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scottsgear.com

@scottsgear.bsky.social
174 followers 465 following 192 posts

1,000+ gadgets. 30+ years writing about personal tech history. The phones, PDAs, computers & wonderfully weird devices that got us here — preserved, powered up and put back to work.

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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 2m
Despite the cost and pretty cutting edge hardware, the call quality was horrible and video streamed at about 10fps. I still used it as a bit of a gimmick, but it never became a daily driver for us.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 2m
This was my first ever video conferencing system. I think I spent upwards of $3000 getting two of these for my offices in 1996, plus the added expense of the dedicated ISDN line.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 16h
In the 2000's, #Samsung wanted to sell a #Camcorder that could shoot decent videos and photos in the same body. The only way technology could pull this off was by using two separate cameras, so that is exactly what they did! We don't always realize just how lucky we are with our smartphones!
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 17h
Never seen before: this is how they used to need a rope and towels to get 2Ku working on a foggy day... #AvGeek #Aviation
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 17h
Sure, the tech was always pretty good, though a lot of it relied on a good modem. Moving planes off to Starlink has probably helped 2Ku speeds.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 17h
Indeed. They are massive antennas, and pretty fragile. The Starlink antenna is a true feat of engineering, delivering something the industry has been promising for years. The fact that Starlink is 100% vertically integrated is a huge deal, often overlooked.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 18h
The older folks here will surely remember the megapixel wars, but how many of you recall the "Zoom Wars"? My personal favorite has to be the Sony DCR-SX41 Handycam from 2009, which featured a mind-blowing 2000x digital zoom! I can only imagine how horrible 2000x zoom looks on SD quality video.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 18h
This is My car doctor from STI International, the world's first handheld vehicle OBDII scan tool. The software runs on the TRG pro, a rare PalmIS device that adds features like removable storage to the OG Palm. Amazingly, this combo still works, but definitely struggles to read newer cars.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 18h
Did you know that Motorola developed a smartwatch 3 years before Pebble? The MotoActv runs a full Android install, and features WIFI, Bluetooth, GPS, music player, fitness tracking sensors, and 8GB of storage. It was a bit bulky, but having all those apps on your wrist in 2010 was fantastic.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 18h
Here is another of my #AvGeek highlights: my daytrip to Iqaluit, Baffin Island, Canada. We were on the ground for about an hour in -11F weather. It was one of those amazing days when you get 2 sunsets. We tested a satellite link, then landed at noon when it was already getting dark. #Aviation
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 18h
If you've ever connected to the internet on a plane, chances are you used one of these amazing aviation satellite antennas. Here is a photo of the early testing done. This is from 2014. The current generation Starlink dishes are much smaller. #AvGeek #Aviation
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 18h
After being burned by the #Zune, you’d think I would have learned my lesson about Microsoft hardware. Sadly, no... I ended up getting stung again by the Microsoft Band (1 and 2). To make matters worse, I wasn't even eligible for their refund program because I hadn't used the device enough!
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 18h
This is my 2012 Qualcomm Toq smartwatch. This was released as a demonstration watch, showcasing the latest wearable technology from Qualcomm. It includes their Mirasol screen, WiPower LE wireless charging, and syncs to an Android app. Price: $349.99.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 30/09/2026
This is a really cool new feature from Opera: #Android users can now get a free 3GB eSim in 47 different countries to use within their browser. eSIM with Opera for Android is here - Blog | Opera News share.google/CnIM4zBnTHjO...
blogs.opera.com
eSIM with Opera is here: get free data on your next trip abroad
You can now get an eSIM inside Opera for Android for your next trip abroad. You can try it out with free data for your next travel.
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Reposted by scottsgear.com
BigBadBiologist @bigbadbiologist.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Saturday's noon EDT stream will result in me standing knee-deep in nasty capacitors. We'll start by doing a teardown and inspection of a Sony GV-8 Video Walkman. And then we'll do the same with a Mac Classic and Mac Classic II. Why do I do this to myself? youtube.com/live/4rc4JPS...
youtube.com
Disassembly and inspection of a Sony GV-8 Video Walkman, a Mac Classic, and a Mac Classic II
YouTube video by BigBadBench
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 29/09/2026
Holy cow! 1983? That wouldn't look out of place in 1993! Thanks for sharing.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 29/09/2026
Working on building a new home GSM base station. I'm figuring out how to get this done using an SDR board you can find for around $100! I'm well into getting things working correctly, and just captured my first GSM signaling packets from my base station emulator.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 29/09/2026
To this day I still can't use Windows 8. Especially on a touch PC, that interface was designed to drive people to insanity.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 29/09/2026
Last year, I paid a well reviewed graphic designer on Fivver $100 to design a new logo for one of my sites. This is what he delivered after one week. At first I thought he was joking, but it quickly became clear that he was dead serious. Once Fivver stepped in, I got my money back 🤣
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 28/09/2026
The only thing I've found that makes my hobby slightly more affordable is importing from countries like Japan. The Japanese list with fair prices and pack their shipments better than anyone. I use buyee.jp.
buyer.jp
BUYER.JP -NTEC CO.,Ltd.-
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 28/09/2026
This hobby keeps getting more expensive. Devices that used to sell by the boxload are suddenly being listed as "rare" or "vintage" with exorbitant prices. What used to coat $20 is now listed for $80 🥹
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 28/09/2026
This is My car doctor from STI International, the world's first handheld vehicle OBDII scan tool. The software runs on the TRG pro, a rare PalmIS device that adds features like removable storage to the OG Palm. Amazingly, this combo still works, but definitely struggles to read newer cars.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 28/09/2026
There was always something incredibly impressive about the mid 80s portable computer. This Sharp PC-1246 has a tiny, almost unusable display, but a wonderfully well designed little dock that adds a cassette deck and printer. This one was used by a life insurance sales person.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 28/09/2026
Yeah, they were the worst. Plus they are super fragile. The stupidest way to use them is in a Flash Path SmartDisk device: insert your Smartmedia, then pop it into your floppy drive... So sloooooow.....
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 28/09/2026
Definitely. I can read everything from zip discs to qic tapes and every memory card out there.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 28/09/2026
One of the downsides of collecting so many gadgets is the need to save different storage devices. From MMC to Smartmedia to Memorystick: my drawer of storage cards keeps getting fuller.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 28/09/2026
Something shady for the Sunday morning: the Speedtest powered speed test on att.com consistently shows my 2G Xfinity Internet speeds at half those on the Speedtest site or app. Either their test is configured poorly, or they try to make you feel like you are not getting your money's worth.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 27/09/2026
This is the #Ericsson GH197 "Hotline" from 1993, the second GSM handheld from the Swedish phone giant. It features their distinctive flip-up rubber antenna and a chunky battery. Even though it lacks a phonebook, it has audio components from Bang and Olufsen,
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 26/09/2026
This gorgeous piece of Swiss handywork is my #Swatch "The Beep", a numeric #POCSAG #pager sold in Europe in 1993. Look closely at the face and you'll see the antenna wires running across. This was also right at the dawn of GSM phone popularity in Europe, so The Beep was relatively short lived.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 26/09/2026
Don't make the same mistake I just made: stupid me forgot that SMA comes in male and female. I plugged the wrong antenna into a pricey SDR board and killed it. Thankfully it just needs a new 0603 SMD fuse and SMA connector. Don't be like me!
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 26/09/2026
That is why it pays to run your own 2G/3G network at home 😄
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 26/09/2026
Oh boy, I totally forgot about that thing. So much potential, but just impossibly to go up against PocketPC. Jealous that you have one, I'll be sure to add this to my wishlist!
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 26/09/2026
Who here is old enough to remember the pesky dongle? Almost every road warrior had am assortment of PCMCIA cards and dongles for network, modem, phone, and more. Thankfully, Xircom fixed that with their Realport card: finally full size jacks without the need for a dongle!
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 26/09/2026
The 7135 relies on the much slower 1xRTT technology which delivered around 70kbps on a good day. Sadly, the 7135 never gained the rockstar status of the Treo and was abandoned just a year later. The 7135 is a treat to use, but lacks a lot of the tech found on competitor devices (like Bluetooth).
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 26/09/2026
This is the #Kyocera 7135 #PalmOS #smartphone. Released a year after the first Treo Smartphone, this slick device opted for the traditional Graffiti text input method over the hardware keyboard of the Treo. Its display was a meager 160x160 pixels, and it predates faster 3G EVDO network support.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 25/09/2026
Evolution of a few of my #Ericsson phones. To me, these are some of the best handsets ever made. I'm especially proud of the woodgrain phone, a mod I performed back in 1995!
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 25/09/2026
This is the genesis of Palm PDA's: the 1996 Palm Pilot 1000. Launched at $299 by modem maker US Robotics, the original Palm Pilot was an instant hit. Apps started appearing, new accessories were added, and within 18 months, they sold one million units. #PalmOS #PDA #retrogadget
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 25/09/2026
500 actually. Not many out there back then. Flew as N321GG. Here is a fun event I organized:
airlinereporter.com
N321GG : AirlineReporter
A Place to Share Your Passion for Airlines. Home of the AvGeek!
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 25/09/2026
Not long after launch someone found a way to let it read any barcode. The remaining stock was sold on eBay for over a decade.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 25/09/2026
Remember Cuecat? Those of you not old enough to have owned one of these: this barcode scanner allowed you to scan codes printed in magazines that took you to advertisers websites. Think QR codes, but for the 2000 bubble. Millions were handed out for free. Huge flop of course.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 25/09/2026
Long before companies like Insta360 released their amazing cameras, I shot a revolutionary 360 video from a cockpit using 5 GoPro Hero 3 cameras and a special rig. Stitching this all together took 3 hours to render. #AvGeek #Cockpit #360video
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 25/09/2026
It runs Microsoft PocketPC 5.0, which was one of the better options at the time, offering decent multimedia support, a usable browser and email client as well as a pretty substantial app ecosystem. Phones like this are why HTC was such a big player in the early 2000s.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 25/09/2026
This behemoth is the Imate JasJar from August 2005, one of the largest PocketPC devices ever made. Also known as the HTC Universal, this giant features a swiveling screen, dual cameras (very unique at the time), WiFi, Bluetooth, SD card slot, and support for 3G GSM networks.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 24/09/2026
Fresh from Japan: The Sharp Zaurus SL-5000D, #PDA. This was the first ever PDA sold running Linux (Qtopia-based Embedix Plus). Unique features include a slide-out keyboard and the ability to be expanded with a *video capture card*, camera, and a wired music player. The device has CF and SD slots.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 24/09/2026
My box of unsorted #MP3 players. These are all awaiting testing and adding to my catalog of #gadgets. At this rate, it'll take me at least another year till they are included 😁
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 24/09/2026
Before the smartphone camera, there was the #Ericsson CommuniCam from 2001. This add-on camera allowed you to snap a (crappy) photo and send as an MMS. On the popular Ericsson T68m, you could even snap a photo and set it as your background image, something totally unique to the market at the time.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 24/09/2026
Way back in 2014, I wrote a whitepaper for the aviation industry to determine whether "head mounted displays" could ever be a viable option for Inflight entertainment. We flew a private jet around for three hours testing 6 different headsets. Conclusion? Nope 👎 #IFE #inflight #AvGeek #Aviation
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 24/09/2026
Way back in 2014, I wrote a whitepaper for the aviation industry to determine whether "head mounted displays" could ever be a viable option for Inflight entertainment. We flew a private jet around for three hours testing 6 different headsets. Conclusion? Nope 👎 #IFE #inflight #AvGeek #Aviation
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 24/09/2026
Still high of the sweet success of the Zip and Jazz drives, Iomega tried to score one more hit with Clik! (Later renamed to Pocket Zip). These tiny spinning discs supported an mp3 player, PCMCIA, and a parallel port drive. Of course, it couldn't compete with flash storage and died within a year.
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scottsgear.com @scottsgear.com · 24/09/2026
One of the biggest perks of flying on the company 737? Sitting in the #jumpseat up front. #AvGeek #Aviation #Cockpitview
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