used to love them. Now they are gone. Check this out.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kr29L-6jlA8" width="700"></iframe>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-38297551463955776992015-06-09T07:24:00.003-04:002015-06-09T07:24:45.320-04:00Another day, another drive. Retrogeekers, be careful on your morning commute today.<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kiEj4RNpYME?rel=0" width="700"></iframe>Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-37660341070790610092015-06-01T07:25:00.003-04:002015-06-09T12:14:48.912-04:00The crap in your husband's man cave might be worth somethingDear Retrogeeker wives,<br />
<br />
When your hubby finally kicks it, and you're just dying to get rid of all that crap he's accumulated, have someone in the know, perhaps his best surviving friend, evaluate the junk before you haul it off to goodwill.<br />
<br />
Read: <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_28221648/100-000-check-awaits-mystery-apple-i-donor" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple I discarded as junk sells for $200,000; mystery woman stands to get half</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFnoiJLOBA6wekgI5-gO0Rc1_odDc8U7y8oqC9VNcWqHjcwkow4k2do5m3Fcwp3PDBObJfF8Q3NDQx-p9DC3irjAJochR7y7k1VzCC1YsXwtS0kyOfIFFCeWKv-B-1JmI6Vj2DSB6q4D3/s1600/Apple1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDFnoiJLOBA6wekgI5-gO0Rc1_odDc8U7y8oqC9VNcWqHjcwkow4k2do5m3Fcwp3PDBObJfF8Q3NDQx-p9DC3irjAJochR7y7k1VzCC1YsXwtS0kyOfIFFCeWKv-B-1JmI6Vj2DSB6q4D3/s1600/Apple1.JPG" title="http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_28221648/100-000-check-awaits-mystery-apple-i-donor" /></a></div>
<br />
Rare Apple 1 donated in a junk box<br />
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Love, Kato<br />
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PS - I know this post is sexist or something for addressing retrogeeker wives without including husbands of female retrogeekers, same-sex marriage. Please just assume everyone is included.<br />
<br />
PPS - for more on the early days of Apple and the Apple 1, don't miss this retelling by the founders themselves. It'll have you singing:<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Apple II forever. Bringing the rainbow to you. </blockquote>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/szXzvXiyO8k?rel=0" width="700"></iframe><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Had enough? No? Well then, here the full <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Apple ][ Forever</span> extended mix, culled from the <i>IIc </i>launch event.</blockquote>
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<iframe width="700" height="525" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YcjlhFVTY50?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-85843189362291169152015-03-02T10:36:00.002-05:002015-03-02T10:42:14.445-05:00The true story of the videogame craze – according to channel 7 newsNext time your mom picks you and your friends up from the mall after a 4-player Gauntlet marathon, she will inevitably ask "What are these videogames all about?" No longer must you strain your brain translating this cultural phenomenon to mom-speak; channel 7 in Los Angeles has got you covered with a complete primer for adults. KABC 7 reports on the true story of arcade games from the perspective of game manufacturers, the industry's existence validated by its massive intake of coinage.<br />
<br />
Lest you think this series is unbalanced, it also provides hard-hitting investigation of arcade dangers - both the potential for physical injury as well as psychological addiction. Join Tawny Little and Jack Mittle on a truly bizarre exploration of the 80's generation's favorite past time.
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<div class="caption" style="color: #666666; font-size: 9pt; margin-top: 0px;">
Join Tawny Little and Jack Mittle on a truly bizarre exploration of the 80's generation's favorite past time.</div>
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-50526921932954494402015-01-05T23:18:00.001-05:002015-01-05T23:18:34.262-05:0080s Kids Show ThemesBecause laziness.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dy3RTFFhSYs" width="700"></iframe>
Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-19683189107613461852014-12-31T11:07:00.000-05:002014-12-31T11:09:32.555-05:00Happy 1985 Everybody!2015? Who needs it? 2014 was all military invasions, plane crashes and beating your wife in elevators, what makes you think next year will be any better? Yeah, that's what I thought. Instead, let's celebrate the closing out of a way more excellent year, 1984, with superstars Lily Tomlin and Chaka Khan! And if you don't know who those people are, go back to Reddit or nickjr.com and ask someone. Word up!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="525" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CBHsALJ-yDI" width="700"></iframe>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-46640608114143651562014-12-22T16:56:00.000-05:002014-12-22T16:56:00.992-05:00Betamaxmas: Updated for Mobile<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpkchXNOSAx3cuIVMDbEIKKzYo_wT_TRpf4EkMpU-KqdI5vemM9-oNhnXhFuYff8OWynTxJMck8AxqoQ_8Fia6DeeYaMLbSOH-MLPdSGNFN95ARS60ALmTtyWbf_3eUqnl5b23Awpzzk/s1600/betamasmasipad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfpkchXNOSAx3cuIVMDbEIKKzYo_wT_TRpf4EkMpU-KqdI5vemM9-oNhnXhFuYff8OWynTxJMck8AxqoQ_8Fia6DeeYaMLbSOH-MLPdSGNFN95ARS60ALmTtyWbf_3eUqnl5b23Awpzzk/s1600/betamasmasipad.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it real, or is it Betamaxmas?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It's that time of the year once again and as always, the Retrogeeker likes to turn to his favorite Holiday-themed site and bask in the warm glow of yesteryear's CRTs and cheap Korean animation whilst waiting for the <b><a href="http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/e9/49/73/e949738b3577616d6e69e3e0df9aded7.jpg" target="_blank">pop-corn machine</a></b> to warm up. Yes that's right, it's time for <b><a href="http://betamaxmas.com/">Betamaxmas.com</a></b>, the site that let's you slip back onto that basement couch parked in front of a 4:3 TV and watch all of your favorite 80s Christmas shows and more! Of course, even Retrogeeker's can't live in the past forever (although we do try) and thus, the mysterious web coder, known only to me as Jeffery, has overhauled the entire site to comply with today's modern mobile web standards so that you no longer have to remain tethered to your desktop or laptop in order to enjoy a slice of 80s cheese. That's right, Betamaxmas.com is now 100% <b><a href="https://www.apple.com/hotnews/thoughts-on-flash/" target="_blank">Flash-free</a></b> and mobile-friendly. So fire up your iPad or Galaxy Tab, squeeze into your favorite pair of <b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Underoos-Comics-Batgirl-Girls-Underwear/dp/B00PGXV6X6%3Fpsc%3D1%26SubscriptionId%3DAKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q%26tag%3Dduckduckgo-osx-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00PGXV6X6" target="_blank">Underoos</a></b> and enjoy some Christmas cheer <b><a href="http://informationstrategyrsm.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/ipad-toilet.jpeg" target="_blank">while sitting on the toilet.</a></b><br />
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<a href="http://betamaxmas.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: x-large;">CLICK HERE TO VISIT BETAMAXMAS.COM</span></a>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-72422424088516497692014-11-06T15:03:00.002-05:002014-11-10T14:33:13.531-05:00The future is retro<blockquote>
♫ Make new friends, but keep the old, one is retro and the other's not ♫</blockquote>
One thing I've noticed about the my most fiendish Retrogeeker friends, they're some of the most cutting-edge mofos I know. If the idea of a <i>retro computing nut</i> makes you think of <i>that dad</i>–the one who spent countless evenings typing in basic programs from magazines on his C-64, to store on C-90 compact cassettes–but then stopped using computers altogether by 1986–think again; this ain't your grandfather's retro. Every true retrophile I know today is also a true technophile. (Which I guess makes them/us retro-techno-philes?)<br />
<br />
Examples are all around me, incidentally with dudes who've been my friend for 20 - 30 years:<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Mark, the guy who runs <span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">retrogeeker.com</span> is already running iOS9 on an iPhone 7 (impossible, right?) but he also has a basement full of Performas and 8-bit Atari computers that he still puts to good use.</li>
</ul>
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<br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: AtlasTypewriterRegular, 'Andale Mono', Consolas, 'Lucida Console', Menlo, 'Luxi Mono', monospace; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IMAnvDUNGhRUAk6oKqS0yDLJtfk5s2UC2wMqU3KzQ-rF-PAwO0Rsj5dnVhy9wxZDwWaSwJZxpkD8Qf9WSOWYkBQF0L-skn9bLYUOOzjkpvIvsZsYLzi68P4M_sqVd4Emdv4UA_SVs8-2/s1600/optimized.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-IMAnvDUNGhRUAk6oKqS0yDLJtfk5s2UC2wMqU3KzQ-rF-PAwO0Rsj5dnVhy9wxZDwWaSwJZxpkD8Qf9WSOWYkBQF0L-skn9bLYUOOzjkpvIvsZsYLzi68P4M_sqVd4Emdv4UA_SVs8-2/s1600/optimized.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/43-vintage-apple-products-people-are-going-nuts-for" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">See 43 weird articles of<br /><span style="color: #363636; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Tahoma, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;"></span> promotional crap that<br />fetches mad ducketts on <br />ebay...</span></a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</span><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>My friend <a href="https://ello.co/kevino" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">KevinO</a> is the first person in the known universe to start geocaching, yet when asked about the upcoming release of the <a href="https://www.apple.com/watch/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Apple Watch</a>, said, "I got an Apple Watch btw. No big whoop."</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>I use my quad-core i7 Mavericks machine to automate the most menial tasks, recognize my voice commands over the telephone, and flip on and off light switches in Bangkok. Yet few would believe that I sent my first e-mail in the summer of '81, coded my first webpage in 1993, and was the first person to register kate.com back when domains could be registered at no cost. And yet, my latest purchase was a dusty old Pong machine - a chip-for-chip clone of Atari's 1972 coin-op hit released by Allied Leisure in March of 1973 called "<a href="http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=8963" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Paddle Battle</a>."</li>
</ul>
<br />
I've been reflecting on stuff like this a lot lately, and today stumbled upon this essay reflecting on our brief tech history and how it intersects with our humanity. Highly-recommended 23-minute read:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://medium.com/message/networks-without-networks-7644933a3100" style="background-color: #674ea7;"><br />Networks Without Networks</a></div>
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-80820753113346016682014-08-21T13:34:00.000-04:002014-08-21T13:34:40.306-04:00Accept Girls into your Midst, Nerdmen!
<iframe width="700" height="394" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/k8LFfDbPmD4?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-49570497645007335452014-08-01T12:14:00.001-04:002014-08-01T12:15:31.562-04:00Can you pick Ally Sheedy out of a lineup?
<p>Today's retro quiz - go back to 1975 and tell me - which of these three young ladies is the real Alley Sheedy, the one you later came to adore in 80's classics like Short Circuit, The Breakfast Club, and WarGames?</p>
<p>This is a difficult task so we'll give you the advantage of placing your answer 40 years in the future. No cheating!</p>
<iframe width="700" height="525" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/pIM9bUCc9Hk?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Katohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07322515734563284202noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-69823891193932024022014-07-25T18:25:00.001-04:002014-07-25T18:25:34.188-04:00HISHE: Tron Rap<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTktV03kFrlI-0N-UNDoHWY60dz5KgVX_k2XA59iplfvBCSB56w9BzhBPNlyk7_vb4pYP7ieEdblueLKZVWoYgoEE3wrBnAkDyOTxihjU6DlL95bZ6ggz3PKlj2D-1DPO75QptCt2n54/s1600/trn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTktV03kFrlI-0N-UNDoHWY60dz5KgVX_k2XA59iplfvBCSB56w9BzhBPNlyk7_vb4pYP7ieEdblueLKZVWoYgoEE3wrBnAkDyOTxihjU6DlL95bZ6ggz3PKlj2D-1DPO75QptCt2n54/s1600/trn.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An example of early computer animation.</td></tr>
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If you're a dork like me, you'll love this. Although I still would have preferred a more old-school rap style for this particular video, like <b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOTp3-jEMjQ" target="_blank">UTFO</a></b>.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="394" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/iIMb3hGzWW8?list=PL3B8939169E1256C0" width="700"></iframe>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413161754010336079.post-8782961138392855512014-07-16T18:15:00.000-04:002014-07-16T18:15:26.469-04:00eBay Watch: Mini Arcade Replicas<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJeLmHkeNFO9jBpJHKXOTfLOw8rcxrchtljaqAL6uR485Fi5aevRLlB9MtQClBMMEfl6ockbRM77VpAairabg5pVbC0EUbt78Mn8V8EY9Ln_Q7iQHrNr6ZxfwQvrP_9m6v6qeJNiQ8gQ/s1600/miniarc1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJeLmHkeNFO9jBpJHKXOTfLOw8rcxrchtljaqAL6uR485Fi5aevRLlB9MtQClBMMEfl6ockbRM77VpAairabg5pVbC0EUbt78Mn8V8EY9Ln_Q7iQHrNr6ZxfwQvrP_9m6v6qeJNiQ8gQ/s1600/miniarc1.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not real, but an incredible simulation.</td></tr>
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Some amazingly cool U.K. artist is selling super-awesome mini arcade machine replicas on eBay for pretty darned cheap. These hand-made little gems are non-functioning and are for display only, but feature some amazingly precise detailing and very faithful cabinet design. For around $60 U.S. you can pick three designs from over 100, including all of your favorites like Pac-Man, Tempest and Paperboy, and they'll arrive fully constructed, signed and numbered by the artist himself. And since the replicas stand around 6" tall, they're a perfect match for your nerdy action figures!<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/MINI-ARCADE-MODELS-SET-OF-3-YOUR-PICK-From-Over-100-BRAND-NEW-SIGNED-/181446512862?pt=UK_VideoGames_Merchandise_RL&hash=item2a3f0e10de" target="_blank">CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE TEENY TINY ARCADE GAMES!</a></b></span>Markohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05262071265943352499noreply@blogger.com6