I Showed Gen Z ANCIENT Tech

Welcome to a special episode of Mystery Tech, featuring CarterPCs. The first item presented is the Apple QuickTake 100, the very first Apple digital camera, released in 1994. This camera, which Apple licensed from Fuji, originally cost $749, equivalent to about $1,600 today, making it significantly more expensive than a film camera of the same era, which could be bought for a couple hundred dollars. The QuickTake 100 features a rangefinder-like viewfinder and no screen. It can hold a limited number of photos, and to offload them, it must be connected to a Macintosh from the same era, highlighting Apple's early ecosystem lock-in. The hosts acquired this device for $110. Next up is the Newton eMate 300, an Apple device from 1997 that resembles an old-school iPad with a keyboard. It was designed as a more laptop-friendly version of the Apple Newton. The eMate 300, which originally retailed for $800 (about $1,700 today), was purchased for $125. The device requires calibration by poking specific points on its screen with a stylus, similar to an Etch A Sketch or old smartboards. It features a backlit keyboard, a notable feature for its time. Despite its innovative concept, the Newton series was considered ahead of its time but not fully refined, and its design was somewhat unconventional for professional use. The third item is a Nokia 7280, commonly referred to as the "lipstick phone," released in 2004. This phone is notable for its unique design, which includes a camera, a slide-open mechanism, and a "click wheel" similar to an iPod for navigation and interaction, as it lacks a traditional keypad. This meant dialing numbers or texting required using the wheel. The Nokia 7280 cost 600 Euro (approximately $660 USD) at launch and was acquired for $200. While no longer a usable phone, its distinctive aesthetic and design make it a cool collector's item. Following this, a pair of Koss Pro/4AAA headphones from 1976 are introduced. These headphones, nearly 50 years old, originally sold for $70, which is roughly $400 in today's money. Despite their age and somewhat deflated ear cups, they are still functional and deliver a decent sound, albeit a little muffled. The hosts noted their discomfort due to the hard ear cups but praised their build quality, suggesting that replacing the ear cups could make them fully usable. They were purchased for $55, making them a potentially great deal for retro audio enthusiasts. The fifth item is a Nintendo Virtual Boy, a VR headset released by Nintendo in the 1990s. This console, which Nintendo later re-released a modern version for the Switch, projects a red LED display, creating a unique but often headache-inducing experience. The Virtual Boy, which launched for around $180 (about $380 today), was acquired for $350 in working condition. Despite its historical reputation for being "ass," playing "Mario's Tennis" on it reveals that the motion feels good and the text looks surprisingly clear, making it more playable than anticipated, especially if one can overlook the monochrome red display. Finally, a Laser Disc player along with several Laser Discs, including "Die Hard 2," is presented. Laser Discs were a precursor to DVDs, offering movies on large, expensive discs. A Laser Disc player could cost over a thousand dollars, and individual movies were around $80. The presented player, which came with multiple movies, was purchased for $600, though its retail price was estimated at $1,500 (equivalent to three or four thousand dollars today). Despite the TV used for demonstration being 15 years newer than the player, watching the intro of "Die Hard" on Laser Disc provided an authentic, albeit grainy, experience. The episode concludes with a look at a 1976 air-cooled Porsche 911. This classic car, recently returned from six months in the shop, features a rear-mounted engine and manual roll-up windows. Despite its age, it has modern tech integrated: a small, Porsche-designed CarPlay unit with a USB port and Bluetooth, specifically made for older Porsches. The driving experience is described as requiring focus due to the lack of modern distractions. The car's engine is temperamental, as evidenced by its difficulty starting and the distinct smell of exhaust. CarterPCs expresses excitement about the car and the desire to learn how to drive it, concluding the segment with a final spin. The hosts express satisfaction with the interesting and unique retro tech items showcased in this episode of Mystery Tech.