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Before TV video games, home computers and even the Internet, entertainment was one way and audio only...

This is so accurate.  In my old car, which did not have Bluetooth, my phone would ring EVERY TIME we started driving somewhere.  Who is it?  No idea, my phone is in my pocket. 

The new car has bluetooth, and the phenomena has stopped.  I never get those calls anymore.
 

😲W. K. Haselden’s ‘The Pocket Telephone: When Will it Ring?’ was first published in The Mirror, 1919

Safe to say I am guilty of this sin! 🤣
 
 
 

Yes, it's a real thing...

Yes, it's a real thing...

That had me laughing so hard I had to go to the bathroom.  I can relate, I once set my cell phone down on top of my laptop (both are black).  I spent two hours looking for it.

I have a collection of arcade sales flyers or salesman brochures. The collection is based on my favorite coin-op games. Don't know if any of you have some of these, but below a few. I'll post more as time permits. Asteroids was signed by Ed Logg, Battlezone was signed by Ed Rotberg and Defender was signed by Eugene Jarvis.
 

Got these two yesterday at Hallmark...

I have completed my testing on both the TI-99/4A and Geneve with the new IDE card.  I have been able to exercise all functions for IO operations on both TI and Geneve.  With the Geneve, I had to use the development version of MDOS to address the IDE issue (v7.42).
Please note, the RTC chip that will be offered will be the 5v version as it supplies the voltage required for the SRAM control and the 5v version seems to be more stable, this does increase the price of the board by around $15.
Preorders will open soon.  I still want to put it through some more paces before on both the TI and Geneve.  
I will also be replacing the standard 1.5 amp 7805 voltage regulators with a 2amp DC/DC converter.  It runs much more stable and the heat it generates is on average between 40 - 50 degrees cooler than the LM7805.
 

Originally an overpriced computer, TI blew it on so many levels with what could have been a major contender, it was not until decades later people were able to find out what this machine was actually capable of doing.  From the CPU situation, to the coffee cup warmer joke, to the electrical plug issue, the mistake of trying to keep owners locked in-house with their lousy software and charging astronomical prices for peripherals kind of blew it.  Heck, their spokesman didn't even hold up over time.  The TI didn't really start taking off until the rebates could get people the console for $50.00, with the hopes of nailing them on the accessories.  In the end, when they dropped out of the market, and prices fell on the addon's, did the TI did get a little more popular as those with the "In for a penny, in for a Pound" mentality and those who were already locked in financially started expanding.  In the end though, it's still a "Home Computer", namely a hobby box for old school gamers, those into hardware and software enthusiasts development and course those with nostalgia.

It does keep my coffee warmer longer, and with entertainment!
 
To see a short video clip with sound, << CLICK HERE >>
 

Who the heck invented "ceiling heat"?  Seriously, why would I want to heat my attic?  Heat rises, and the bed is closer to the floor than the ceiling.  So, since it's getting colder now I bought a little heater to go next to the bed.  It's a lot quieter than the YouTube amplification of the sound, but I'm pleased with it as it's really quiet and can maintain the temperature in the entire room on it's own.
 

Originally an overpriced computer, TI blew it on so many levels with what could have been a major contender, it was not until decades later people were able to find out what this machine was actually capable of doing.  From the CPU situation, to the coffee cup warmer joke, to the electrical plug issue, the mistake of trying to keep owners locked in-house with their lousy software and charging astronomical prices for peripherals kind of blew it.  Heck, their spokesman didn't even hold up over time.  The TI didn't really start taking off until the rebates could get people the console for $50.00, with the hopes of nailing them on the accessories.  In the end, when they dropped out of the market, and prices fell on the addon's, did the TI did get a little more popular as those with the "In for a penny, in for a Pound" mentality and those who were already locked in financially started expanding.  In the end though, it's still a "Home Computer", namely a hobby box for old school gamers, those into hardware and software enthusiasts development and course those with nostalgia.

I thought I was posting "TI FlashROM & FinalGROM (.BIN image repository) (UPDATED 2/17/2023)" Getting old...
Flashrom99, I was pointing out that arcadeshopper took over something at atari Age. I did get the files and all back . I did not get the Finalgrom as my flashrom99 does what I want.
 

You know something, I think the screen on my cellphone is bigger than the one on the Osborne.  Isn't it amazing what we used to pay for boat anchors back then.

They could use a variation of this advertisement today, but just stick the picture of the kid in a cell phone instead.