One of three NOS (look it up) gems we recently picked up at a surplus store in Maine. Yes, the speakerphone came into the realm of many household and even teenage budgets in the 80s, but it would be a little longer before such a modest investment would have a practical application. “You sound like you’re in a tunnel!” or “Get out of that trash can!”, are among the statements you can expect when attempting to converse on this Magnavox unit. Considering we paid $3 for it, we’re willing to take our chances.

The term “portable” is used loosely here–the Osborne I weighed over 30lbs, so it was more of a “luggable” computer. Nonetheless, this system made on-the-go computing a reality for many folks back in 1981. The 3″ CRT, keyboard, dual floppy disk drives, modem and disk holder were all neatly held in a hardshell that folded up into a handy suitcase-shaped package. Paul grabbed this one for $20 from a nice ham op in the Hartford, CT area. That price included the pile of documentation, software and shipping box. Can you imagine that this machine originally cost nearly $2000 20+ years back?

As heard on our Pocket Calculator Show, this Seiko (also known as the “Voice Note”) was produced in relatively small numbers in 1983. The sound quality was poor, but this novel concept’s day would come in the form of a Casio voice watch some 15 years later. More interestingly, Dudley from Diff’rent Strokes wore this on a few episodes. Evidently, it was the only thing Mr. Horton didn’t ask Dudley to take off.

We don’t need to tell you how surprised we were to find an original GE Superadio in this condition. It’s our judgement that the performance on this first edition Superadio is vitually the same as the later models. But a cult following for the Model I still exists. For AM and some FM dxing, these are hard to pass up. We were more than happy to exchange an Andrew Jackson for a piece of GE history.

Another find from our favorite surplus store in Maine. Only $1.99! Now you know why it’s our favorite store! We found this one under a Mead Trapper Keeper from roughly the same era. A forerunner to the bud-style headhpones, this unit took the weight off your belt as you trained for the ’84 Olympics, of which Hattori-Seiko was the official timer.

Quite a few features, but how useful are they combined? Dig the orange earpads which are still intact after all these years. The Medana Pocket-mate (TM) was actually trademarked! Hey, could have be the product of the year by our standards in 1984! (Thanks to our friend Rob in New York for picking this one up.)

There’s a new allure about Radio Shack. And it has nothing to do with Teri Hatcher. Your Pocket Calculator hosts have had the serendipitous timing to cross paths with customers clutching some neat 70s goodies in these stores. As the chain has been pushing its repair service on all brands, folks are dredging up all sorts of vintage electronics looking assistance from their neighborhood Shack. Paul spotted the one on the left in t his photo at a Radio Shack store in Maine. 6 channels, 5 watts and $200 a pair in 1975 bucks! Although they’ll continue service to service them, regrettably, this year (2001) is Radio Shack’s last year of selling CB radios.

How could a stereo micro- cassette recorder be a miss? With an FM tuner to boot? Maybe it was the Road Runner logo that took it to an early grave. The SR-11 was released in 1982 amidst the great walkman “boom” of the ’80s. (Thanks, digitalwatchgirl!)

If there’s a consistently hot digital watch on Ebay, it may as well be a scientific calculator watch. Unfortunately, this isn’t a personal brag, but there’s an Ebay seller who enjoyed a little extra spending cash at this past Christmas. He found this watch at a flea market, spent a couple bucks on a battery, and cashed in for over $400 on Ebay! It may sound like one of those auction anomalies, but time after time we’ve seen these things get big bucks. With an original retail of under $40, you may have a nice little investment on your hands. And hopefully not your wrist. Remember, the better the condition, the bigger the take!