Retro Thing

Auction: Nintendo Game Boy Flown In Space

It should come as no surprise that my 8-year-old is an avid collector of vintage Nintendo handhelds. His latest acquisition is an original Game Boy and a handful of games from a used game store. The Kid thought it was an absolute bargain for $15, but he's always on the lookout for interesting additions to his collection.

I dare not show him this one, which is expected to fetch $1500-$2000 at auction.

Lot No. 250 in Bonhams' upcoming Space History Sale is a spacefaring Game Boy that flew on Soyuz TM-17 in 1993. It logged 196 days in space in the possession of cosmonaut Aleksandr A. Serebrov. The lot includes the Game Boy unit, (highly appropriate) Tetris game pack and the Tetris game booklet. The unit and booklet are marked with faint Mir postmarks and accompanied by a handwritten provenance note from Serebrov that reads, "Like all cosmonauts, I love sport. My particular favorites are football and swimming. During flight, in rare minutes of leisure, I enjoyed playing Game Boy."

For his sanity's sake, I hope Tetris wasn't the only game Serebrov took on the journey.

Lot No. 250: NINTENDO GAME BOY FLOWN IN SPACE [via a comment by Mikiex on this post]

Lessons Learned From The Original Game Boy

Handheld gaming has reached a crossroads. In one corner, we have the industry's old guard -- Nintendo and Sony -- with their more-or-less traditional 3DS and NGP gaming devices. In the other corner are a couple of young and eager upstarts -- Apple's iOS and the Google Android platform. Industry pundits have wasted no time arguing the merits of each, but I suspect the winner will be the device that most closely emulates key elements of the original Game Boy's success.

Let's take a quick walk down memory lane. Unveiled in April 1989, Nintendo's gray brick was laughably simple by today's standards - the microprocessor was a pokey Z80 variant clocked at a mere 4.19 MHz and the non-backlit display offered only four shades of gray arranged in a 160 × 144 grid. It had 8 kB of internal RAM.

Nevertheless, the Game Boy went on to sell over 118 million units. Its success can be contributed to several important (but perhaps accidental) factors.

The first element was the availability of killer games -- Tetris was initially included as the pack-in title, helping to spur Christmas sales in 1989. A broad range of impressive titles followed featuring the likes of Mario, Donkey Kong and a flock of Pokemon.

The second part of the puzzle was simplicity. The Game Boy could be picked up by a six year old or a sixty year old and its five front panel controls were easily understood - a d-pad, A and B buttons and smaller Select and Start buttons.

However, the critical part of the puzzle was somewhat counter-intuitive. The Game Boy fell short against stiff competition from the impressive $189.95 Atari Lynx (with color backlit screen and networking) and the $150 Sega Game Gear (3.2" color display). So how did the Game Boy -- with a ghastly 2.6" reflective monochrome display that spat out 4 shades of olive green -- win the battle against technically superior systems?

The key difference was overall cost. The Game Boy retailed for only $89.99 and required 4 x AA batteries that lasted about 12 hours. Its more expensive competitors chewed through 6 x AA batteries in as few as 4 hours of game play -- a difference that parents quickly picked up on.

So what does this say about gaming in 2011? First and foremost, cost is king. The iPod Touch, NGP and 3DS all fall into the $229 to $299 price range, and all feature rechargable batteries. So there's no clear winner on the hardware front.

But Apple has a distinct advantage with app pricing -- most games are priced well under $5, which makes it difficult for Nintendo and Sony to justify their traditional $35+ pricing structure. It's true that many iOS games are somewhat lightweight, but I suspect many parents are far more willing to fork out $30 for ten shorter games than risking the same amount on a single 3DS title.

A third element is still up in the air: simplicity. The iPod Touch doesn't include a d-pad or physical buttons, opting instead for touch screen control and software flexibility. It fits Apple's Zen approach to product design, but makes for a less than ideal gaming system.

Perhaps this is where the Android platform will slip past the others and dominate the handheld market.  Envision, if you would, an Android powered gaming device with a touch screen and physical controls that retails for under $200 and combines key elements of iOS (app pricing and software flexibility) with important handheld game attributes (low cost and physical controls). That could be the magic bullet.

SLG 3000: Add Grunge To Vintage Video Games

 

A classic 8-bit or 16-bit game played on a modern LCD doesn't look quite right. The colors are too precise, the graphics too angular. There's no ghosting as the TV tube lags behind the on-screen action and no scanlines. It's a sterile facsimile of the original tube experience.

That's where the Arcade Forge SLG 3000 VGA scanline generator comes in. This little €48.95 board adds scanlines to a standard VGA display (640x480 to 1600x1200 pixels). Just plug your pristine video source into the input, flip the DIP switches to select even or odd lines and the appropriate screen resolution and plug your monitor into the output port. There are even potentiometers for continuous scanline adjustment.

In a matter of seconds, your sexy $1000 flat screen will be transformed into the visual equivalent of an early 1980s 15 kHz arcade monitor. And it makes a world of difference for those of us weened on blurry arcade displays with burned in titles.

Arcade Forge SLG 3000 Scanline Generator [via retrocollect]

Apple Lays Claim To Good Industrial Design

Apple sued Samsung this week for slavishly copying "several elements of the Apple Product Configuration Trade Dress." It's a bold and chilling claim for several reasons.

The first and perhaps not so obvious reason is that industrial design in the high technology field is always held hostage by technological progress. Designers can sketch fantastic products with curved, millimeter thin holographic displays, but until the physical components can be mass produced the entire exercise is merely an artistic exercise.

Apple didn't invent the system on a chip. They didn't invent ultra-thin battery packs. They didn't invent slimline capacitive touchscreens. They didn't invent flash memory. However, they did have the R&D budget to integrate them into a very successful lineup of portable computing devices.

And now Apple is turning their legal guns on Samsung, arguing that because they were the first to succeed in packaging a computer in a shiny tapered wrapper that other companies should be prevented from packaging technology in similar form factors.

The second reason that Apple's claim against Samsung is worrying is that industrial design doesn't take place in a vacuum. It's no secret that famed Braun designer Dieter Rams provided the inspiration for many of Apple products. In fact, legions of Apple fans noted that the look and feel of the original iPhone calculator app paid undeniable homage to the Braun ET 66 designed by Rams and Dietrich Lubs.

Apple is, out of necessity, a copycat. Industrial design relies on a shared cultural aesthetic and a willingless to push the boundaries of technical possibility. But let's not forget that there is a logical reason for metal smartphones to have distinctively rounded corners -- they'd draw blood in your pocket otherwise.

Computer technology and industrial material design has advanced to the point where it's possible to make digital devices that resemble fine jewelry. But that doesn't mean that only the first or biggest should be allowed to manufacture shiny, impractical electronic baubles with curved corners and slippery rectangular touchscreen faces.

As Mr Rams so eloquently outlines in his 10 design principles, "Good design is as little design as possible." And Apple should not be allowed to own simplicity.

But, thankfully, I'm not a lawyer and can accept the bloody obvious at face value. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to design something rectangular with a glass top, rounded corners and beveled edges. A coffee table, perhaps.

PC World compares the Samsung Galaxy and Apple iPhone

Macworld's analysis of Apple v. Samsung

An Absolutely Stunning Neo Geo Console

A genuine Neo Geo arcade machine board lurks inside this elegant walnut case. It's a clever hack that allows you to play real arcade versions of your favorite Neo Geo titles at home. And it could be yours.

The Neo Geo Multi Video System (MVS) was an arcade system board introduced in 1990. The ability to swap game packs made it very popular in the coin-op industry. After receiving positive feedback from gamers, SNK decided to bring the Neo Geo platform to the home console market as an extremely expensive ($600+) machine that offered hard-core gamers faithful versions of their arcade favorites.

Although the high price tag kept the system out of the mainstream, a procession of solid arcade titles ensured a long life, and Neo Geo machines remained on the market until 2004.

So why would you choose a "consolized" arcade version over the home machine? Chris at Analog Interactive explains:

"The price difference between MVS (arcade) and AES (Advanced Entertainment System home console) games is dramatic. While there are certainly bargain AES games, many of the best games are extremely expensive and very difficult to find. 

Overall, the price of games and their consistent immediate availability makes a Consolized MVS the best choice. Furthermore, our Consolized MVS offers superior video quality, output selection, functionality, and other overall features in contrast with any other Neo Geo system (AES, CD). We have essentially taken original hardware and updated it with modernized up to date features, giving you the ability to play Neo Geo like never before.

Lastly, the MVS game library is the biggest and truest of any Neo Geo system. Fan favorites like Captain Tomaday, Zupapa!, Nightmare in the Dark, Prehistoric Isle 2, and Neo Bomberman are MVS exclusives."

The hand-crafted Analogue Interactive CMVS will retail for $650. It includes a plethora of video outputs, stereo audio jacks, Unibios 3.0, a multi-volt power supply and a meticulously crafted cartridge slot with functional dust flaps. Available in May 2011.

Analog Interactive Neo Geo Consolized MVS

A Bluetooth Enabled Omnibot... That Watches TV?!

Nothing says "Welcome home, Master" quite like your own robot butler offering up a half-gallon glass of cheap whiskey at the end of a long day.

That, apparently, is what Tomy's marketing department had in mind for the Omnibot in the mid 1980s. Sadly, it required a human slave to type the appropriate command sequences on the remote control, which were then recorded on futuristic tape cassettes.

Fast forward twenty five years, And DJ Sures bought a vintage Omnibot from eBay and spent a few days wondering how to modernize it.

He started by disassembling it and giving it a good wash in the dishwasher: "It had a lot of dirt from the previous owner. It was rather disgusting, actually. Once it was clean, I painted it white with plastic paint and primer.

Then I started hacking away at it; adding new features. I added servos for the arms, so they can move now. I also made the head rotate left to right with a servo. I then added a wireless camera between its eyes (looks like a nose lol). I put a wireless microphone in its chest. I used a dual HBridge to control the standard motor and gearset."

The hardware robot controller is an EZ-B, with a servo-swept ultrasonic distance detector that feeds an object and wall avoidance algorithm to keep from scuffing his spiffy new paint job. The robot can even detect if its wheels are stuck.

He continues, "I have enhanced my motion tracking code for better edge detection and increased speed. I have also added a few global variables to his AI which allows him to like and dislike certain colors and shapes. He takes pictures of things he likes and saves them to the drive.

This robot is now currently my autonomous household watchdog and pet. He's always on and his 6 volt 4 amp rechargable battery runs all day. He randomly does things on his own and wanders around my house. It scares some people, but real neat for others!"

One Seriously Hacked Tomy Omnibot

An Unopened Timex Sinclair 1000

Here's your chance to grab a factory fresh Timex Sinclair 1000 (Sinclair ZX81) bundle including the computer, power adapter, video cable, 16K RAM pack and three program cassettes -- a $209.75 value, the box claims.

This could be a great addition to an 8-bit computing collection, although I find it incredibly sad that this little machine didn't find its way into the hands of an eager young computer neophyte almost 30 years ago.

The TImex 1000 was built around only four integrated circuits (some had an extra RAM chip), an RF modulator, and some discrete components. The membrane keyboard used the same technology as a microwave oven keypad - cheap and incredibly compact. Still, the machine included a decent BASIC interpreter in an 8K ROM and could be connected to a funky little thermal printer.

The video output was B&W, with a resolution of a 22 X 32 characters, but it was enough to get the job done. Well, as long as you didn't jiggle the connection to the RAM pack and lose hours of hard work in an instant.

New Old Stock Timex Sinclair 1000 on eBay

Korg Introduces An Analog Synth & Drum Box

Japanese music equipment maker Korg has been around for 49 years, which is impressive for a high tech company in a niche marketplace. Their first product was a rhythm machine, so it's fitting that they've just announced the Monotribe Analog beatbox.

It features three analog drum sounds, an 8-step sequencer and a monophonic analog synthesizer voice with resonant filter. There's even a battery compartment on the bottom, allowing you to make analog noise almost anywhere on dry land.

Weirdly, the synth voice is played using the elfin ribbon controller that first appeared on their pocket-sized Monotron microsynth last year. It seems out of place here, since it's just too small for anything but hunt-and-peck playing.

It's interesting to see the company return to analog technology after producing dozens of successful digital synthesizers in recent decades. The Monotribe doesn't even have MIDI ports, opting instead for an archaic pulse sync system to link multiple units. Several commenters on the web have suggested that the absence of MIDI is because the instrument uses analog sound generation circuitry, but yet it has a digital step sequencer built in. Most likely it was all about keeping costs low.

The price and release date are TBA, but I suspect it'll drop in the $150 to $200 range. Whether that's cheap enough to tempt a generation of synth-heads away from their iPads and digital plug-ins remains to be seen.

Korg Monotribe Analog Ribbon Station

Sony Finally Gets Something Right

Sony's new DAB+ radio is exactly the kind of retro-styled receiver I'd like to have kicking around the house. The XDR-S16DBP is encased in an attractive wood cabinet and offers DAB/DAB+/FM reception, 0.8W + 0.8W stereo speakers and a two line LCD display. It weighs 1.7 kg and measures approx. 270 mm × 140 mm × 112 mm. My only gripe is that it offers only 10 DAB and 10 FM presets -- why so stingy, Sony?

DAB+ is an updated version of the DAB digital standard that has been on the air since 1995. The new format makes use of the AAC+ codec, allowing twice as efficient compression as the original. It should alleviate quality complaints and improve reception in fringe areas thanks to more robust Reed-Solomon error correction.

Available in Europe, Australia and other advanced nations with free-to-air DAB service. Here in North America, we'll continue to pluck banjos on the front porch while cleaning our shotguns.

Sony Introduces First DAB+ Radios

Abandon Wear T-shirts

You've probably heard of Abandonware, vintage software that exists in copyright limbo. Mark Farinas has taken the concept into the physical realm with a line of t-shirts featuring (mostly) defunct tech logos. They're available through the red bubble digital printing service for $24.95.

He explains, "My hope is that, as you browse the site, you’ll catch a whiff of the freshly poured concrete and cardboard boxes that filled the tiny industrial park store on the outskirts of town you bought your first system or software in. You’ll remember the 700 page catalogs you’d pour through looking for the best deal on a math co-processor. Or maybe you’ll flash back to midnight with all the lights out and your parents asleep as you finish those last few lines of BASIC you found in the back of '3-2-1 Contact' magazine."

Each shirt on the Abandonware site is accompanied by an informative writeup that makes it entertaining to browse. Now if only these digital printing places were cheaper.

[Update: Looks like the site was taken down and the shirts are no longer available on red bubble.]

The 10 Best Arcade Games of 1981

Video arcades flourished in the early 1980s for one simple reason -- arcade consoles offered stunning gameplay unmatched by the rudimentary home consoles of the day. Even relatively straightforward arcade titles like Namco's Galaga incorporated three Z80 microprocessors, a dedicated sound chip and a high resolution (for the time) color display -- a potent combination unmatched by the blocky graphics and bleeps of Intellivision and Atari 2600 consoles.

1981 was a landmark year. Games like Defender and Pac Man arrived in arcades late the previous fall, and the gold rush was on to develop the next smash hit title. The result was an onslaught of brilliantly coded and innovative games.

Here are my 10 favorite arcade video game titles from 30 years ago, in alphabetical order.

Bosconian

Namco's brilliant multi-directional shooter places your tiny spacecraft in space, surrounded by an endless collection of enemy space stations, enemy fighter formations, space mines, asteroids and spy ships. Your job is simply to cause as much mayhem and destruction as possible before succumbing to the inevitable.

Apart from the frenetic gameplay, it was also the first game to feature a continue screen that allowed you to pick things up without having to start from the beginning.