The geniuses at Squirrel Monkey are back with a new video that imagines what a popular technology of today would be like if it had been created decades ago. This time, they show how an Amazon Alexa of 1988 would work. They do a perfect job of recreating the experience of using computers in the 1980s.
If Alexa (Amazon Echo) existed in 1988…
The BBC Micro at 40
I was too young to appreciate the BBC Micro, the computer of my generation's older brothers and sisters. We had Amigas at home and Archimedes in the school lab. But we also weren't learning any computer science on those fancy machines, either, and it's never a surprise to me that kids learning things about computers… READ THE REST
108 rare and bizarre information storage media types
In this episode of the 8-Bit Guy, David does a video survey of 108 types of storage media that we modern humans have used to store information. He divides the media into three categories: mechanical media, magnetic media, and optical media. He starts at the Edison Wax Cylinder and ends up at Bubble Memory. This… READ THE REST
Here's a working paperclip computer from the 1967 book, "How to Build a Working Digital Computer"
I've linked to Michael Gardi's retrocomputing replicas and recreations quite a few times. Here's a list: How to make a "computer on a card" from the 1960s How to make a replica of the GENIAC Electric Brain from 1955 Complete instructions for making a replica of the Minivac 601 educational computer kit 3D printed replica… READ THE REST
ZipDrive turns any computer into a cloud drive accessible from anywhere for $20
Cloud storage has opened up all kinds of new file storage and sharing possibilities for small companies and on-the-go individuals. Of course, it does require some coordination issues to be worked out beforehand. Like…did you remember to move those files from your personal PC to the cloud? And then there's the apocalyptic cloud storage fear… READ THE REST
The Switchmate 2.0 is a smart light switch that installs in seconds with no wiring
We all think living in a smart home would be really cool. And many of us have enlisted smart home assistants, smart bulbs, and smart appliances to help bring that dream of a voice-controlled home of the future into reality. Unfortunately, most of us aren't living in a home constructed after 2015, and our house,… READ THE REST
Pay what you want to learn Python and AI in this 15 volume eBook mega-set
When you need to know an answer to a coding problem, there's nothing like a reliable reference library to feed you the information you need. Sure, most people just start Googling these days, but if you aren't 100 percent sure about the information you're getting online, especially about something as idiosyncratic as programming, can you… READ THE REST