One of the world’s first personal computers is up for sale (Kenbak-1)

Engadget ^ | 11/07/2015 | Richard Lawler

[Olog-hai]

http://www.engadget.com/2015/11/07/kenbak-1-auction/

[Inyo-Mono]

Don’t recall who made it, but remember using a computer at work in the late 1980s, early ‘90s that used a cassette tape as a hard drive.

[Organic Panic]

I was born in to the age of plywood computers. My pops built kit computers. I learned to program each of them.

Not that I care. I don’t care about any of them. He probably has a 1st edition Mac in his garage. But I have other things to worry about.

I do know I have a couple ZX81 for any freepers that would be interested in buying them.

[Rebelbase]

The Timex Sinclar 1000 with a whopping 1KB of RAM came out in the early 80's and used a cassette tape for data storage.

[Daffynition]

What's the S&H on this puppy?

[Duchess47]

In the late 60’s I worked for Siliconix. We had a computer that we used punch cards and paper tapes in. Size of a large refridgerator. Seems 100 years ago.

[Secret Agent Man]

I had one of these.

[Autonomous User]

So,,,in the nerd world is this the equivalent of finding the original 1968 mustang from bullitt?

[Mastador1]

Commodore made computers that used cassette storage, until they made the Amiga..............then they were gone.

[Jet Jaguar]

Kaypro used floppies.

And had a 312 modem built in.

It was a suitcase.

[JoeProBono]

[Dalberg-Acton]

I had a Tandy Color Computer that used a cassette, but also took ROM cartridges.

[Mastador1]

I believe those were portable computers ; )

[Mastador1]

I have to think back but yeah the TRS-80? and a lot of the other early systems used the cheap, available and convenient cassette tape recorder for storage, a real bitch if it ate the tape you just spent hours inputting code to.

[headstamp 2]

It even has a steering wheel.

[Jet Jaguar]

Almost portable.

[laplata]

What’s the S&H on this puppy?

---

With it’s steering wheel, it drives itself. LOL

[PAR35]

Commodore wasn’t much later. It had an optional tape drive.

[CARTOUCHE]

Yep, I had a TRS-80 that I bought for my office back in 1984. The business collapsed for lack of clients. The TRS-80 was sold off to someone not long after. Floppys, how quaint.