Dauphin DTR-1: The 486 Touchscreen PC from 1992!

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  • Опубліковано 28 вер 2024
  • The 1990s saw portable computing take off in a big way, but manufacturers were still trying to figure out what form factor worked best. While most went with the notebook design we're most familiar with today, a small company from Chicago had another idea.
    Sources:
    IBM 5155 luggable PC photo: commons.wikime...
    "HP floors industry with 20MB, 1.3-inch drive," InfoWorld, June 15, 1992.
    "Smooth as Glass," PC Magazine, May 25, 1993.
    "HP drops disk drives," Computerworld, July 15, 1996.
    "Lappro-286 Introduced By Dauphin," InfoWorld, October 24, 1988.
    "286-Based Portables," PC Magazine, March 13, 1990.
    "Dauphin 1000-FX Is One of First 486SX Laptops," InfoWorld, June 10, 1991.
    "Dauphin touts hand-held pen tablet as desktop substitute," InfoWorld, January 25, 1993.
    "State of the Slate: Pen-based Computers," PC Magazine, March 30, 1993.
    "Area computer firm wins defense contract," Chicago Tribune, February 8, 1992.
    "Dauphin's Modular DTR-1: Portable, But No Desktop PC," PC Magazine, September 28, 1993.
    "Portable Pleasures," Computerworld, October 25, 1993.
    "PDA market stays shaky but active," Computerworld, August 22, 1994.
    DTR-2 photos: www.spic.net/mi...
    "For Pen PC Mogul, a Sword Would Have Been Mightier," PC Magazine, June 27, 1995.
    "Dauphin Technologies files for bankruptcy; IBM the main debtor," Chicago Tribune, January 4, 1995.
    "Palmtop sales slow, forcing firm's hand in Chapter 11 filing," Chicago Tribune, January 5, 1995.
    "Dauphin out of Chapter 11," Chicago Tribune, July 30, 1996.
    "Dauphin Technology acquires R.M. Schultz," Daily Herald, February 12, 1997.
    "Marketing Orasis," Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1999.
    "Hefty handhelds on tap at Comdex," InfoWorld, November 17, 1997.
    Dauphin Orasis photo: / behold_my_very_rare_da...
    GeoVax merges with Dauphin in 2006: www.bizjournal...
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    Music by Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicso...).
    Intro music by BoxCat Games (freemusicarchi....

КОМЕНТАРІ • 244

  • @ThisDoesNotCompute
    @ThisDoesNotCompute  Рік тому +181

    While doing research for this episode, I ran across a couple of articles from 1992 that referred to the Dauphin 5000 Palmtop. It would have had a larger screen, wired stylus, and slower 25MHz 386 CPU, but better battery life and more storage than the DTR-1. However, I haven't been able to find any evidence that it actually shipped, so as far as I can tell, it never left the prototype stage.

    • @tarstarkusz
      @tarstarkusz Рік тому +19

      If you ever need AAAA batteries again, most alkaline 9v batteries are made up of 6 AAAA batteries.

    • @tylerbroad9457
      @tylerbroad9457 Рік тому +4

      @@tarstarkusz That's a really good tip.

    • @SeaJay_Oceans
      @SeaJay_Oceans Рік тому

      The Evolution of the pre- Microsoft Surface : Screen with Detachable Keyboard...

    • @minty_Joe
      @minty_Joe Рік тому +4

      @@tarstarkusz Another handy tip: When the 9v alkaline runs dead, tear it apart and salvage the + and - terminal assembly. They make for great 9 volt battery connectors to use in projects or wherever you need that kind of connector.

    • @minty_Joe
      @minty_Joe Рік тому +1

      Colin, are you thinking about seeing if you could do a CF to IDE hard drive replacement at some point? Maybe find also a PS/2 keyboard with a straight connector and pass-through to connect a PS/2 mouse. Otherwise, you'll be tying up the serial port with a serial mouse.

  • @thegarmac
    @thegarmac Рік тому +15

    Holy cow, a 1.3" hard drive, Ethernet, active stylus, in 1992, this device was way ahead of it's time...

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому +2

      Looks to be a good example of "almost" being there, but being so far away.
      If it had a docking station it would have been pretty useable. Even for the time this looks like a hassle to use. Which is probably why it's in good shape, it wasn't carried around everywhere.

  • @thedopplereffect00
    @thedopplereffect00 Рік тому +3

    Built in VGA, Ethernet and modem in 1992? That was way ahead of it's time.

  • @sluxi
    @sluxi Рік тому +23

    This is really futuristic for the time. Interesting that the overall concept is nowadays replicated by modern tablets with attachable keyboard pretty much identically and additionally it also has the dual-use mobile/desktop concept that has not yet really caught on but may eventually (I am writing this on a Steam Deck in desktop mode, connected to a couple of monitors, a keyboard and a trackball)

  • @lactobacillusprime
    @lactobacillusprime Рік тому +28

    Again you found a completely absurd and interesting device - great video! Thoroughly enjoyed watching your overview of this advanced tech from yesteryear!

  • @mattelder1971
    @mattelder1971 Рік тому +6

    I remember seeing one of these (or something very similar) in Japan when I was in the Navy in the early 1990s. Always thought it was cool as it was the first touch screen device I'd ever seen.

  • @fragglet
    @fragglet Рік тому +13

    By the way - if you ever have trouble finding AAAA batteries, cut open one of those square shaped 9V batteries and you'll likely find six of them inside

    • @oldguy9051
      @oldguy9051 Рік тому +5

      Yes, that is one type of 9V battery construction. The other type use six small rectangular cells.
      If you have the right one with six AAAAs inside: Check the polarity of the contacts of the cell!
      I once had one where it was "reversed" as in: "the little knob end was the negative and the flat end was the positive"

  • @westpointfever905
    @westpointfever905 Рік тому +52

    The glue around the ribbon cables was not a factory option. My guess is that whomever was in there before you messed something up.
    ALSO, remove the cmos battery asap! They leak even worse than the old Varta barrel batteries. Lastly, if you have a chance, replace all of the small electrolytic caps in the screen itself. I used ceramics, and they work great!

  • @s3vR3x
    @s3vR3x Рік тому +2

    yes!!! you covered the hard drive! no one ever talks about it

  • @bryans8656
    @bryans8656 Рік тому

    As always, I enjoyed this blast from the past. Thanks!

  • @lachlanlau
    @lachlanlau Рік тому +2

    3:26 Yes, they make up 9 volt batteries. also a lenovo tablet i used to have used one for it's stylus too.

  • @SuperNicktendo
    @SuperNicktendo Рік тому

    Love these quirky things. They deserve documentation

  • @JH-no8sy
    @JH-no8sy Рік тому

    This is super cool! It is interesting to see what hasn't really changed in all this time.

  • @Unan1mouz
    @Unan1mouz Рік тому

    Such a cool device that I didn't even know existed. Thanks for making a video about it!

  • @shawnstillman736
    @shawnstillman736 Рік тому

    Cool i think only you and LGR have featured one of these. Really neat seeing a tablet from 92!

  • @guymontag5
    @guymontag5 Рік тому +2

    Quad A batteries are also used in Surface Pro 3 and above styli, at least the ones that aren't the flat ones they provide now :)

  • @joeyscleaninglady2877
    @joeyscleaninglady2877 Рік тому +2

    Nice video, I had a Dtr-2 back in the day it had a 50mhz chip... Would have been cool to show it connected up as a desktop to a monitor keyboard and mouse.

  • @Lp-ze1tg
    @Lp-ze1tg Рік тому

    Years ago, I came across a British designed "portable computer" but it was more of a pda.
    Checked the manual and found that it was manufactured in the late 80s.
    It had a keyboard for typing and a notepad for recording texts.
    It also had an area at the back of the device for placing a phone. That was the magic of the device (it can transmit a fax signal to a remote fax machine).

  • @tarajoe07
    @tarajoe07 Рік тому +1

    Built in Ethernet in 1992. WOW!

  • @ivegyattocomment
    @ivegyattocomment Рік тому

    they all look so cooool

  • @negirno
    @negirno Рік тому

    That tiny hard drive is sooo cute!!!

  • @POVwithRC
    @POVwithRC Рік тому

    Came for the Dauphin. Stayed for the component metahistory.

  • @gumbyx84
    @gumbyx84 Рік тому

    I'm amazed a device like this was available in the early 90s.

    • @PhillyMJS
      @PhillyMJS Рік тому

      The OS this thing ran was just something Microsoft crapped out solely to prevent a superior product from getting a foothold in the market, because Gates deemed it a threat to Windows. Look up GO Corporation and PenPoint OS. The CEO, Jerry Kaplan (whose name briefly appeared in this video) wrote a book about the experience of starting up the company, and a former Microsoftie named Marlin Eller wrote a book that has a chapter that corroborates Microsoft’s anticompetitive actions. I wish someone would find a working example of one of those GO devices, but they seem to be extremely rare.

  • @AthenaNova1
    @AthenaNova1 Рік тому

    I bought a couple Dauphin keyboards new in a box from a seller at a Hamfest back in the late 90s. He had a ton of NOS ones for some reason.

  • @damian9303
    @damian9303 Рік тому +1

    Cool video, you should try WinPad on the 486 tablet!

  • @8BitNaptime
    @8BitNaptime Рік тому +1

    That packaging is genius.

  • @Cardmaster12
    @Cardmaster12 Рік тому

    fun fact, AAAAs are basically standard for active pens to this day

  • @billsmini10
    @billsmini10 Рік тому +2

    One important thing that seems to be lacking is a method to calibrate the stylus to the touch screen. Like the later Palm devices have, where you aim the stylus at a target to calibrate the screen.

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому

      It may not be an issue though, since windows navigation was fine.
      Palm devices had passive stylus' so it required initialization to sync with the screen.
      Maybe this had an "initialization after power loss" sequence we didn't see, but I didn't see calibration to be off. Especially since accuracy was mentioned in articles, back when precision wasn't even expected.

  • @kylejones150
    @kylejones150 Рік тому +2

    The pen for my Surface Pro 6 uses a "AAAA" battery. I had to go to a local Auto Zone to buy new ones lol.

  • @JimmYJammA2099
    @JimmYJammA2099 Рік тому +3

    If I had "This Does Not Compute" kind of money I would definitely want on of these in my collection!

  • @prozacgodretro
    @prozacgodretro Рік тому +1

    PS if you need AAAA batteries in a pinch, many brands of 9v batteries can be desconstructed into 6 AAAA batteries.

  • @ps3customgamer
    @ps3customgamer Рік тому +1

    The 180c required to melt plastic sounds like a faulty component to me. I’d consider getting it under a thermal camera and replacing components

  • @polaris911
    @polaris911 Рік тому

    sweet cyber deck bro

  • @HouseOfFunQM
    @HouseOfFunQM Рік тому

    I actually had one of these for work - my company back then was weird, and would buy us any weird shit technology we told them would "help" us work faster.
    It was amazing, I promise. Everyone wanted one, when I stopped using paper notepads. Maybe I was just ahead of my time haha!

  • @dereketnyre7156
    @dereketnyre7156 Рік тому

    I had a pen based computer back in the day. Was IBM branded and obtained for a liquidation ad in Computer Shopper……

  • @error4159
    @error4159 Рік тому

    I wanted one of these as a kid after seeing it in PC Magazine but I don't remember it looking so chunky and cheap, lol

  • @rager1969
    @rager1969 Рік тому

    I'm surprised that IBM didn't sell them their version of the 486 chip.

  • @sedrosken831
    @sedrosken831 Рік тому

    Interesting little CPU there, shame it's not really much faster than a 386SX, which that's a pin-compatible replacement for -- the Cyrix 486SLC has 2K of L1 cache, but still has the 16-bit external data bus and 24-bit address bus of the 386SX.
    I wonder how difficult it'd be to adapt a SD adapter to fit in the space of that KittyHawk drive? Not that you need it, particularly, but those drives are prone to failure, I've heard.

    • @Fasterpast
      @Fasterpast 7 місяців тому

      You can replace it with 50MHz by the way ) And yes you can put SD with adapter without any problems

  • @LucaMolteni84
    @LucaMolteni84 Рік тому +4

    Ethernet in 1992 is crazy

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому +4

      Being integrated is pretty rare, but 10baseT networking was very common, it was pretty much mandatory in large offices to access file shares through the likes of Novell and whatnot...

    • @CommodoreFan64
      @CommodoreFan64 Рік тому +1

      ​@@volvo09 Indeed, and by the late 90's it was 100 baseT networking, as I took 3 years of Computer Network Technologies classes in high school and in 98 when my school system built us new class rooms, and labs, part of our assignment was learning to run Cat 5 cable, and setting up 100baseT networking throughout the building, and making sure all the Novell networking on the Gateway, and Dell PC's we had worked.

    • @LucaMolteni84
      @LucaMolteni84 Рік тому

      @@volvo09 I remember BNC connectors rather then RJ45

    • @Fasterpast
      @Fasterpast 7 місяців тому

      Also Ethernet card is an option and it's very rare...

  • @Kumimono
    @Kumimono Рік тому

    I was thinking, cool wavy design on that PSU... Oh no... Some kind of, fold-out stand for the main unit seems like an obvious thing to include.

  • @camjkerman
    @camjkerman Рік тому

    A tablet, with a PC processor, detachable keyboard, and an active pen that requires a AAAA?
    What is this, a Surface?!

  • @oleo007
    @oleo007 Рік тому

    Absolutely great video,but never be a desktop replacement.

    • @CommodoreFan64
      @CommodoreFan64 Рік тому

      For many people these days that's exactly what Laptops, Tablets, & Smartphones have become with how versatile, powerful, and affordable they have become. So I say never say never.

  • @jordanxp
    @jordanxp Рік тому

    Some friend showed me one of those twenty years ago... I took it apart and some of the parts pop around the house (: Shoud have kept it in one piece...

  • @Fasterpast
    @Fasterpast 7 місяців тому

    It was "desktop replacement" something like NUCs with a screen which you can use on the road if necessary ) So it wasn't very good as laptop and for a desktop replacement - too innovative for the time ) By the way, the port for a floppy also contains IDE pins and even the power, so there were plans to supply external HHDs

  • @kaylaroylance
    @kaylaroylance Рік тому

    I used to own one of these.

  • @kiseli1000
    @kiseli1000 Рік тому

    Thrre is one complete in good condition for sell on local web marketplace for 100€. Thinking to get it for my collection.

  • @Fiku_
    @Fiku_ Рік тому

    its like the surface pro of the 90s

  • @NealClewlow
    @NealClewlow Рік тому

    That looks suspiciously like the stylus I had with my TC1000...I'm guessing it uses the same (Wacom?) digitiser...?

  • @kozmokohler
    @kozmokohler Рік тому

    LOL So I guess you didn't have a PDA in the early 2000s when they were becoming all the rage? I firmly believe that taught me good penmanship trying to write notes and emails on Windows CE to be sent when I docked it back to my desktop. -- you know before mobile internet was affordable.

  • @prozacgodretro
    @prozacgodretro Рік тому

    I totally had one of those dauphin keyboard, and never knew it's "pedigree" sadly it was probably lost decades ago.

  • @TheMrawesomest
    @TheMrawesomest Рік тому

    It is even frustrating to watch someone else trying to input text using handwriting recognition. I find it puzzling why companies kept pushing that tech instead of just using an on screen keyboard.

  • @keyboard_g
    @keyboard_g Рік тому

    Didn’t play Doom on it even once?

  • @DatBlueHusky
    @DatBlueHusky Рік тому +1

    Please remove that battery asap! they like to explode and kill the board, i have 3 boards here that are dead from that dumb battery. My unit i have is good but the battery destroyed the previous mobo and the backlight driver, so i used one from another laptop to make it work. I also am missing the pen for it so I still need to find one or one that works with it. Also I have a rare image of the drive from a test unit with test software on it, just gotta upload it.

  • @robsquared2
    @robsquared2 Рік тому +2

    They should have licensed graffiti (if it existed at that time?).

    • @RC-om9nh
      @RC-om9nh Рік тому +3

      Not in the 80s! First Palm device was... 96?

  • @BastetFurry
    @BastetFurry Рік тому

    That's the problem when you are among the first, the tech wasn't there yet and consumers, even enthusiasts, had no need for it.

  • @basicforge
    @basicforge Рік тому

    I had one of these. A really impressive machine technically, but too small, not good battery life, and Pen for Windows didn't really work well enough for me. The included keyboard was really awful. The teeny weenie 40MB HP Kittyhawk hard drive was amazing!

  • @youdontknowme5969
    @youdontknowme5969 Рік тому

    😲 it actually had an ethernet port!?!?

  • @give_me_my_nick_back
    @give_me_my_nick_back Рік тому +2

    Well smaller keyboard might not be perfect but the worst thing is a ridiculously big keyboard, you keep on pressing wrong keys all the time when it's much wider than it should be in 14-15" chromebooks

  • @an2qzavok
    @an2qzavok Рік тому

    bring back chonky tablets I say

  • @thaddeusmcgrath
    @thaddeusmcgrath Рік тому

    All things considered, the technology was impressive but CAN IT RUN DOOM?

  • @wojiaobill
    @wojiaobill Рік тому

    Pencel : a pen that is involuntarily celibate

  • @UltimatePerfection
    @UltimatePerfection Рік тому

    It's not a touch screen if it's not possible to touch it and instead you need a pen.

  • @theone3776
    @theone3776 Рік тому

    7:30 that's what I said to my girlfriend lol

  • @gordoncampbell7858
    @gordoncampbell7858 Рік тому

    looks like you dont have the steadiest of hands lol

  • @markb4071
    @markb4071 Рік тому

    I had a batch of Compaq Concerto 486's that had Pens, they were lovely to use, from what i recall
    temperamental keyboard hinges
    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compaq_Concerto

  • @Mexmex1975
    @Mexmex1975 Рік тому

    Stylus not calibrated!

  • @beepyshenanigans
    @beepyshenanigans Рік тому

    ealy

  • @johnbillings5260
    @johnbillings5260 Рік тому

    I think being a leftie made your writing experience worse. I've seen how hard it is for left handers to write on paper so I bet it's horrible with false touches, etc on LCDs.

  • @give_me_my_nick_back
    @give_me_my_nick_back Рік тому

    They should have made an on screen keyboard, did anyone actually ever use handwriting recognition for real? I only regarded it as a pointless gimmick and always used on screen keyboard, it's 10 times quicker anyway when each letter is just a quick tap of stylus rather than multiple strokes

    • @Fasterpast
      @Fasterpast 7 місяців тому

      There is a screen keyboard... Even on DOS as I remember

  • @sir.fender6034
    @sir.fender6034 Рік тому +72

    I really appreciate how you don’t crap on these failed tech products and companies. Instead, you commend them for the important milestones they achieved within computer evolution.

    • @IvorySoul696
      @IvorySoul696 Рік тому +9

      Without all the failures we wouldn't have the successes we do today. Someone had to try and experiment and fail.

  • @philipjacobs394
    @philipjacobs394 Рік тому +15

    Wow, I thought I was the only person who ever saw one of those. I purchased one at a computer show, and used it as my travel unit for three years. That stylus was a good idea with some real production issues. The touchscreen feature only worked with the stylus, and that note to text software was bad to say the least. My keyboard died at the connector to the unit, so a substitute unit joined things after nine months.
    I finally gave up on the unit when the hard drive faulted out with a head crash. The power supply heat issue was solved in the same way you did.

  • @libertyernie
    @libertyernie Рік тому +54

    AAAA batteries are used by active styluses to this day (I've got one for my Yoga notebook I bought last year). Interesting how that part of the technology really hasn't changed much in my lifetime.

    • @oldguy9051
      @oldguy9051 Рік тому +5

      I has to use AAAA batteries in the pen of my 2014 Sony convertible. It uses technology by Ntrig, a company later bought by Microsoft for their Surface products.
      The longevity was good (about a year when in pen) but the availability was poor where I live. Always had to get them by mailorder -- and always in packages of two which means one would dwell in a drawer for at least a year. Generally not a problem but I never had another device which uses them.
      Today we have at least two alternatives available: Wacom tech uses passive styluses and other active pens like those from Microsoft & Apple use rechargeable batteries or supercaps in their pens.

    • @kbhasi
      @kbhasi Рік тому +1

      Yep! If I recall correctly, pens for digitisers using MPP or Wacom AES have to have batteries.

    • @oldguy9051
      @oldguy9051 Рік тому +2

      @@kbhasi Yes, there are some Wacom products that are "active" but use "passive" tech (no batteries) in most of their product lines that are aimed mostly at artists all use passive pen tech.
      Samsung smartphones AFAIK also use the passive Wacom tech for their S Pens which means you can always draw/point with them. However, their newer pens have bluetooth connection for additional functionality that need more power. They use supercaps ("capacitors with a very high capacitance") like rechargeable batteries for this.
      Older Microsoft Surface pens have two(!) kinds of batteries in them: the AAAA ones for basic pen use and tiny button cells for additional bluetooth functionality (essentially, only a single button to get a menu or an app on screen). Changing them was a hassle.
      Microsoft has refined this and their "Slim Pens" use rechargeable Li-Ion batteries that can be quickly recharged in their "Signature" keyboard cover for the Pro 8 and Pro 9 tablets or under the keyboard (Surface Studio Laptop).

    • @dustojnikhummer
      @dustojnikhummer Рік тому

      Yep, my ThinkPad Yogas active pen uses a AAAA battery. Microsoft Surface lens also use a AAAA

    • @Ozymandias1
      @Ozymandias1 Рік тому +1

      The original Apple Pencil has a clumsy charging way, you have to put its rear end into your iPad’s Lightning connector and hope you don’t demolish one or both by bumping into it.

  • @davidlylejones
    @davidlylejones Рік тому +18

    Looks like the replacement stylus is very similar to the one used for the HP TC1100. The TC1100 was one of my favorite computers ever. Got me through much of college.

    • @RaduTek
      @RaduTek Рік тому +5

      I suspect it's the stylus for the (HP) Compaq TC1000, the predecesor of the TC1100. I've got both tablets, but only my TC1100 works. The TC1000 pen takes a AAAA battery, while the TC1100 has a Wacom digitizer, whose pen is powered inductively by the tablet, requiring no battery.

    • @davidlylejones
      @davidlylejones Рік тому +2

      @@RaduTek Right. I never used the TC1000 so I wasn’t certain about it. The 1100 also had an eraser than than lanyard attachment at the back end, right? Or am I misremembering?

    • @RaduTek
      @RaduTek Рік тому +2

      @@davidlylejones No, both pens have a lanyard hook instead of an eraser.

  • @nep-nep6575
    @nep-nep6575 Рік тому +7

    An interesting thing about that processor as well is that it’s one of whose weird 386/486 hybrid chips. It has some 486 instructions (from my knowledge, not enough to be seen as a true 486) but uses the 386sx pinout.

    • @oldtwinsna8347
      @oldtwinsna8347 Рік тому +3

      these were common clip-on cpu upgrades marketed by Kingston and the like. While it wasn't as fast as a real 486, it gave a tremendous amount of computational speed over the stock 386.

    • @AaronOfMpls
      @AaronOfMpls Рік тому +2

      Cyrix did that again later with their 5x86, a 486/Pentium hybrid for 486 sockets. (Their actual Pentium I clone was the 6x86.)

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому

      I've always heard of those slc's as "half 486's"
      I don't have one in my collection to compare, and never owned one.

    • @nep-nep6575
      @nep-nep6575 Рік тому +1

      @@volvo09 from my experience with the Cyrix 486DLC, another hybrid 486, they are faster than a standard 386DX, and have SOME 486 instructions, but it’s not enough to run 486-only applications.

  • @s3vR3x
    @s3vR3x Рік тому +6

    I own the very very rare follow up to this product. its a pentium 233 version with a color screen called the Dauphin Orasis. they only sold a few hundred before Dauphin went bankrupt. Sadly it doesnt work.

    • @s3vR3x
      @s3vR3x Рік тому +1

      holt shit! you covered the orasis!!!! NO ONE knows about it. Im happy to lend it to you for a video. It doesnt work and its in VERY rough shape though.

    • @s3vR3x
      @s3vR3x Рік тому +2

      HA! That's my picture you used! that's my office I took that pic in with my orange rug! bahahaha

    • @ninjamaster3453
      @ninjamaster3453 Рік тому +1

      @@s3vR3x Make it happen! Never heard of this one either.

    • @s3vR3x
      @s3vR3x Рік тому

      anything you can do to get this unit working would be very helpful

    • @s3vR3x
      @s3vR3x Рік тому

      @@GRudolf94 tried sending you my contact info to get in touch but youtube deletes it. can i contact you on facebook? i found you on there. I'd love to buy that board off you and restore this machine

  • @OCDRex11
    @OCDRex11 Рік тому +4

    I just love your channel, I really do. My inner Geek just eats up these videos about the tech I grew up with and around. Yes, I never had anything quite like this but I shared many of the same products you review. The worst part is that I am constantly scanning eBay for things I shouldn't be buying. But, a lot of the tech is now non-functional and they become idle 80's/90's plastic homages to my past. My inner Geek is provided with a lot of happiness coming through when I get to remember how it all worked back then. Hats off to this channel as always.

  • @TCBOT
    @TCBOT Рік тому +2

    looks like 7.2v nicad rc car battery new nimh ones can be had cheap

  • @anon_y_mousse
    @anon_y_mousse Рік тому +2

    I really miss those days when just about everything had a weird form factor, now it's just niche products like GPD.

  • @wvbassassassin
    @wvbassassassin Рік тому +5

    Another great history lesson!

  • @ClassicGameSessions
    @ClassicGameSessions Рік тому +16

    Wow I would have been all over a compact 486 like this from that time - this is very cool!

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому +3

      I would have freaked out over this just because of the size, but then quickly been disappointed.

  • @Sega1F
    @Sega1F Рік тому +3

    That packaging is sweet looking! It gives off old IBM binder vibes.

    • @daemonspudguy
      @daemonspudguy 5 місяців тому

      That's likely no coincidence because Dauphin contracted IBM to do the manufacturing.

  • @markhuebbe
    @markhuebbe Рік тому +6

    I am always amazed at the stuff you get from Free Geek! 👍

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому +2

      Wish I had a place like that around. I'd visit regularly looking for neat old stuff.

    • @coreybabcock2023
      @coreybabcock2023 Рік тому

      ​@@volvo09 me too

    • @krad2520
      @krad2520 Рік тому +3

      @@volvo09 Have one where I live. Can't speak for all locations but unless you're connected (or a UA-camr with a large following) you're not getting anything cool. The cool stuff doesn't even hit the (virtual, in our case, still not open since 2020) store floor.

    • @volvo09
      @volvo09 Рік тому

      @@krad2520 I sort of figured that... Between searching for valuable items, and reserving cool stuff for friends or resale I wouldn't expect a ton of cool stuff, desirable stuff, to be available.
      But I'm sure "average" stuff is around? Right? Like if I wanted a 486 or an early pentium system, or to look through some average CRT monitors is that stuff around?
      Also, that's pretty lame that they STILL are virtual only... Wow.

    • @krad2520
      @krad2520 Рік тому +1

      @@volvo09 At my location unfortunately no. All of those things you listed would not be made available. What *is* available however are countless Dell Optiplex systems from the early-to-mid 2010s, as well as laptops from that era.
      The only place that actually makes vintage systems available for public purchase is an electronics recycling center ~150 miles away (RE-PC in Seattle, WA) that isn't affiliated with Free Geek.
      Like I said though, it could just be my location. YMMV.

  • @roystonlodge
    @roystonlodge Рік тому +1

    I once bought a used Fujitsu Pentium tablet at a garage sale with the intention of installing a lightweight Linux and using it for my D&D character sheets. Sadly, I couldn't find Linux drivers for the touchscreen.

  • @nrabbit300
    @nrabbit300 Рік тому +1

    hahaha bloody amazing :D Back around 2003 I think, I inherited an HP Compaq TC1100 tablet from my ebay e-waste seller boss (I handled the shipping while we sat around watching stupid internet videos, smoking weed or feeding out fat asses, I loved the job!) I loved it! it was SO fun playing Warcraft 2 on a tablet, even if it were dated,. there were not many tablets around then, so it still felt sweet XD Only thing that kinda ruined the deal was the passive matrix LCD that made almost any game look like a smeary mess D: .
    I managed though, and plus with a PCMCIA lan card I was able to get it online in limited ways for file transfers etc as I had no sort of dock or anything..
    Old tablets are such a cool look back into what hardware makers envisioned the future to be / look like, and I love it!
    Srsly made me feel even more the cool dude than Joystick Johnny.. even though he kicked my ass at space cadet :|

  • @FredWallace18
    @FredWallace18 Рік тому +1

    Came here to say AAAA cells are used in series in 9V batteries, but apparently that's not quite truen(9V batteries use LR61 cells, which are shorter).

  • @davidmartineziii7343
    @davidmartineziii7343 Рік тому +1

    Ahh... I remember when I was an undergrad I picked out a Fujitsu Pentop out of my boss's junk box and messed with it. It was quite capable at the time and it boasted a 486 DX4 100Mhz processor and 8 megs of ram. It was bulky and I had to carry around a full sized keyboard with me to use it on the go, BUT it was very very useful since it could almost run all of the productivity tasks that my Pentium 3 desktop did at home. As a broke college kid, I couldn't afford a laptop, but the Point 510 was so interesting at the time that it always turned heads. The nice thing about the stylus was that it was completely passive, so if I didn't want to use it, I could use the cap of a ball point pen to navigate the windows 95 operating system. Complete with a port replicator for basically anything, I even remember doing some basic midi sequencing and music composition on it for class. I did try gaming on it but the LCD screen was a ghosting nightmare. It also had 2 PCMCIA slots in the top, one of which was populated with a nic / modem card.

  • @varunemani
    @varunemani Рік тому +1

    Steve Jobs and Apple sometime in the late 90's - 'We are watching Dauphin, we are learning, we will adapt!'

  • @DeLorean58
    @DeLorean58 Рік тому +1

    I have a Dell Inspiron 7573, and it's a few years old, and it has a pen, and it too uses a AAAA battery.

  • @vinylcabasse
    @vinylcabasse Рік тому +1

    i'd love to see someone do a video on twinhead laptops. my pop was a software consultant starting in the mid 90s and his first work laptop was some twinhead model that was i believe a 486, or an early pentium. later he had another twinhead that was a pentium 233 iirc.

  • @Markimark151
    @Markimark151 Рік тому +1

    I barely even know about Dauphin, but I heard they worked with Fujifilm on touchscreen tech for businesses and eventually biotechnology which now Fujifilm is mostly focused on chemical engineering!

  • @cheesetoast99
    @cheesetoast99 Рік тому +1

    Please play Doom on this

  • @AmstradExin
    @AmstradExin Рік тому +1

    A pen computer without trying out something like Picture Piblisher? How boring...

  • @MrDeelightful
    @MrDeelightful Рік тому +10

    Wow! I was really impressed by the integrated I/O under that sleeve. That's a pretty smart design for the time.

  • @joes9954
    @joes9954 Рік тому +1

    Would like to have seen it hooked up to a monitor keyboard and mouse.

  • @ZeroHourProductions407
    @ZeroHourProductions407 Рік тому +1

    Steve jobs: "Think different."
    Dauphin: "Hold my 90 proof beer."

  • @PeterBakNielsen
    @PeterBakNielsen Рік тому +1

    Hey i have one of those somewhere in my stash. But my has an external floppy drive though

  • @coreybabcock2023
    @coreybabcock2023 Рік тому +1

    Didn't lgr do a video too ? And that let's talk about that batteries plus logo ! Wow I remember that style they did

    • @mxnjones
      @mxnjones Рік тому

      Yeah, he did…a bit ago, though. That’s where I first learned of this little oddity.

  • @scottschiller
    @scottschiller 3 місяці тому

    I found one of these keyboards at a surplus hardware place in the late 90s. As noted, the layout is crunched in terms of scale and the feel of the keys is sub-par - but it was convenient for a hacked-together computer in my basement at the time!

  • @screamengine
    @screamengine Рік тому +1

    Atari did it all back in the 80's. STPad, STBook, STacy, Portfolio. The only thing missing of what we use today is an STPhone but I'm sure they had engineering sketches of something similar.

  • @Aeduo
    @Aeduo Рік тому +1

    Tantalums don't leak but they do explode! But probably not these. I think it's more of an 80s era thing.