Check out this fantastic series of videos about how computer memory works. They were produced by the U.S. Department of Defense in 1962. Retro-excellent and instructional:

Now get out there and compute, soldier!

Guy-friendly gear guide Cool Material has selected a baker’s dozen retro gaming goodies to get your thumbs twitching:

Check it out: 13 Pieces of Retro Gaming Gear

As part of the 35th anniversary of the Apple II, Byte has reprinted the original 1977 Apple II system description by Woz.

You can download a PDF of the article as well. The PDF includes the accompanying Apple ad and an order form. Board-only systems started at $598, while complete systems started at $1298.00. A maxed-out 48K system (more than anyone could ever need) was a whopping $2638.00.

Lots and lots to note here, from the spelling of “Apple-II” to the way in which Woz describe the Apple device as clearly his own invention not that of a group or committee. I expect we are far past the era where any mass market computer — or perhaps any mass market electronics at all — can be so accurately described as the result of a singular vision.

Woz opens with a mandate: “To me, a personal computer should be small, reliable, convenient to use and inexpensive.” Apple’s current darling, the iPad, fits that description to a T.

Run don’t walk, this is a must-read.

What do you get when you cross an Apple III and a game of Space Invaders? I’m not sure, but this video does convince me you should never, ever cross an Apple III:

Project Genesis – Playing Space Invaders

Fallout: Nuka Break started as a fan film that then launched a 6-episode web series. It has terrific production values and great call-backs to the Fallout and Wasteland games.

The series is a big bag of fun. It’s about a former Vault 10 Dweller, a former slave, and a not-so-former ghoul who wander the wasteland (ha ha!) of the world of Fallout looking for adventure. Well, actually, they’re looking for Nuka-Cola; adventure just comes with the territory.

The series creators are hoping to fund a second season through a Kickstarter campaign. So if you dig Season 1 and want to see more, you might want to toss a couple of bottle caps their way. [Update: They have reached their funding goals, so Season 2 is official a go.]

So grab a cold bottle of your favorite Dazzling Blue beverage, and enjoy a Nuka Break.

Do you like retrocomputing games? Of course you do.

Do you like the Fallout series (except Tactics)? Of course you do (except Tactics).

Ah, but do you know that the first Fallout game is free today on the Good Old Games site? Of course you … hey, where did you go?

Oh, I see: you’ve already clicked away from this blog and have rushed over to gog.com to download your totally free, totally legal copy of Fallout.

I don’t blame you one bit. (I don’t blame you eight bits, either.)

The Retrocomputing Round Table has launched a new blog on its web site, rcrpodcast.com. The RCR Crew announced the new blog on the blog itself, which was very postmodern of them. They announced the announcement of the blog in their first post.

The announcement of the announcement’s announcement was withdrawn, because it just wasn’t as effective without a <blink> tag.