Super Nintendo!

Somehow I missed having a Super Nintendo!  Growing up I had an Atari 2600 and a Coleco ADAM.  As a young adult I had a Sony Playstation.  But, never a Super Nintendo Entertainment System.  But, last summer, I rectified that situation in a North Florida thriftstore.  I finally got an SNES!  Here is my complete review:

Retro Game System Review:  Super Nintendo Entertainment System

Photo by By Muband at ja.wikipedia. Later version(s) were uploaded by PiaCarrot, Hr at ja.wikipedia. [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], from Wikimedia Commons

Retro Bling - The Timex Mercury Wrist Watch

There's nothing cooler than a vintage wristwatch in excellent condition.  I lucked out and found this late 1970s vintage Timex Mercury in New Old Stock condition on ebay.  It's a pristine, manually-wound, wristwatch and it's cool!  You can read my review here - Vintage Wristwatch Retro Review:  Timex Mercury Analog Watch

The Dark Side of the Coleco Adam

Last week we covered all the advantages of a Coleco ADAM.  It seemed like the home computer to buy for a fleeting time during the 1983/1984 school year.  But, early adopters always face challenges, our family was no exception.  Just as we experienced the joy of having a computer in our home, we faced the heartache of owning an orphan system.  Read more in my article -

Retrogaming Review:  Drawbacks to the Coleco ADAM Home Computer 

Retro Driving - Remembering the Opel GT

My first car had quite a personality.  It was a 15 year old Opel GT.  It had the sport looks of a 2/3-size Corvette.  But, it had all kinds of quirky problems that led to many youthful misadventures!  Here is a retrospective look:  Car Review:  the 1973 Opel GT

I Gotta Gameboy Again!

Do you remember the Nintendo Gameboy?  It put video gaming in your front pocket.  It had some great games like Tetris.  But, it only had a monochrome display.  How does it stack up by today's standards?  Read my review:

Retro Gaming Review:  Nintendo Gameboy Handheld Game Console System

Photo By William Warby (originally posted to Flickr as Nintendo Gameboy) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Thanks for Not Letting Me Watch the A-Team!

Sunday was Mother's Day.  We all gave thanks to our mothers for all the things they have done for us over the years.  One of the best things my Mom did for me was regulate my television viewing.  There were shows that she thought were stupid or totally inappropriate for me when I was growing up.  Now that television is ruled by stupid reality shows, singing competitions, and home decorating shows, I can fall back on all the shows that my Mom didn't let me watch!  One of the best shows that I wasn't allowed to watch was "The A-Team."

 
Of course, Mom was right.  The A-Team was a colossally dumb show.  It was about a fugitive special forces team.  Every episode featured massive gun battles where no one ever got killed.  However, the show was entertaining!  Now, the classic 80s series is an early morning staple on the Centric Network.  I harvest it regularly with my DVR and enjoy it when there's nothing else on TV!  I've got five seasons of A-Team episodes that are completely new to me!  Thanks Mom!

If you want to get the entire series on DVD, check this deal out:

Remembering my Coleco ADAM!

Everyone remembers their first computer.  Well, maybe not the kids who grew up in the era of IBM-compatible PCs?  But, if you came of age in the 80s, you remember the dawn of home computing.  I do.  I remember my first computer.  It was a slightly off-beat choice.  It was a Coleco ADAM.  It had everything a computer neophyte needed in one neat package.  You got a daisy wheel printer.  You got an integrated Word Processor.  You got a tape drive.  You got a console game system.  You got IBM-compatible SmartBASIC.  It was a smart buy!  Read more reasons to buy a Coleco ADAM in my review here -
Retro Gaming Review:  Why We Bought A Coleco ADAM

Amazingly, you can still find used books about the Coleco ADAM on Amazon. This one has programs specifically designed for the ADAM: 32 BASIC Programs for the Coleco ADAM Computer

Vintage Camera - The Kodak Retinette 1A

Kodak has left the camera business.  While there may be Kodak cameras in the future, they won't be made or marketed by the company that created popular photography.  It makes the vintage Kodak Camera that I bought off of ebay for $5 all the more special.  It's a Kodak Retinette 1A made between 1959 and 1961.  Since it is a manual camera, it was challenging to learn at first.  But, taking pictures with a vintage camera is worth the effort!  Here is my review -  Vintage Camera Review:  Kodak Retinette 1A 35mm Film Camera

If you'd like to see a pictures from my old Kodak, check out this gnome:

Welcome to Retro Rover

Welcome to my new blog - Retro Rover!  This blog will cover all kinds of retro gadgets, gear, games, and other fun stuff.  When I was a teen in the 80s, being vintage or retro was the furthest thing from my mind.  But, lately, I find myself retreating into the world of retro.  If I find it roving around at flea markets, garage sales, thrift stores, or surfing ebay, I might just post it here for the world to see.  Have fun!