To remember, TechTudo has prepared a nostalgic list with eight electronic devices that were either successful or highly desired by consumers in the 1980s. Check it out.
1. Apple Macintosh
Officially launched in 1984, the Macintosh innovated the computer market by introducing the famous mouse and a graphical interface that allowed easy interaction with the operating system. The computer was presented during halftime of the Super Bowl, the NFL’s American soccer championship and one of the most important sporting events in the United States, and arrived in stores costing approximately US$2.5 thousand.
As far as hardware is concerned, Apple’s device shipped the Motorola 68000 processor with an 8 MHz base clock. This chip worked together with only 128 KB of RAM and 400 KB of storage. In addition, the Macintosh had a 9-inch monitor, floppy drive, and ran the System 1 platform, which in its 7.6 version was renamed Mac OS.
2. Walkman Sony
The Walkman was released in 1980 and at the time revolutionized the way people listened to music, as the user could listen to his favorite sounds anywhere and without disturbing other people. This was only possible because Sony’s device was portable and had headphones instead of speakers. The Walkman was so successful that it later became an exclusive brand of the manufacturer.
3. Polaroid 660
The Polaroid instant camera hit the market in 1981 and offered users an easier and more convenient way to record the important moments in their lives. The device developed the captured photos on the spot and without the need for chemicals or anything similar. An interesting fact is that despite having been launched 36 years ago, the camera is still sold on Polaroid’s official website for approximately $160
4. VCR
The VCR was one of the most desired products by consumers at the time. Launched in 1980, the equipment was initially developed for domestic use and was used to record and play VHS tapes, but later it began to be used for professional purposes. The first VCR arrived in Brazil two years later at a relatively high price, since it was necessary to import it from other countries.
5. Apple Lisa
Before the Macintosh, Apple released in 1983 a personal computer named after Steve Jobs’ daughter. The Lisa brought a series of novelties to the computer world, such as protected memory, protection against data corruption, and a graphical interface that used icons and menus instead of command lines. The drawback of this computer was the slow processor and the high price for the time: US$ 9,995, equivalent to R$ 32 thousand in today’s quotation.
The Apple Lisa had only 1 MB of RAM and a chipset running at 5 MHz. In addition, the machine had two floppy readers, 5 MB of internal storage and the operating system was the Lisa OS, with cooperative multitasking and integrated screen saver.
6. The Clapper
The Clapper was invented around 1985 and promised to turn on/off the lights in your home when you clap your hands. The device also allowed you to connect several electronic devices at the same time, requiring only that the user plug the sockets into it. Today there are variants of The Clapper that not only perform the original function, but also have a remote control.
Watch with calculator (Casio C-80)
Casio c-80 watch – Photo: Divulgação/Casio
The first calculator watches appeared in the 1970s, but only in 1980 did they become popular. The best selling model was the C-80, by Casio, which stood out for having relatively large buttons for easy use. At the time, the competitors made it necessary to use a pen to press the buttons. In addition, it allowed to do all four basic mathematical operations: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.
8. IBM 5150
Considered the first personal computer developed with parts from several companies, the IBM 5150 revolutionized the computer industry and created a new manufacturing model, used to this day by renowned companies. The machine was launched in 1981 with the intention of capturing part of the consumers of companies like Apple.
The 5150 had a processor from Intel, specifically the 8088 model, unlike the competitors that used chips from Motorola. The RAM memory was only 16 KB, but in contrast, the operating system was developed and optimized especially for the IBM computer, which left the PC with a reliable performance.