This looks like a vintage Hitachi boombox, right? Look closer; the cassette door and VU meters are actually displayed on a vertically mounted LCD. Inside lurks a Fujitsu Stylistic Color Tablet PC running Windows 98 (the final version will be Linux/Windows dual-boot). This little beastie even integrates a webcam and WiFi (802.11b). The keyboard and port connectors are awkwardly hidden at the bottom of the unit, but it works just fine on its back or tilted at an angle (see more pics after the jump).
Best of all, the Boombox still functions (sans cassette, of course). The audio out of the tablet PC is routed through the amp and speakers, making this a great on-the-road mp3 player.
More pictures after the jump.
Video CD, or VCD, is a more or less forgotten video format. The tech specs aren't too impressive today, displaying only a quarter of broadcast resolution (putting it somewhat lower than VHS quality) using Mpeg1 compression. Invented in '93, it never really caught on in North America, but was huge throughout Asia. Since VCD is video material on a regular CD, the media is very low cost, fast to replicate, and more reliable than VHS.
10. Sinclair ZX81:
I think this thing is insanely cool. At first glance it appears to be a traditional dime-store alarm clock, but it automatically synchronizes to the U.S. Atomic clock signal. Unfortunately, the rest of my family (and every neighbor within a two block radius) would probably throw me out onto the street the first time it went off with a deafening BRRRRIIIIINNNNNGGGG. Kinda like being awakened by a cheery fire alarm. It features fancy features like luminous hands and a snooze button.
