Name a better time capsule than ads for technology. Go on, I’ll wait.
Looking back at a gadget from decades ago really shows how far humanity has come. A landline answering machine, a 10-megabyte hard drive… It’s crazy to think that at one point, now-obsolete technology was not only top-of-the-line but also a bargain. Now, paying a couple of months worth of salary for memory that fits no more than a few songs makes little sense when you consider that 4 terabytes of external storage cost less than $100.
These vintage ads no longer serve any other purpose than to point out the major shifts in technology and how much better things are now. But then again, that’s quite something.
#1 Tandy Ct-300 Cellular Phone: $1,499.00 [$3,116.43 Today]
Image source: sears
#2 Imsai PC With 10mb Hard Disk, 64k Ram: $5,995.00 [$18,700 Today]
Image source: MSAI
#3 Panasonic Rx 5500 Stereo: $576.19 [$2,046 Today]
Image source: panasonic
#4 The 1978 Ibm 5110: $18,000
#5 Sears 8-Digit Electronic Calculator: $98.95
Image source: sears
#6 Xcomp 10mb Hard Disk: $3,398.00
#7 Spartan Apple II+ Emulator: $599.00
Image source: Mimic Systems Inc
#8 Betavision Video Cassette Recorder: $985.00
#9 Corvus Systems Inc. Mass Storage: $5,350.00
Image source: Corvus Systems Inc
#10 Intecolor 3621 With 51k Disk Drive: $3,300.00
Image source: ISC
#11 Sinclair Zx80 With 4k Basic: $199.95
#12 Phone-Mate Answering Machine: $129.50
#13 Emerson Radio Corporation Television Set – 1949: $599.50
#14 Jvc Hr-7300 Vidstar Vhs: $1,280.00
Image source: JVC
#15 Sears Color TV: $327.88
#16 Motorola Stereo Hi-Fi Coffee Table: $169.95
Image source: motorola
#17 Trs-80 Computer Sold In 1977: $3,450
#18 Mid-80’s Seagate St4096 Memory Hard Disk: $12,000
#19 10 Megabyte Hard Drive: $3,500
#20 Sinclair Microvision TV: $395.00
#21 Cellphone From UK: $895
#22 Ampex Fr200 Tape Transport: $2,675.00
Image source: AMPEX
#23 Bell & Howell 8mm Camera: $207.70
Image source: Bell & Howell
#24 Osborne Computer: $1795
#25 1977 The Apple Ll: $1195
#26 1984 PC Computer Unit: $5,000
#27 The Commodore 64: $600
#28 The Trs-80 Model 4 (1983): $1,300
#29 Westinghouse ‘Big Picture Television’: $269 (Today Would Be Around $2,700)
#30 Atari 400 PC: $549.00
Image source: Atari
#31 Realistic Trc-471 Transceiver: $259.95
Image source: RadioShack
#32 15mb Hdd: $2,500
#33 The Trs-80 Micro: $3,875
#34 1976 Apple 1: $666.66
#35 Sears Video Arcade: $178.95
#36 10 Megabyte Hard Disk System: $3,695
#37 Low-Cost Hard Disk Computer: $10k
#38 2 Cents A Byte! Sink Your Teeth Into A Helping Of Ram Without Burning A Hole In Your Wallet. From 16-32k Ram Memory: Starting From $299
#39 The Apf Imagination Machine A Video Game Console: $599
#40 A Basic Cassette Tape Recorder From Philips: $166
Follow Us
