Top 10 Retro Tech Products

August 18, 2011, By Phil Dotree 0 comments

In technology, "retro" has become something of a challenge. Name any cool tech gadget and you'll find a whole team of geeks working to make it look like something classic. Here's a look at 10 very awesome retro tech products.

1. Dot matrix LED watch ($100). LED watches used to be cool, and if you can find the right one, they still are. This German watch provides classic looks without taking shortcuts. It's well worth the $100 asking price for the type of guy this accessory really speaks to.
2. SmartParts SP800 digital picture frame ($160). You've seen digital picture frames, but the exceptional value of the SP800 and its video-playing abilities set it apart from the pack. Load it with a few family movies and get ready to feel like you're living in the future.
3. LP record coasters ($20). The only thing high-tech about these is their manufacturing process. Old LPs are cut down and their labels are used as awesome coasters. Perfect for keeping any guy's den looking cool, right down to the small details.
4. Combo console ($70). If you've got kids, they're probably growing up on a steady diet of violent, attention-sapping video games. Be a cool dad and hook them up with this classic console, which plays SNES, NES and Sega Genesis classic games, which you can find online. The console costs far less than modern systems, and it's an especially great choice for younger kids (and younger dads).
5. Retro phone handset ($30). Modern cell phones just don't have the weight and feel of their corded predecessors. This retro phone handset feels much better on your ear and neck than one of those new, dinky little smart phones, and it connects via a 2.5 mm jack. It also has one of those long, springy cords that you can twirl with your finger when you're bored of hearing your sister talk about her relationship problems.
6. Crosley Stack-O-Matic entertainment center ($200). You've probably seen retro CD players before, but they usually take on a '50s plastic image that looks horrendous in any guy's living room. The Stack-O-Matic has a cool wooden look, but doesn't sacrifice functionality for its awesome aesthetics; you'll find a built-in CD player, record player and even a cassette deck.
7. USB typewriter (about $500). If you like the look and feel of an old typewriter, but you need to use computers for your work and correspondence, how about using an old typewriter that attaches to your computer via USB? You're not getting any extra functionality from this brilliant piece of retro tech, but you are getting that addictive clicking sound that so many of us grew up with.
8. Retro computer mic ($6). A modern computer isn't complete without a microphone, and this one will actually look good sitting on your desk. It's modeled after a classic radio mic and provides tremendous quality for under $10.
9. Mix tape USB drive (about $18). Loss of intimacy is one of the worst parts of the digital age. For instance, think about mix tapes; remember how cool they were? How you had to spend hours carefully thinking them out, listening to each song as you added it to the tape, adding liner notes so that the girl who received it would know why you put so many damn Cars songs on Side A? You can't really give women mix tapes anymore, but here's the next best thing. This USB drive comes in a classic cassette tape case, which you can customize. Although an MP3 playlist may not be quite as intimate as a cassette, it also won't jam up and break her car's tape deck.
10. iPad arcade ($150). You can shut up those iPad haters who claim that the device doesn't do anything cool with this little item. This cabinet attaches to the iPad and turns it into a classic gaming machine, complete with a functioning joystick, big buttons and hundreds of awesome classic games to keep you and your kids occupied for hours.