So, do you think today's computing landscape of desktops, laptops, notebooks, smart phones, tablet computers, and netbooks - among other designations - is confusing? Imagine a computing landscape with no particular point of reference outside of mainframes and terminals. That's exactly what it was like in the world of personal computing from the mid-1970's to the start of the 1980's. The terms "laptop" and "notebook" were still several years away, with "portable" computers describing those systems you carried about like an overstuffed suitcase and ran off of AC power (like the Osborne 1 [1981], Compaq Portable [1983], or the Commodore SX-64 [1984]), a form factor many of us more accurately refer to today as "transportable" computers.

In any case, continuing along the same line of thinking started with my blog post, "Do you know what and when the first recognizable modern day personal computer with BASIC was?", or my related segment on Armchair Arcade Radio - Episode 1 (and with which I will pursue a somewhat similar theme in Episode 2), I thought I would describe how the 1979 book by noted writer Steve Ditlea, Simple Guide to Home Computers, classified the personal computing landscape of that time.

First off, in Part I, Home Computer Fundamentals, under Chapter 1, The Home Computer Revolution, it calls the Altair 8800, the "world's first home computer". In Part II, Choosing a Home Computer, and specifically Chapter 7, it starts off with "Programmable Video Games" (which is the name of the chapter). The systems he designates as programmable video games (and in the last part of the chapter refers to them as "starter units") are the "Odyssey2 Computer Video Game System", the "Bally Professional Arcade", "Cybervision 2001", and the "VideoBrain". Ditlea calls the Odyssey2 a "price breakthrough", though it's arguable to me if the North American version of the Odyssey2 ever really qualified as a computer in the traditional sense. It does in fact offer a very nice Computer Programming cartridge - which is mentioned in the book - but never any ability to save your output. If it qualifies under that scenario, then the BASIC Programming cartridge for the Atari 2600 would also make that console a computer, albeit even more primitive than what was offered on the Odyssey2. At least in the case of the Atari 2600, though, Spectravideo did eventually come through in 1983 with the CompuMate add-on, which not only added a keyboard and a reasonable BASIC, but the ability to save your data to tape.

Welcome to the fourth of the ongoing series of exclusive photos here at Armchair Arcade from my private collection, the Spectravideo SV-328 from 1983. There are two systems pictured with a variety of accessories, all described in greater detail below.

The photo's main page.
The full-size image.

Without further ado, here are some neat facts about this week's photo (feedback welcome!):

Sunrise MSX Game ReaderOne of the first USB cartridge readers called the "MSX Game Reader" from Japan, is currently available (also under the Sunrise USB-GAMEREADER name as an alternate English supplier), and essentially allows you to play real MSX cartridges on a standard Windows XP PC. The product comes with the MSXPLAYer, which does a good job with emulation. However, the latest version of the freeware blueMSX, 2.6, now supports the device as well. This is great news for those who want the MSX experience without having to maintain an MSX computer or even multiple systems for maximum compatibility (MSX 1, MSX2, Turbo-R, etc.), so the more options, the better (I only have a Sony HB-F1XD MSX2 computer myself). It's unfortunate then that the hardware is so relatively expensive, but perhaps this will inspire others to implement related technology for other classic systems as well.