# What's your oldest "tech toy"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 18, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494 "2010-02-18T18:05:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![MacTech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MacTech](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacTech)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/1 "2010-02-18T18:05:06Z")
Back in 1988/89, I purchased a [Radio Shack “Illuma Storm” plasma globe](http://homepage.mac.com/mactechg4/PhotoAlbum2.html), the globe is about 10" across, it still amazes me to this day that I still have it, and it works great, I mean, a 10" fragile glass ball, I would have expected it to have broken ages ago, I guess I’m so paranoid about shattering this irreplaceable device that I tend to baby it, it’s one of my oldest, longest lasting purchases, and I still use it almost every night, for a few minutes to hours, there’s just something mesmerizing about the arcing lightning bolts reaching towards my hand So, what is the oldest still functioning tech-toy in your posession ones I wish I still had… My Milton Bradley [“Big Trak”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Trak)(rear axles snapped and superglue would not glue them back on) My Milton-Bradley [“Merlin” electronic game](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merlin_%28game%29) ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/2 "2010-02-18T18:14:46Z")
A TI SR-50 that I got in 1975. I had it modified slightly to run direct from the power cord even with a dead battery and it still works fine. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/3 "2010-02-18T18:27:21Z")
“Chess Challenger II” - circa 1982. It still beats me handily. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/4 "2010-02-18T21:48:28Z")
A mini Pac-Man arcade game (about 8" tall, as opposed to, say, a keychain fob). It doesn’t really work anymore, though; the metal contacts for the batteries rusted. ☹ I think I had a ChessMasterII and I never beat it… then the electronics went a bit wonky. I finally tossed it out a few months ago. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/5 "2010-02-19T00:19:48Z")
My 1990 Game Boy still works. Over Christmas I showed my kids the joys of Tetris and Qix. Of course, it’s heavy as hell compared to their DS Lites. ---
**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/6 "2010-02-19T00:48:19Z")
I had a Merlin. It saw regular, though not excessive, active duty. My earliest though was a Pong console, like the one pictured here, second from the top: [link](http://coolrain44.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/video-game-consoles-a-visual-history/) I’m pretty sure it’s still kicking around in the basement. I suspect Merlin is lurking in the closet right next to me. ---
**Author:** ![SylverOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c0e974/32.png) [@SylverOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SylverOne)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/7 "2010-02-19T00:49:56Z")
> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#): > > My 1990 Game Boy still works. Same here… I still have Tetris, Mario Bros, a racing game and one called Mind Bender. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/8 "2010-02-19T01:13:47Z")
Casio FX-601P programmable calculator, which I think I would have bought in 1982. Still sits and gets used on my desk today. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/9 "2010-02-19T01:23:46Z")
I have sitting in my office my original [Blip](http://www.retrothing.com/2007/07/blip-the-digita.html). Works fine - got it for my B-Day in 1978. ---
**Author:** ![Rachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d07c76/32.png) [@Rachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/10 "2010-02-19T05:00:15Z")
I still have my original nintendo system, along with the pistol and R.O.B. the robot (all in working condition). Woo-hoo excite-a-bike! Oh yeah, and I have a hand me down beta max player and a couple videos for it that also still work. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/11 "2010-02-19T09:49:39Z")
I still have my [Magnavox 300](http://www.retrogamingconsoles.com/consoles/magnavox-odyssey-300/), though I haven’t played it in decades. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/12 "2010-02-19T09:50:46Z")
I’d have to say the betamax player from the early 80’s my grandpa bought. I have a B: drive in one of my computers, just for shits and giggles. A whole box of disks for it too. The oldest tech toy I actually use regularly? Hmm I’m not sure. ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/13 "2010-02-19T12:06:23Z")
I have a TI-55 calculator from 1981, the rechargeable battery is shot but I can use the AC adapter and it works fine. It’s funny using a calculator with a it’s old fashioned super bright red LED display. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/14 "2010-02-19T16:09:08Z")
My brother still has our “family” Atari 2600, which was given to him by an older cousin. It went off to two younger cousins and then came back to us about 5 years ago. He’s got it set up in his basement, and has a surprising number of games for it. ---
**Author:** ![Ms\_Boods](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5e9695/32.png) [@Ms\_Boods](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms_Boods)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/15 "2010-02-19T16:42:14Z")
Does tech have to be electronic, or even electric? If not, I have a (yarn) clock-winder from c. 1750 and a great wheel from about the same time; additionally on the textile front, my only sewing machines date from 1935 (Singer Featherweight), about 1930 (Singer hand-crank model), and 1904 (Singer treadle machine, the one I use primarily). All of them are in excellent working condition. I’ve also got a wind-up gramophone from about 1910 which is also in excellent working condition. I have my grandad’s radio from 1929, but that needs a bit of re-wiring. ---
**Author:** ![dogbutler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogbutler/32/428_2.png) [@dogbutler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dogbutler)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-oldest-tech-toy/529494/16 "2010-02-19T16:45:26Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > My brother still has our “family” Atari 2600, which was given to him by an older cousin. It went off to two younger cousins and then came back to us about 5 years ago. He’s got it set up in his basement, and has a surprising number of games for it. I still have mine, and it’s hooked up to my 32" LCD TV. Adventure rocks in HD.