HP-150 touchscreen computer with Bob Vila 1985

[@robertknight4672]

I'm watching on screen that fits in the palm of my hand.

[@Twitter_Posts]

I feel like most people wouldn’t believe you if you told them back then. Technology is amazing!

[@vampirethespiderbatgod9740]

In 50 years, technology will be sky high. & I know you're reading this after 2060.

[@yanoliveira2171]

Congratulations.

[@karl787]

craig federighi from apple said if he was giving one apple device ti take back in time, it'd be the iphone, juat to show how much power in one hand

[@Nativemetalfreak]

@@vampirethespiderbatgod9740 if youtube exist in that time

[@Scottybravo1]

I'm impressed with the fact they had a touchscreen that far back

[@3rdFloorblog]

now imagine the price tag for that setup.

[@anti_honey]

@@3rdFloorblog over $2700, or over $6700 adjusted for inflation

[@lastsonofkrypton25]

@@anti_honey A full custom build with 2 rtx 3090, with the lastest hardware.

[@CarrotConsumer]

Touch screens with a light pen go even further back.

[@beezertwelvewashingbeard8703]

They had a touch screen this year in the Buick Riviera looked similar to this computer.

[@Wignut]

Bob: "I'm not a technologically minded" Also Bob: Immediately understands how the inferred touch screen works on a technological level

[@moesif]

😂😂right

[@ralphshoop8822]

@@moesif Then he refers to the keyboard as a typewriter.

[@MrWolfSnack]

@@ralphshoop8822 NES games were called "game tapes" for a long time by people. It's just how it worked back then when you had a new technology, people understand it easier by relating it to what they already know - like a VHS tape or in this case a typewriter.

[@PatrickWagz]

This computer looks amazing. I can't wait to pick one up soon at Circuit City!!

[@anwarlucas]

The wiz

[@jdubdoubleu]

Circuitcity.com Goodluck!

[@OmeedNOuhadi]

No problem! You can pick it up at location #0645 Tuttle Mall Dublin Ohio, oh and please pick up some new clothing items from Structure as well, they have this fancy Freddy Krueger Inspired sweater that’s to die for a moss green sweater with a wide red ring that loops around the chest.

[@stoneyj1a1]

More like Radio Shack

[@johnsmith1953x]

You mean Silos. There was no Circuit City back then!

[@TechMan1900]

"On the typewriter here"

[@benefactionhindrance]

Lady: turn the machine on Bob: and start writing in this? Woah, slow down there buckaroo.

[@jayohbee1123]

“But how can this help me become a more efficient contractor?” “Well Bob, that’s a pretty tall order!” Shots fired 🤣

[@SandMan50Kal]

R u a comedian or something🤣🤣🤣?

[@Vebinz]

Yeah that made me laugh. I don't think she realized what she said.

[@jonathancyr4981]

😂

[@sean_heisler]

"And then you have your numeric keypad and that allows you to enter a lot of numbers."

[@eduardocruces3030]

please hurry up and enter a lot of number cuase in the future they will take out numeric pad from personal computers jajajaja

[@Mugris]

@@eduardocruces3030 thank god they did! This thing is useless

[@Usario321]

Well, she’s not wrong

[@fabianvelander]

@@Mugris It's very useful for people who actually work on computers, for example: 3D artists use them all the time

[@Mugris]

@@fabianvelander you can always have a separate numpad or remap the keys. I just don’t think it’s smart to rave 25% of the keyboard size dedicated to redundant keys.

[@jamesw4912]

Just think what computers look like in 2020. It will blow your mind Bob.

[@GrinFlash007]

Yeah, now they come with Corona sprayed on them.

[@jamesw4912]

@@GrinFlash007 that's funny

[@CarrotConsumer]

Bob died from diabetes in 2008.

[@jamesw4912]

@@CarrotConsumer Bob isn't dead. Someone told you some fake news. Robert Joseph vila is alive today. Believe it or not he's President Donald Trump age.

[@steakwilliams4448]

This makes me excited for the future of of computers

[@stevengallant6363]

Not excited for the future of humanity though

[@the_answeris6694]

I used to own one. There was actually a slot in the top of the monitor for a thermal printer. Mine had a 30 megabyte hard drive. It had MS-DOS 2.1. It worked pretty well.

[@krepler]

"Ingenuous! But how is this going to help me? To become an efficient streamer?" "Well Bob, that's a pretty tall order."

[@robwilliams4550]

I love it. Can't believe how much everything has changed.

[@MatsUnden]

I love their ergonomic office chairs!

[@josephgaviota]

I very much enjoyed this trip down memory lane :-)

[@PatrickWagz]

"Well Baawb, that's a pretty tall ordaah!"

[@yaosio]

Oh wow, that woman has a hell of an accent.

[@papadop]

Bahstin

[@thegmanpaints]

“Well Bwob....”

[@70h4nn35]

Where is she from?

[@PenRippyJr]

@@70h4nn35 bahstin

[@miked3723]

Revere girl, did you see her hair?

[@bubbly_bunny7960]

I love her accent, it just makes the information video more fun

[@MTyU101]

Wonderful seeing these old TOH video clips.

[@Rymac91]

Fun fact: Infrared (IR) touch screens are still used today in public spaces for self checkouts and information kiosks. They're used over other technologies because of their low cost, higher durability and ability to work with gloves or styluses.

[@70h4nn35]

They are used in the new Volvo cars as well, so you can use the infotainmentsystem while wearing gloves in the winter before the car heats up

[@demagab]

So you're telling me those kiosks at McDonalds have IR touchscreens? Sometimes they're pretty laggy and I don't know if they just are slow or if it's touch screen (so I start hitting hard until the entire thing wobbles lol). Also the QR code reader for the coupons, I can never get it to scan coupons on my phone! Maybe it's just their strategy to make you pay the full price

[@josephgaviota]

Truth in Advertising: That actually _was_ a fun fact!

[@MrWolfSnack]

@@demagab No haptic touchscreens are prone to dirt and debris and skin buildup on the frame of the screen that hinders then ability of the screen to flex properly to recognize an input. That's why they don;t respond. Also the systems run 24/7 pretty much so it can be prone to glitches.

[@OneManParade]

She seemed like a good sport.

[@3rdFloorblog]

Wow, tech has definitely come a long way...cant imagine what the next 35yrs will bring us.

[@leobrent7926]

Was I the only one who for a moment forgot that this was shot in 1984 and thought that when he asked how they can mail the letter to the flooring contractors, she would just “email” it to them? Hehe I spaced out :p

[@elonmust7470]

My dad was emailing in 84.

[@nathansharma87]

2071, watching this via mind-stream directly to my cerebral cortex.

[@palletwizard]

I’ve been looking for that disc for years!

[@Bennjammin]

If technology never advanced past this point I'd still be happy

[@jamesjannell8706]

That was a hilarious to see the old computer technology, which really wasn’t all that long ago. Hope Bob is doing well today.

[@conrat2000]

How does one person not like this video? For those of us old enough to remember, this was commonplace back in the day.

[@mr.bianchirider8126]

My Product Manager had one of these. All he did with it was read emails on it (HPDesk). I was stuck with a dumb HP terminal trying to do spreadsheets from the mainframe. At least my Product Manager used the PC to read them. The Plant Manager had the same PC and his secretary printed out the emails so he could read them.

[@jeromebullard6123]

Just imagine how good she is at cooking and cleaning.

[@jackkraken3888]

That's the quietest Dot Matrix printer I have ever seen. I almost want one now.

[@OmeedNOuhadi]

It may have been thermal like Circuit City used. Some places still use thermal but the receipts age very quickly unless taken good care of like being placed in pamphlet.

[@Muonium1]

Because it's not a dot matrix. It's an inkjet. It's an HP ThinkJet that cost $500 ($1200).

[@jackkraken3888]

@@Muonium1 Ah makes sense now. Thanks..So it was also the first inlet printer too!

[@jackkraken3888]

@@OmeedNOuhadi It turned out to be an inkjet printer. But yes thermal printers do have that issue and thermal printers are still super common for making receipts and have that nagging issue of fading after some time. That's why you should photocopy them or take a picture with your phone.

[@nibblesdotbas]

@@jackkraken3888 And as an added bonus, you get homone-disrupting BPA rubbing off from the thermal paper on your hands and absorbed directly into the body, according to BPA exposure studies.

[@RayMak]

I used to use these to play Commander Keen

[@Jonny_XD_]

lol

[@robhulson]

Sounds like a plan, Bearded One! 👍🏻

[@babybubut6487]

You're everywhere

[@andthenwhat3506]

Its amazing that the only thing that hasnt changed much is the keyboard

[@josephj6521]

Did you know within 20 years or so you’d be able to budget, select your trades, have colorful 3D graphs, all these being able to be printed in a few seconds anywhere in the World plus watch all your old episodes of TOH... all on a machine the size of your packet of cigarettes?

[@ryanroberts1104]

"All we have to do is put the operating system in..." Wait...you lost me...is that on the funny little record thing?

[@onkar8112]

Thankyou 🙏 for uploading.

[@decentkiller1236]

Imagine if someone went back in time to the year 1985 and showed them our current technology at its highest peak, how blown away would they be

[@RADIUMGLASS]

Sears had a touch screen in the men's shoe department in 1993.

[@BradThePitts]

Cool! We all know Bob liked to touch things on set!

[@pete49327]

Trying to imagine Bob with a southern accent talking to this woman.

[@Samuel-km5yf]

Wait, we didn’t get to see the part where she shows Bob how to watch old episodes of TOH on it!

[@rtec6106]

He called the keyboard “Typewriter”..

[@notcalin2043]

Ikr

[@greg9180]

Letter is dated January 15, 1984. Awesome video.

[@catalin77ursu]

So much computer power in just 256 KB of RAM!

[@warrenwhitman3005]

3/2/83 on the upper right hand of the computer screen.

[@TOHClips]

Good eye!

[@TheHappyKamper]

Her spreadsheet is January 1985

[@bob733333]

@@TheHappyKamper '84

[@squirlmy]

I'm from that area, and her accent still shocks me as a very thick Boston accent. And she's dressed like it's 1880s instead of the 1980s!

[@33R3X]

35 years later, watching this on my smartphone🤗

[@bankruptsee]

Still a better build video than the Verge

[@jonathancyr4981]

"Mmmmf! Look at the speed of the thing!" when the printer starts printing one line at the time 😂

[@gdiaz187]

What are these numbers you speak of?

[@aaronbruceladner1983]

Personal Computers Have Come a Long Way Since the 80's

[@stevengallant6363]

Technology has Our society has not.. We all have social media At our finger tips. But we are the most anti social society in history...

[@holyflame2]

*"And then you have the numeric keypad, and that lets you enter a lot of numbers"* That's a very advance technological piece of information right there.

[@InterstellarMedium]

This was the first "PC" I ever owned (second to a Sinclair ZX Spectrum). I bought the HP-150 at employee price after doing a summer job at HP Europe in Geneva as a high school student. It wasn't very quick (8-bit ext. bus 8088 CPU), but with its slick touch screen and compact size, it was an amazing piece of kit. I loved playing Sargon (Chess) on it. I remember Hertz (or Avis?) using them for many years as a self-check-in terminal too. It was a futuristic machine but having implemented one of the very first 3.5" floppy drives, it had a terrible design flaw: If you did not press the eject button hard enough, the diskette would not eject fully (pop out) but just be lifted up in its tray. Unfortunately, this is how my HP-150 "died": Someone not familiar with the computer, ended up doing exactly that and then tried to yank out the diskettes. This pulled and destroyed the fragile heads of the floppy drive. That's when I regretted not getting the hard drive unit instead of the dual floppy.

[@coolbluelights]

"So there's a little record inside there" Oh bob bob bob...

[@toreyweaver9708]

"all we gotta do is put the operating system in"

[@ScottyLo]

How things have changed.

[@eduardocruces3030]

so, all this functions in just a whole desk? awesome

[@bg147]

Oh boy, I worked on Lotus 1-2-3 back in 1985 at Zenith and it doesn't seem that long ago.

[@hunterprowsemrereviews9141]

My phone has way more computing power than this did in 1984 lol

[@woodlandgoblin2057]

Bob Villa: Woah, you mean we are going to be able to touch the screen? 80’s girl: Looks at him awkwardly, “Yeeess”

[@PhillyMotoXTS]

This person had Busta Rhymes in their contacts in 1985 @ 2:35

[@m.s.9744]

I saw "Busta" but where did you see "Rhymes"

[@PhillyMotoXTS]

​@@m.s.9744 I was being sarcastic. The rolodex is usually last names anyway.

[@39PSIOnTheDaily]

Me: Bob seems to understand a lot pretty quickly for a guy who’s not very technologically minded... Also Me: *Did he just call the keyboard a typewriter?*

[@konakzizu]

when computers where COMPUTERS

[@NishantPatel28]

Wow a touchsceeen computer in 1985 ??? Wow amazing i didn't knew 😳 😍

[@Vebinz]

Love her "New Joisey" dialect.

[@nephrodoc4120]

Before computers had the mouse..

[@keco185]

Actually the first commercially sold computer with a mouse came out a year before this. The 1984 Macintosh

[@josephgaviota]

FWIW, I still code in the text editor "vi" which also preceded the mouse. Even I, at age 27 (in the mid '80s) was shown vi when I was first learning unix, and I said "really?" ... now, after 10 hours a day for 30 years, I can't imagine anything _easier_ than vi. (Yes, I know, that's kind of OT)

[@foxmulder6674]

Just think how much that computer weighed

[@marksimonds13]

... or how much that computer cost!

[@basvandersluis5662]

9.82 kilograms and $2795. ;) Compare that to the Galaxy S20, which costs $1399 and weighs 220 grams.

[@giorgiolambo1942]

Amazing and beautiful

[@papadop]

Love the Bahstin accent.

[@benjaminfeltz]

Step 1: Insert the operating system...

[@draconaeterus2024]

The date was 03-02-1983...

[@MomMom4Cubs]

Yeah, but does it play Crysis?

[@baljinderkumarofficial]

In 19s People : this is the future high tech computer

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

Anyone know for sure where exactly her accent is from? I’m getting some Boston, but also some Queens.

[@steakwilliams4448]

I’m not interested in what city she’s from. Only coordinates, on a vertical axees and horizontal axees

[@papadop]

Bahstin. This Old House is a WGBH production.

[@MrSloika]

@@papadop It's swamp Yankee.

[@stoneyj1a1]

And today our computers are fast af, can do tons more, and we're all fatter

[@miked3723]

Honestly I still wouldn't know how to do this on a modern computer.

[@786otto]

Who knows what future may bring.

[@glbernini0]

If it wasn't for the voice I wouldn't have recognized him.

[@TheButlerNZ]

I used a touch screen and Video disk unit in Mobil Oil circa 87'. From memory the touchscreen had something like a plastic membrane of bubbles on it... It was a while ago... Funniest thing.. same time, watched the PC guru (picture a leather vest and tie...) take a brand new IBM PS2 out of its box and put it on the floor, then a brand new IBM (P70?) monitor out of its box... the sharp corner of the monitor caught on the box, rotated out of his hands and landed corner down on in the middle of the PS2, pushing the daughterboards into the motherboard... Result.. Toast for both monitor and base. We also had a PS2 80 that was about 16kNZD back then... It was a beast... 16MHz 80386 32-bit! I think my old palm pilot I was given was more powerful...

[@mookitty2396]

This machine was amazing considering the next best thing was DOS

[@chrisgreen717]

Would they like some screen with that computer?

[@Khalid.F95]

“loading the intelligence into the machine”

[@wonderfuljoey23]

This was so far back, you had to insert the OS into a floppy drive!!

[@simpletongeek]

Kind of like Amiga Kickstart? Wow. The only other computer I know of that does that is Raspberry Pi. Of course, I only use Raspbian, but others just keep switching between different OS including Ubuntu, Gentoo, Mint, and Arch.

[@dgoddard]

Wow. Bob doesn't even do his own typing.

[@darcenex14]

😂

[@nixaeagle141]

Wild

[@axelferraria]

Nowadays touch screens have a net of electricity that our fingers disrupt when touched so the device can tell where is disrupted and get the command. It's not that big of a deal when you think about it, we could have made that way before this but it would have been useless

[@roomdog40]

Weren't 3 1/2 disks really rare in 1985?

[@SG-dw8jh]

Where is the lady from? her accent is very uncommon!

[@zenobartha5409]

0:53 She hesitated there a bit..

[@levelseven9841]

January 15 1984

[@sircostco]

But can it run crysis?

[@RobertLeBlancPhoto]

Only $18K for a "Dream Kitchen"?! Yup, that's 1985. These days, a dream Kitchen starts at $80K.

[@lobitome]

I used to have one, until it disappeared from my house some years ago. Wish I still had it, just so I could make some money these days.

[@kellybersch6740]

DOS 2.11.

[@TheNemosdaddy]

Hey Bob, what if I was to tell you I'm watching this on my "handheld" computer/phone 35 years later? Its hundreds of times more powerful than that PC you're using.

[@TheHappyKamper]

More than hundreds

[@basvandersluis5662]

@@TheHappyKamper Exactly. If we look at processor frequency and bit depth alone it is tens of thousands times faster. The HP-150 has a 16 bit 8 Mhz processor. Take the Galaxy S10 for example, which has eight, 64 bit cores, at multiple frequencies. The lowest speed core is 1.9 Ghz = 1900 Mhz. It has 8 cores and the bit depth is 4 times bigger, so 1900 x 8 x 4 = 60.800 times faster. But there is more of course. Faster RAM, more complex instruction sets, dedicated GPU, etc. It is probably hunderds of thousands times faster.

[@RADIUMGLASS]

January 1984

[@mutestingray]

It’s much like a TV TOOB

[@CptDuck]

this is cool.. yeah just cool

[@realgone222]

Plumbing costs were still too high even then.

[@townrumor]

My iPhone 📲 touch screen 📺 this some old technology