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dbbubba · 26th June 2008

I can very vividly being excited at Christmastime when I was in the 8th grade because I received a "DIGITAL ALARM CLOCK"!
This might seem like a strange thing to get excited over, but this was in 1970.
In 1970 a "DIGITAL ALARM CLOCK" was a really cool thing because the digital read out like Nixie tubes and other early digital read out had just entered the world of consumer-land.

To place this in time even better for you...
I can remember lying in bed and listening "Roundabout" by Yes which was BRAND NEW RECORD that had JUST BEEN RELEASED play from this wonderful, white plastic, P.O.S., plastic "DIGITAL!!!!" wonder.
Yeah , WAYYYYY back then.

Well, the clock I got from old Santa Claus wasn't really "digital" at all.
"Digital" meant little plastic cards with numbers imprinted on them that would flip over and show you the time.
In essence it was the same old analog clock with a new mechanism that flipped cards with numbers instead of moving hands across the face of an out-dated round face clock.

So, "digital' already had a BUZZ in 1970 and was already attached to B.S. marketing of gee whizz products that performed the same old sh*t on a new "digital" way.

I have always equated the word "digital" with the disappointment I felt when I looked at that clock radio.

Nothing new here.

26th June 2008	#15
dbbubba Banned Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 7,099	I can very vividly being excited at Christmastime when I was in the 8th grade because I received a "DIGITAL ALARM CLOCK"! This might seem like a strange thing to get excited over, but this was in 1970. In 1970 a "DIGITAL ALARM CLOCK" was a really cool thing because the digital read out like Nixie tubes and other early digital read out had just entered the world of consumer-land. To place this in time even better for you... I can remember lying in bed and listening "Roundabout" by Yes which was BRAND NEW RECORD that had JUST BEEN RELEASED play from this wonderful, white plastic, P.O.S., plastic "DIGITAL!!!!" wonder. Yeah , WAYYYYY back then. Well, the clock I got from old Santa Claus wasn't really "digital" at all. "Digital" meant little plastic cards with numbers imprinted on them that would flip over and show you the time. In essence it was the same old analog clock with a new mechanism that flipped cards with numbers instead of moving hands across the face of an out-dated round face clock. So, "digital' already had a BUZZ in 1970 and was already attached to B.S. marketing of gee whizz products that performed the same old sh*t on a new "digital" way. I have always equated the word "digital" with the disappointment I felt when I looked at that clock radio. Nothing new here.