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Vintage Geek: Steve Jobs Hippies It Up With Hair and Bob Dylan

geeksugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 14:00:52 -0800

This year's Macworld has been called the worst in years because of the absence of Steve Jobs, and while I can't agree with that, I will say I did mourn the lack of Steve this year.

To salve the pain, here's a video of our man back in the pre-mock-turtleneck era, long-haired and quoting Bob Dylan. That famous line is relevant right now — for better or worse, Steve, the times, they are a changin'.

Vintage Geek: Nintendo Geeks Commercial

geeksugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 14:00:56 -0800

It's as if Nintendo was all about making geeky fools of its cute spokesboys, as they did with a very young Paul Rudd. Here, they gave the full-on Poindexter treatment to a couple of young lads discovering The Legend of Zelda for the first time ("Nice graphics!" they exclaim).

If you find any more great old finds like this, be sure to join the Vintage Geek group and add them!

Daily Tech: Classic Gadgets You Can Still Buy

geeksugar — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:00:59 -0800

Sure, there's a new hot gadget every month, but there's nothing like a classic gizmo to celebrate geekiness. — Switched
We better be careful. The Wii hospitalized 10 people this week already. — Gizmodo
Is Apple preparing a new multi-touch Mighty Mouse? — Unpluggd
The iPhone has quickly risen to prominence on Flickr, rivaling most SLRs in popularity. — Crave
VHS distribution is grinding to a halt. — Engadget
Linux has entered the operating system ad battle and is looking for you! — Wired

Website of the Day: Tape Findings

geeksugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:35:16 -0800

In tech, everything old is new again; just look at mixtape accessories, now tube TV kitsch, or my vintage geek collection.

Tape Findings is jumping on the bandwagon with its collection of found audio recordings. The finds rang from songs sung by anonymous crooners (no real American Idol contenders there) to hilarious outgoing answering machine messages.

The recordings are sometimes profound, sometimes awkward, but always entertaining.

To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group,

TV Frame Is Not Digital, Still Geeky

geeksugar — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 10:08:09 -0800

The last time I saw a TV Frame, it was a completely different deal altogether. This TV Frame ($18), conversely, is low-tech (no digital shenanigans).

It looks like an old CRT, which many of us have ousted in favor of high def flat panels, but their replacement doesn't mean that can't be the new kitschy vintage geek thing. I wonder: Are tube TVs the new mixtape?

Six of the Sexiest Retro Gadgets

geeksugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:01:26 -0800

I'm certainly no stranger to Vintage Geek items. Heck, I'd resort back to retro gadgets if they were all as cool as the ones I'm about to show you. What I love about the following items is the fact that they all offer a little something different, yet all have their own sex appeal. See what I mean by checking out this slideshow.

Recapture Your Lost Youth With This Winamp Tee

geeksugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:00:49 -0800

You never forget your first . . . music player! Seeing this Winamp t-Shirt ($18) really brings back my Napster-abusing memories.

I changed my Winamp skins monthly and relied on it as heavily as any app I love now. How young I was then — no glimmer of iTunes or iPhones yet to distract me. I'd rock this with glee — and couldn't wait for the knowing glances of passersby that will definitely be picking up what I'm putting down.

Website of the Day: The Product Manual Archive

geeksugar — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:08:18 -0800

OK gadget lovers, it's time to take a fun trip back in time, thanks to a new site called The Product Manual Archive. When I first spotted this site I thought it was just going to be vintage manuals, but it's actually an online gallery of not only manuals, but diagrams, catalogs, and how-to books as well.

And if you really want to go all out, The Product Manual Archive even offers high-res images for die-hard vintage ad enthusiasts.

To learn how to post your favorite websites to our Website of the Day group,

Vintage Geek: Receiver Salt and Pepper Shakers

geeksugar — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:30:28 -0800

I'm slobbering over these Phone Receiver Salt and Pepper Shakers from Charles and Marie ($22) — which, though they're made of vintage telephone receivers, were never used in their original capacity, so you can be sure no one has already slobbered on your shakers.

They're genius — not to mention achingly cute and a perfect gift for the vintage geek-lover in your life — because you get all the thrill of vintage with none of that ABU (already been used) situation.

Vintage Geek: Spaceballs

geeksugar — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:30:34 -0800

As into Star Wars as I was, its parody Spaceballs enthralled me just as much by making fun of the silliness I hadn't yet recognized in George Lucas's earnest films.

Mel Brooks's hilarious send-up replaced Chewbacca with John Candy's Mog (half-man, half-dog: "I'm my own best friend!") named Barf, Bill Pullman was Lone Starr (mocking both Han Solo and Luke Skywalker with one character), and teeny Rick Moranis was Dark Helmet — the Napoleon-complex-addled Darth Vader.

And how could I forget Dot Matrix, Princess Vespa's C-3PO? She had a loud "virgin alert" that went off if Lone Starr got too close.

Though my passion was always for the original Star Wars, I've always had a soft spot (er, funny bone) for Spaceballs. Do you remember it?

Have memories of something geeky and awesome from your past? Join the Vintage Geek group and submit it — it may show up on geeksugar's home page!

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iPhone App You Need: Flip Clock

geeksugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 14:00:30 -0700

Fans of retro styling and modern electronics, this one's for you: The 99-cent Flip Clock app is an adorable vintage clock that, yes, flips like an actual old flip clock to tell you the time.

It's probably easier to just read the clock on your iPhone's home screen, but I quite like the idea of propping your phone up with Flip Clock on and just pretending it's your actual clock. Without the loud flipping sound.

Manual Typewriter: Love It or Leave It?

geeksugar — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 15:45:21 -0700

I have always had a fondness for vintage typewriters, but I can't imagine paying the price for an authentic antique (they can go from anywhere between $100 and $2,000!). This Olivetti manual typewriter ($125) is a nice compromise. The brand has been around since the early 1900s and this portable style is the very last manual typewriter in production today. It doesn't even require power.

Manual Typewriter: Love It or Leave It?

Love it!

Leave it!

I think it's _________. See my comment below.

Vintage Geek: Fingertip Shopping on the Internet in the '60s

geeksugar — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 13:00:39 -0700

This vintage video of the "Internet" in 1969 plays like a so-sexist-it's-silly scene from Mad Men. When describing the eventual conveniences, they point to online shopping — undertaken by the wife — and then establish that the husband then pays (complete with the man of the house shaking his head at the purchases). Dee-lightful!

Belong to That "Special" Group of Mobile Phone Owners!

geeksugar — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 14:45:42 -0700

Oh, those '80s! It was a time when stonewashed jeans were hot and cell phones were a luxury for only the richest people a la the snobby elite of Molly Ringwald movies.

Behold, the key to upgrading your class status! This vintage ad for an Imitation Cell Phone is by all accounts legitimate, and while funny, it's kind of true.

Tell me you weren't jealous of your friends who got cell phones before you! Maybe not buy-a-fake-cell-phone jealous, but jealous.

Marilyn Monroe's Typewriter

geeksugar — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:00:58 -0700

Usually I'm in awe of vintage typewriters because they're beautiful and hearken to a romantic bygone era of written letters and carefully taking time to express what you're thinking. Now, however, I'm in hushed awe because of who the typewriter belonged to: This was Marilyn Monroe's.

Part of the collection of photos shot by Mark Anderson after her death, the typewriter is just one of the things she left behind that you can squint at, appraise, and see the essence of the woman they once belonged to. I wonder what she composed on that typewriter, and to whom. . .

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Vintage Geek: The Return of the Turntable

geeksugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:30:32 -0700

As if it ever left? I love the sound of old records, and I love the look of an old turntable. I remember messing around with my grandparents' record player during the Summer - the music of Patsy Cline will forever remind me of my grandmother – and if I had room in my apartment, I would totally rock a deck of my own. Inspired by a recent trip to a record store, I have again fallen in love with the old players, and have coincidentally seen TONS of goods paying homage to them! Check out some of my favorites – from watches to shirts – that I've come across blazed with an old school record player!

Hollywood Loves Vintage Geek

geeksugar — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 04:00:39 -0700

With the advent of Mad Men, people seem to be all over vintage lately, and for me, it's big for vintage geek. Of course, I've been a fan for longer than this show — and so has Hollywood. Check out my slideshow for some of the best vintage tech moments in TV and the movies in the last few years!

Vintage Geek: A Study in Home Decor

geeksugar — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 13:03:22 -0700

It doesn't really matter if that vintage typewriter you're eying still really works, or if the Polaroid camera you're scrambling to buy runs out of instant film, because they look beautiful, just being displayed.

Apartment Therapy's house tours are usually envy inducing, but it's mainly due to textiles and interiors; this time, San Francisco resident Philip Maisel showed off something to make any geek jealous: his vintage SLR and typewriter collections.

Maisel, who says he is inspired by nostalgia and loves "old things," doesn't just have these to show his vintage geekery; check out AT's slideshow of his place to see more vintage cameras and a mounted shelf filled with fancy camera lenses and a vintage video camera.

The Beast Revealed: Mad Men's Copy Machine

geeksugar — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 06:00:56 -0700

I've already quizzed you on the geeky first season of the amazing show Mad Men, and one of the questions was regarding one of my favorite early quotes by Don Draper about how he had no "magical machine that could make copies."

But, lo and behold, at the beginning of the second season, his foreshadowing scoff becomes a reality, and the office of Sterling Cooper gets a copy machine. Watch the flabbergasted expressions of the ladies of the office in response to the behemoth marvel of technology!

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Website of the Day: Vintage Photos at Wanokoto

geeksugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:02:41 -0700

Usually it's all about taking an old photo and either scanning it or trying to enhance its color. Not so much here. Now you can take a digital pic and actually make it look like something your grandma had hiding in a box under her bed! I spotted Wanokoto on downloadsquad and I just knew I had to take a little trip back in time. All you have to do is upload your pic and Wanokoto works it's old school magic, transforming your pic into an old faded masterpiece! For more photo fun, be sure to check out Dumpr!

Do you have a favorite website you want to share with us? Submit your faves to our Website of the Day group! To learn how, just

Vintage Geek Explosion: Mad Men

geeksugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 02:00:08 -0700

You wouldn't think that geeksugar would have much to say about AMC's runaway hit Mad Men, set in the early 1960s — but you'd be totally, utterly wrong.

The retro-era show is actually rife with geekery — vintage geekery that is. Not only is it a rare look into how the times were for health, the sexes, minorities, and business, we also get to see the infiltration of technology into the home and the workplace.

Amazing tech quotes abound, like this over-the-top sexist zinger: "The manufacturer made it so easy a woman could use it." Of course, we'd love to say that sexism in regards to technology manufacturing has gone the way of the black and white TV, but we can't, necessarily.

Besides the women-friendly typewriter, there's the old-school video cameras, the wild concept of the copy machine, the out-of-placeness of a tube television in a single woman's apartment, and one of my favorites, the crazy (and crazy important) sight of the switchboard ladies, connecting the mad ad men with their clientele.

Photo courtesy of AMC

Keep Fridge Clutter in Check With Mix Tape Magnets

geeksugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:45:01 -0700

I've already ordered my USB Mixed Tape Set, so I might as well continue the trend and post these up on my fridge! These mini cassette magnets are wicked cool and functional to boot.

Brought to you by another genius Etsy user, the magnets come in at a reasonable $8 a pop, and bonus — you can write your own titles on them! I think "Geek's Mix" is kinda lame (and not all that creative), so I'll have to come up with something funky and fresh in its place. I'm really loving how old stuff is coming back and being reused in new and inventive ways. I'm sure Mother Earth is smiling on us right now.

Vintage Camera Phone Puts FOTC Phone Into Perspective

geeksugar — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 10:05:57 -0700

I have been semi-obsessed with oversized, clunky and illogical camera phones ever since I saw the "Mugged" episode of Flight of the Conchords where Jemaine's handmade camera phone (it's literally a camera and phone taped together) gets taken by a street thug. This Canon camera phone is even more fantastic because it combines a spectacular camera with a rotary phone base. Cause everyone needs a rotary phone that can capture images within cord distance, right?
Photo courtesy of HBO and Source

Retro Gamer: Best Arcade Games Ever!

geeksugar — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 07:30:56 -0700

Since we seem to be taking it back to the old school this week, I might as well toss in another favorite of mine besides all the mixed tapes and pagers and boomboxes — arcade games. You remember those, yeah? If I wasn't spending hours in my towns' arcade (and dropping what seemed like hundreds in quarters) every week, then I was either deathly ill or my parents had dragged me along on a family vacation. Seriously, there was no stopping me. Check out my all time favorite arcade games in this totally retro geek slideshow. Which old-timey arcade game was your favorite? Source

Original NES, Pagers, MixTapes? So Not The Wackness

geeksugar — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 02:00:51 -0700

Yo, if you consider yourself any kind of Vintage Geek fan, then get thee to a theater to see The Wackness.

Needless to say, I agree with Buzz's glowing review of the movie, but sitting in the theater, what was I cooing over more? The proliferation of mix tapes (I told you they were mad hot), the declaration of being loyal to cassettes, the boomboxes and — wait for it — blowing into a Nintendo game.

Young entrepreneur Luke Shapiro also rocks, oh yes, a pager, and constant headphones. Even though the movie takes place a mere fourteen years ago, it's the tech stuff that really gives the movie its nostalgic sheen. Basically, it's the dopiness.

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

The Windows and Mac Guys in '96

geeksugar — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 07:04:00 -0700

This ad totally cracks me up! Little did I know that the PC vs. Mac wars started long before the 21st century. I've got proof — this Windows vs. Mac ad from 1996! The descriptions of each one are worth zooming your eyes in to read, for example "The Mac Addict," it says: "The casual 'Seinfeld cut' is in. Of course, Jerry would never use a PC." I can't even imagine who would be their celebrity poster boy for Apple today. . . John Mayer perhaps? Did you know that the latest PC guy is really a Mac user? Oh the drama!

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Vintage Geek: Speaker of Old

geeksugar — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:07:00 -0700

Yes, that Commodore 64 you've got gathering dust in your garage does qualify as vintage geek, but it lacks a certain je ne sais quoi. That is, it's not cute enough to put its quirky obsolescence on display.

Want something that can? Check out this beautiful vintage speaker, rescued from its Belgian decay, to add some vintage geek decor to your life.

You may have to be a serious antique geek collector, because this old guy costs $450, but each vintage speaker is unique, and will never blow out, either.

Vintage Geek Roundup!

geeksugar — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:02:25 -0700

There's no denying that I'm down with the old school. I love taking a look back and seeing just how far we've come over the last few decades — from big and bulky gadgets to sleek and stylish pocket-sized ones. But there's just something about the trailblazers that will always stick with me. Maybe it's the fond memories of booting up my very first Apple computer, or being able to call someone outside without wires totally blew my mind. Whatever it is, take a walk down memory lane as I round up my favorite vintage geek gadgets! Oh, and don't forget to post your faves to the Vintage Geek Group! Source

Race You to the Checkout! Vintage Alphabet Geek Blocks

geeksugar — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:00:54 -0700

It's a show of selflessness that I'm posting these vintage Geek Alphabet Blocks from Three Potato Four (the purveyors of those gorgeous vintage typewriters we drooled over together) because I'm dying for them.

They're just four vintage blocks put together, but they're spelling out a word near and dear to my heart.

They'd rep hard in my house and match their surroundings — the antique, weathered blocks don't look like the child's toy they once were, so no kids are required to own these, buuuut . . . just think how adorable these would look in your geeky baby nursery!

Video Game Consoles Throughout Time

geeksugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 15:00:27 -0700

It's time to pay some respect to the video game consoles of the past 30 years, which paved the way for all the high-tech consoles we use today — hello, the Wii?! Isn't it ironic how each and every one of these consoles was a leader of its time? I mean come on, when the first Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) came out in 1985, it was the best-selling gaming console of its time (selling 62 million units worldwide). And since then, consoles have evolved beyond our wildest dreams. Enjoy!

Geek Girl History Lesson: Ada Lovelace

geeksugar — Fri, 23 May 2008 10:06:25 -0700

I hope you didn't feel discouraged about being a girl geek by that article awhile back that reported women find technology jobs boring. Buck up, you — not only do you have geeksugar here at your service, there are plenty of fabulous precedents for you like Google's Marissa Mayer, Lifehacker founder and coder Gina Trapani, and a 19th-century girl geek: Ada Lovelace.

Born in 1815 in London, Ada Lovelace is known as the first programmer. Taught to love mathematics by her mother from a young age, she would later write what was known as the world's first computer program for Charles Babbage's, "analytical engine" — a general purpose, early computer.

To this day, Lovelace is remembered as the first coder and has received a few tributes: the computer language Ada is named for her, her picture is on Microsoft's holographic authenticity stickers, and The British Computer Society awards a medal to female computer science students in her name.

Thanks for representing, Ada!

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Did You Have a Beeper?

geeksugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:00:31 -0700

I saw a childhood friend at a birthday dinner a few weeks ago, and we got on the topic of how much communication and gadgets have changed since we were teenagers. On top of making us feel old, it evoked memories of our hoary pre-cell phone days. He actually reminded me that, for a brief (but oh so awesome!) time, I carried a beeper (commonly referred to as a "pager" by unhip people and doctors). I can't explain why, except that one day my parents presented it to me as a way to "keep in touch" when I was out with my friends. I can't imagine having a pager without a cell phone would benefit anyone aside from Stone Age doctors at this point, given payphones are considered vintage artifacts. News to Liz Lemon's pager salesman ex on 30 Rock: Pages are just text messages created without the genius of the QWERTY keypad. I've got nothing to say but 143, I promise. Photo courtesy NBC

Did You Have a Beeper?

Yes! And I totally 1-4-3ed it!

No! I wasn't cool enough!

No, I was too cool!

I still have and use it!

What's a beeper? Is that like the clicker?

Something else. See my answer in comments.

Vintage Geek: Old As Dirt Nintendo Commercial

geeksugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:00:42 -0700

The Vintage Geek Group has been seeing some action lately, and I had to post this video that group member tdamji sifted from the Youtube racks! Try to hold back the nostalgia as you see Duck Hunt, Hogan's Alley, even the tracking adjustment of a VCR of yore.

Oh yeah. I WAS the first.

If you see more stuff like this — vintage gadget anything — show us! Join the Vintage Geek group and be a superstar like tdamji!

Send Emails — The Old School Way

geeksugar — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 10:09:43 -0700

For someone like my dad, who still calls his email his www, nothing beats a good ol' back to basics pencil and paper email. Thanks to ThinkGeek and their paper email pads, my dad can send fifty handwritten emails for only $4. No navigation to your email client, no mind-boggling passwords to fill in, just simple To:, Date:, Time: and Subject: fields to fill in. Done and done! Now for the hard part. . . sending it effortlessly like real email!

Vintage Geek: Super Mario Bros. Movie

geeksugar — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 14:00:35 -0700

If you dig waaay back into your memories of the '90s, you might remember a little flick called Super Mario Bros'. Starring Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo. Do you remember, or did you block it out of your mind forever? I am a professed Mario super fan, so I don't like hating on anything where the lovable plumbers are involved, but this movie just didn't do it for me (or anyone else for that matter)!

Despite the success of the Mario franchise, the movie was a total flop at the box office, only bringing in $20 million to cover its $48-million budget. A pretty big number for '93. But who would have thought that a movie about two plumbing brothers who get sucked into an alternate universe via an interdimensional portal under the Brooklyn Bridge and end up fighting the evil King Koopa would be a flop? Hey, you can't blame me for its failure, I paid my four bucks to see it!

Check out the super awesome, super-low tech Super Mario Brothers trailer when you

Vintage Geek: Rutherford B. Hayes, Your First Geeky President

geeksugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 15:00:03 -0700

Don't feel too bad if you're playing CitizenSugar's Presidential FaceOff Game and find yourself scratching your head at who was a better president, considering all of our early American History may be a little fuzzy.

So I come to you with this rockin' piece of trivia, courtesy of Neatorama: Rutherford B. Hayes, aside from being the owner of a smokin' hot Blue Steel, was the first geek in the White House!

Yup, Hayes brought the first telephone and typewriter into the White House, and considering I can't live without my iPhone or MacBook Pro, I would say I highly appreciate a forward-thinking man. Think Barack will ever switch from a BlackBerry to an iPhone?

Got some presidential or otherwise Vintage Geek stories like this? Add them to our Vintage Geek Group!

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Landmark Red Payphones in UK Make Pricey Geek Collectibles

geeksugar — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 10:00:30 -0700

I can't say I really miss the pay phones in the US, but when I read that cell phone use is making the red phone booths in Britain obsolete, I got a little melancholic. I mean, the booths are not just cute places to have a conversation or have your photo taken— they're landmarks. Did you know the signature telephone box was the result of a competition in 1924 to design a kiosk that would be acceptable to the London Metropolitan Boroughs? In 1925 the winning design was reproduced 1,000 times, but by 1980 there were 73,000 of the design throughout the UK. That's a piece of geeky history right there! Here's more:

Britain has more cellphones than people, so the use of pay phones has dropped by half in the past three years, according to British Telephone. BT has removed about 30,000, or a third of all pay phones, from the streets since 2002. Of the remaining 61,700 phone booths, 12,700 are the old red kiosks made of wood or cast iron that are so identifiably British.

The old booths are being bought up for $5,000 to $10,000, depending on the make, year and condition. Apparently regular Joe and Jane Does and celebrities are placing bids for their own little booth. Talk about a vintage geek collectible!

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Help Take the Vintage Geek Group From 56K Modem to Broadband

geeksugar — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 13:13:21 -0800

Hey geeks, do you ever spot something like those vintage typewriters I randomly came across, and want to be able to show everyone? The Vintage Geek Group is at your service, and we're eagerly waiting for you to submit some cool old ad or gadget. Our vintage-geek superstar tdamj has submitted some amazing vintage ads — this hilarious one for an old Atari game and this Japanese masterpiece for Zelda.

So when you find cool vintage stuff like this ad for Penril Modems from lord knows when (well, 'when' was apparently a time of sort-of innocence — they had to minimize the word 'sexy'! Tee hee!), join the Vintage Geek Group and submit it! I know one of you has an awesome screen grab of Zach Morris's brick-phone and are just dying to share it.

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Vintage Geek: Get Your Own Vintage Typewriter

geeksugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 10:00:07 -0800

Ever since I spotlighted Atonement's real star, I've been thinking about how amazing a vintage typewriter would look among my decor. I've always been in love with old typewriters and now as a gadget writer, I feel like it's a symbolic and romantic amalgamation of where I am now. So when I spied these gorgeous vintage and fully restored Royal typewriters on Three Potato Four's website, I almost drooled onto my very modern MacBook Pro.

Romance comes at a price, though — about $500. Yikes! Of course, they're beautiful (those colors!), fully functional, and come with their original hard carrying cases, so you wouldn't just have something to look at, you'd have an original vehicle on which to write some very special letters. I'm not sure what the cost would be to restore an eBay find and have it cleaned by a professional, but I can't imagine that'd be cheap either. For now, I'll settle for gazing at these beauties online.

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New geeksugar Group: Vintage Geek!

geeksugar — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 14:05:01 -0800

I've been getting really giddy lately when I watch movies I've grown up with, and see the old technology that was hot at that time. I highlighted old Apple IIs and some goofy faux gadgets from Back to the Future 2, Doogie Howser's geeky 80's blogging, and some fabulous old ads. I am even pretty sure I saw my current crush Paul Rudd's Nintendo commercial when it originally aired!

So join my Vintage Geek group and add your vintage movie and TV clips, funny ads, or gadgets so old they're artifacts and you might get featured on the geeksugar home page!
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Vintage Geek: Polaroid Camera Swinger Commercial

geeksugar — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 10:11:00 -0800

After last week's announcement that Polaroid would be closing the rest of its production plants, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic about the end of its historic run. In honor of the company, which introduced its first instant camera in 1948, I've decided to share this hilarious Polaroid Swinger camera commercial with you. When YumSugar first showed it to me, I couldn't believe that Polaroid would create such a sexy black-and-white video back in the day. And as big and awkward as the $19.95 Polaroid Swinger was, you can totally tell it was the MacBook Air of its time. Check it out below!

Vintage Geek: Back to the Future II

geeksugar — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 07:03:16 -0800

Some of my favorite movies growing up were the Back to the Future movies (I loved that Michael J.), particularly the second one, because of all the crazy technology I thought we could expect in the 21st century. All the kids had hover boards, the re-hydrater could take a tiny piece of food and zap it into a full gourmet meal, there were TV screens that doubled as window shades — I could not wait for it to be 2015 so I could have all those amazing gadgets (Sidenote: If they had flying cars, then why did everyone still look old as dirt?). I swear, every year after that movie was out, some other kid was telling me that this was the year hover boards were really coming out. Well, it's 2008 and we still don't have hover boards, my microwave still makes my burrito hot on the ends and icy cold in the middle, and I have never seen a video waiter. And we know how the film series' benchmark technological innovation — the time-traveling De Lorean — has panned out. Watch my slideshow to see how Back to the Future II's imaginary gadgets have stacked up, nineteen years later!

Vintage Geek: Doogie Howser, Blogger

geeksugar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 09:02:45 -0800

At the risk of dating myself, I'm just going to put it out there that I was a huge Doogie Howser, MD fan. In fact, I couldn't have been more ecstatic a few years ago when Neil Patrick Harris made a triumphant comeback with Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, which of course led to his awesome role as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother. I watch NPH on HIMYM — a slick, chic geek with his iPhone — and then I remember that this is not the first time he's showcased his onscreen geekiness.

As Doogie Howser, MD, the boy genius-turned-doctor, NPH sat at his ancient IBM PC and tapped out his thoughts daily. That's right, everybody: Doogie was a blogger! Or at least, a blogger in its first form. If Doogie Howser were on TV today, he would have found Blogger and set up shop (with fitsugar on his RSS Reader, of course). So here's to you, Doogie, our beloved old school geek!

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Vintage Geek: Weird Phone Slideshow

geeksugar — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 08:02:14 -0800

And I thought Frill Free Phones was only good for pricey retro phones! It turns out, their website has a nostalgia-inducing weird phone gallery that'll make you feel silly for saying that you can't wait for the iPhone to be slimmer.

Last Minute Gift: Vintage Inspired Radios

geeksugar — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:03:17 -0800

I stumbled across the Almost Vintage Miniature Radio series after about a week of obsessing over cool old school radios. At $25 they're a total steal and an unexpected throwback gift that will likely be a hit with gramps, pops or even your kid sister. The three devices below were modeled on tabletop Bakelite originals from the 40s and 50s, and has all the usual AM/FM radio features. I've since seen similar models at department and electronics stores if you're in search of a retro last minute gift!

Vintage Style Radio by The Design Town

geeksugar — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 10:05:54 -0800

For a Sunday dose of vintage geek, I thought I'd share these pastel vintage-chic radios which I spotted on GeekAlerts. Unlike other radios which appear retro on the outside but are mp3 players on the inside, this radio is totally old school. With an AM/FM radio, top handle, a telescopic antenna and knobs for adjusting the volume and frequency, it doesn't get any more vintage geek-chic than this. The pink is currently sold out so you'll have to settle for sky blue. Priced at $15 each.

Vintage Geek Ornaments: Totally Geeky or Geek Chic?

geeksugar — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 07:00:14 -0800

I have a soft spot in my heart for noisy, clunky and outdated typewriters (the more archaic the better!) so I naturally love these Vintage Geek typewriter and Leica camera ornaments. The Leicas are remade in light handblown glass and are "realistic down to the tiniest detail — from the textured surfaces to the see-through lenses." The typewriters are also handblown and detailed in Poland. They cost $18 to $20. Do you think they beat out the Mini Leica camera on the geek chic meter? I do!

Vintage Geek Ornaments: Totally Geeky or Geek Chic?

Totally Geeky

Geek Chic

It's so _______. (Leave answer in comments!)

Vintage Mouse Pad: Love It or Leave It?

geeksugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 09:00:48 -0700

I absolutely adore this style of print! You know, the vintage picture with hilarious captions, which you find on cards and fridge magnets and you can't help but read them? How great is it that you can now get vintage geek mouse pads with that similar print?! This fab "Yes, You CAN Have a Pony Mouse Pad" can be purchased on Etsy for $14. Each design is hand made on thick mouse pads that measure 7.5 inches in diameter and 1/4 inch thick with a rubber base. Me likey alot! Maybe my inner geeky-quirkiness is shining through? Nonetheless, do you love it as a mouse pad? Or should this print stay on cards and magnets? Leave your comments below!

Vintage Mouse Pad: Love It or Leave It?

Love It

Leave It

I think it is ________. See below!

Vintage Geek: Bill Cosby's Texas Instruments Ad

geeksugar — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 11:00:25 -0700

It's back to school time, which always gets me thinking about school supplies, school clothes and of course, my good old TI83. Switched put together a list of the Best-Ever Celebrity Gadget Ads last week that served as a great follow up to our look at the Top 10 Celebrity Gadget Endorsements of current day and included a fantastic retro geek Texas Instruments commercial.

The ad, which was made in 1981, features Bill Cosby talking about a price drop for the Texas Instruments TI 99/4A computer — or as he puts it in the ad, "the one with all the memory and tons of software."

As Switched notes, at the time the TI 99/4A was competing against the Commodore's inexpensive Vic-20 and Radio Shack's popular Color Computer so it was virtually forced to drop its price. Of course, a little boost from Bill Cosby, who was still at the height of his Cosby Show fame, did help. To watch the video,

Vintage Geek: Original Macintosh User Manual

geeksugar — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:00:53 -0700

There are very few things geekier than user manuals: They house loads of secrets, tips and tricks that techie freaks like myself pride ourselves on knowing. But what do old manuals say about a company like Apple, which has rose to iconic status since the release of its first official manual? A man named Peter Merholz recently purchased an original Macintosh user manual from eBay and posted the pages online for the whole world to reminisce and drool over. I hate to break it to Justin Long, but the original "Mac" guys were pretty dreamy in a smart surfer boy meets Sean Penn kind of way. "It’s been an intriguing read," says Peter. "It’s a remarkably handsome manual, beautifully typeset, which, considering par for the course at the time was probably Courier with few illustrations, is saying something."

To check out more detailed images, visit Peter Merholz's website.