Bodryn

Ever since the age of personal computing came upon us with the Apple II+, I've been often excited at the new PCs coming out.

I bought a Tandy 200, (a clamshell version of the Tandy 100), a Tandy PC-6 as a shirt pocket computer I could write Basic code into, I saw a Poqet computer and wanted it but couldn't justify $2000 for it at the time; I've tried out those miniature Libretto models, and I have bought two HP200LX pocket computers. This was nice because most any DOS program could run on it, and I could write my own programs as needed, using Basic language. The HP200LX was a bit too big for my shirt pocket, and had a tendency to fall out of my pocket, but I made good use of it. I bought a second one when the first fell out onto the concrete and quit on me. I looked forward to a rumored HP300 model, but instead they went to some Win CE OS or something which did not use DOS and could not be used for programming. The HP200LX also used a 32 meg CF card for program storage. (But the smallest CF card I can get now is 8 Gigabytes)

Next pocket device was a PDA: a Palm IIIx, soon followed by a TRGpro, which was basically a Palm IIIx with 8 megs and a CF card in the back, up to 2 GB. I couldn't really write good programs on it, but I could at least write nifty programs FOR it, using NSBasic on my PC.

But time does not stand still, and now, nobody even sells PDAs anymore, far as I know. I don't get it how a really handy device gets developed, the people like it, but then supposedly something better comes out and good things are no longer made. Why no more PDAs? Seems they've been subsumed into cell phones. But I don't use cell phones, don't like the expensive service plans, just want the pocket data handy. In fact, if you buy something you like, you'd better get about six of them while you can because you never know, the next year maybe you won't be able to get them.

So I sometimes start to wonder, why buy anything? Maybe it's better to be independent of any kinds of gadgets because if you get to like something, you may not get to keep using it. I have one Palm IIIx and one TRGpro left. If and when that last quits, I'll be back to the stone age, using a pocket notebook and pencil. Maybe that's the best. Go back to the basics, and get away from hi tech gadgets, they're sort of like building your house on sand. Maybe I'm getting to old to have the patience for stuff that won't be there over the long haul. But still I like those new gadgets....

__________________
Members don't see ads in threads. Register your free account today and become a member on Tech Today Online, gaining access to posting privileges, contests, free plug-ins and other downloads, unlimited online storage for your photographs, reviews, free marketplace listings, and much more.

__________________
Bodryn
========
"Where are we going? And why are we in this handbasket?"

Ken-L

Before the advent of PCs there was the astounding new marvel, the hand-held calculator!

My first one cost $114.00, and it could add, subtract, divide and multiply. Today thay too seems an obscene price. At the time it was pricey, but for those of us that had to do a lot of calculations on the run it was a great luxury!

This one is similar to what I had: (TI Cal-Tech: World's First Pocket Electronic Calculator)

__________________
"An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way." - Bukowski

jcjacob

Bodryn,

I can totally relate to your post. It was excellent.

My first computer was an Apple IIE - 48K of memory, 2 external floppies and a 12" green flourescent monitor. I got it at a great price, only $2,600!

Then came my Commodore 64, Commodore 128, Leading Edge PC compatible, and then once PC after another.

I had several Palm PDAs and made great use of them. I now have an iPod Touch that I have never listened to music on. To me it is the PDA replacement, with applications and data that used to reside on my palm. Since I have all that personal information there, when my mobile plan recently expired, I planned on replacing my Blackberry with a basic telephone. Guess what...there is no such thing. Unless you happen to have an old phone that you can activate, the least you can get is a multi-media phone, and there was not a single model available that didn't require a data plan along with minutes. What if you just wanted to use the phone to *gasp* make calls? Doesn't matter. You have to have a data plan in case you used other features.

As frustrating as it is, I will play with my new phone. I will wonder why it has all the features it does, and at the same time I will wish it had more and will eagerly wait until the contract runs out so I can upgrade again (and complain some more).

Outwardly we yearn for the good old simpler days, but we know we wouldn't want to go back there uness we could bring all our new toys with us.

__________________
-John

Bodryn

Interesting. When we moved into our last apartment in Minnesota, in 2008, we were able to get three pushbutton landline phones at $10 each. No extras on them, but they all have continued to work fine. We just don't like the occasional telemarketers.

I may have to get some tips on how to get my iPod Touch up and running. I had envisioned using it as a PDA update but it didn't look encouraging enough at the outset.

Calculators, yes! I almost forgot about two programmable calculators I bought around 1980 or so. And what about those old MECHANICAL calculators they used to have at the colleges? I remember getting a Unitrex 12-digit 4-function electronic calculator in 1973 for just $179 and I thought I was in hi tech heaven! Two or three years later I sold it for $6 at a community rummage sale.

Wouldn't want to go back to watches that didn't keep good time.

__________________
Bodryn
========
"Where are we going? And why are we in this handbasket?"