Technology Internet Reference Libraries
The Fairchild Channel F is a game console manufactured by Fairchild Semiconductor that was released in August 1976. It was the first programmable ROM cartridge-based video game console as well as the first to use a microprocessor. The original name for the system was the Video Entertainment System, but when Atari released their VCS the name was changed to Channel F. By 1977 sales had reached...
The RCA Studio II was released in January 1977 by RCA as a video game console. It had black and white graphics that were similar to Pong consoles. Game control used two built-in ten button keypads instead of controllers. The keypads made it difficult for two player games to be played because the players would have to sit so close together. It was discontinued in 1979. It used a switch box...
The Bally Astrocade is a video game console and simple computer combination manufactured by Midway. The original name was the Bally Home Library Computer released in 1977 by mail order only, but shipments were delayed and the system was renamed the Bally Professional Arcade. In 1979 Bally sold the Consumer Product Division and a partnership was formed and in 1981 the system was released as the...
The Coleco Gemini is similar to the Atari 2600 video game console. The Gemini was manufactured by Coleco as the second generation game console using ROM cartridges. In 1982 Coleco produced an expansion module for the ColecoVision that was compatible with the Atari 2600. Atari tried to sue Coleco for patent infringement but lost, allowing Coleco to manufacture the Coleco Gemini. The Gemini...
The ECTACO jetBook is a line of e-book readers developed by ECTACO released globally in October 2008. Other models released were the jetBook lite in January 2010, the jetBook mini in August, 2010, and the jetBook color. The display on the jetBook is a 5-inch reflective LCD screen with no backlight. It has an automatic page-turn and bookmark function. English is built into the device with an...
The Cybook Opus is an e-book reader produced by Bookeen from France, released on July 27, 2009. The operating system for the Opus is Linux with an open source firmware. In June 2010, Bookeen published and improved firmware with a one-second mode which allows the device to be turned on and off in one second. It also keeps the last page read open and the user does not have to reboot each time....
The Cybook Gen3 is an e-Reader designed for reading e-books, e-news, and for listening to audio books or MP3 music. It was produced by Bookeen, a French company, and released on October 29, 2007. The display is a six-inch E-Ink screen using 166 dpi, black and white, 2-bit grayscale and on the gold edition 8-bit grayscale was used. The screen is readable under sunlight and only uses the...
The Booq E-reader (4FFF N618) is an e-book reader using the Linux 2.6.23 operating system, manufactured and released in 2010 by Condor Technology Associates. It was sold globally under various names, one being the Pandigital Novel 6" Personal e-Reader in North America. The display is a six-inch electronic paper touchscreen with 16 levels of grayscale. The device uses a Samsung 400MHz CPU, it...
The Sega Saturn is a 32-bit video game console produced by Sega as the fifth generation in a line of game consoles. It was released in Japan on November 22, 1994, North American on May 11, 1995 and on July 8, 1995 in Europe. In the United States only 2 million units were sold compared to over 6 million in Japan. The system was discontinued on August 10, 1998. Its successor was the...
The Sega Mega-CD released as the Sega CD in North America, is an add-on device for the Sega Mega Drive / Genesis video game console. It was designed and produced by Sega, released in Japan on December 12, 1991, North America and Brazil June 1992, and Europe and Australia April 1993. Over six million units have been sold worldwide and production of the unit was discontinued 1996. The...
