Retro Technology
Instructions: Test your knowledge of the gadgets and technology of yesteryear!
- 1.
What was the name of the first commercially successful home video game console, released by Atari in 1977?
AAtari 5200BAtari LynxCAtari PongDAtari 2600 - 2.
What device, introduced by Sony in 1979, revolutionized portable music listening?
ASony DiscmanBSony BoomboxCSony WalkmanDSony Hi-Fi - 3.
Which early home computer, introduced in 1977, was one of the 'Trinity' of personal computers along with the Apple II and TRS-80?
AIBM PCBCommodore PETCCommodore 64DAltair 8800 - 4.
What was the standard speed of a vinyl record album (LP)?
A16 RPMB78 RPMC33⅓ RPMD45 RPM - 5.
Which format won the 'videotape format war' of the late 1970s and early 1980s?
AVHSBVideo 2000CLaserDiscDBetamax - 6.
What year did color television broadcasts begin regularly in the United States?
A1954B1965C1960D1948 - 7.
What was the name of the first mass-produced electronic calculator, introduced by Texas Instruments in 1967?
ADatamathBCal-Q-LaterCCal-TechDExactra - 8.
Which telephone feature, introduced in the 1960s, replaced operators for long-distance calls?
ADirect distance dialingBSpeed dialingCTouch-tone dialingDRotary dialing - 9.
What was the Polaroid camera famous for?
AUnderwater photographyBExtremely long zoom lensesCInstant self-developing photosD360-degree panoramas - 10.
Which IBM product, released in 1981, set the standard for personal computing?
AIBM PCBIBM ThinkPadCIBM SelectricDIBM System/360 - 11.
What was the name of the popular electronic game from 1978 that featured colored buttons you had to press in sequence?
ASpeak & SpellBSimonCMerlinDLite-Brite - 12.
What company introduced the first commercially successful microwave oven for home use in 1967?
AGeneral ElectricBWhirlpoolCKenmoreDAmana - 13.
What early word processing device was known as a 'memory typewriter' when IBM introduced it in 1964?
AIBM ComposerBIBM MT/STCIBM SelectricDIBM DisplayWriter - 14.
Which portable music format, introduced in 1963, featured a continuous loop of tape in a plastic cartridge?
ADAT tapeB8-track tapeCCassette tapeDReel-to-reel tape - 15.
What was the name of the first widely available electronic handheld game, released by Mattel in 1977?
AColeco Head-to-HeadBMattel FootballCGame BoyDMerlin
Answer Key
The Atari 2600 (originally called the Atari VCS) was released in 1977 and became the first widely successful home video game console, selling over 30 million units.
The Sony Walkman, introduced on July 1, 1979, changed how people listened to music by making it truly portable. It sold over 200 million units during its production run.
The Commodore PET (Personal Electronic Transactor) was introduced in 1977 and, along with the Apple II and TRS-80, formed what Byte Magazine called the '1977 Trinity' of personal computers.
The LP (Long Playing) record spun at 33⅓ RPM and was introduced by Columbia Records in 1948. Singles were played at 45 RPM, while the older 78 RPM format was the standard before the LP era.
VHS (Video Home System), developed by JVC, won the format war against Sony's Betamax despite many arguing Betamax had superior quality. Longer recording times and lower costs helped VHS dominate.
NBC began regular color broadcasts in 1954, though widespread adoption took years. By the mid-1960s, most prime-time programming was in color, and the last holdout, CBS, went fully color in 1965.
The Cal-Tech prototype, developed by Texas Instruments in 1967, led to the first handheld calculators. TI later released the commercially successful Datamath (TI-2500) in 1972.
Direct Distance Dialing (DDD) allowed customers to place long-distance calls without operator assistance. While it began in the 1950s, it became widespread in the 1960s, transforming telephone usage.
Polaroid cameras, first introduced in 1948 by Edwin Land, produced instant photos that developed before your eyes. The iconic white-bordered prints became a cultural symbol of casual photography.
The IBM PC (Model 5150), released on August 12, 1981, established the standard architecture that most personal computers would follow. Its open architecture allowed many companies to create compatible 'clones.'
Simon, created by Ralph Baer and Howard Morrison and manufactured by Milton Bradley, challenged players to repeat increasingly longer sequences of colored lights and sounds.
Amana (a division of Raytheon) introduced the first popular countertop microwave oven in 1967. Raytheon had patented the technology in 1945 after an engineer noticed a candy bar melting near radar equipment.
The IBM MT/ST (Magnetic Tape/Selectric Typewriter) was introduced in 1964 and could store typed text on magnetic tape for editing and reprinting, revolutionizing office work.
The 8-track tape cartridge was developed in 1964 by a consortium led by Bill Lear (of Learjet fame). It became the first widely adopted car music format and was hugely popular through the 1970s.
Mattel Football (also called Mattel Auto Race, released just before it) was one of the first handheld electronic games. Its simple LED display and addictive gameplay made it a sensation in the late 1970s.