Technologizer's First Forty-Five Fabulous Years!
By Harry McCracken | Wednesday, April 1, 2009 at 1:11 am
Has it really been forty-five years this week since Technologizer’s debut? Why, it seems like just a few months. But it’s true–we’ve been covering technology since April, 1964, when CPU speed was measured in picohertz and “satellite radio” was something the CIA used to spy on Castro.
From our humble beginnings to our present-day state–which is arguably even more humble–it’s been a wonderful ride. After the jump, a few mementos and memories.
Not everybody remembers that Technologizer began as an online service. When we launched in April of 1964, there were only three IBM mainframes in the world powerful enough to receive us, we charged an hourly access fee of $15,000, and our network ran at 300-bpw (bits per week).
In 1968, we decided that then-current fad for print “magazines” might last, and added a “paper edition.” The innovative business model was supported both by advertising and by micropayments (seventy-five cents per issue, with generous discounts for monthly “subscriptions”). Our debut issue celebrated the emergence of the first notebook computers. Mobility would never be the same again.
Part of the fun of perusing vintage issues of Technologizer is enjoying the wonderfully nostalgic old ads., such as this one for Apple’s surprisingly obscure II-Phone, from the January 1979 issue.
In 1985, Technologizer relaunched with a new focus on Radio Shack’s TRS-80 microcomputers–which was an odd decision even then, considering how embarrassingly obsolete they already were. We stuck with the format for the next fifteen years, through a parade of ever-more-desperate cover stories.
Technologizer was early to hop on the Web bandwagon, with a site that debuted in mid-1992, before there were any browsers to access it. Like most early Web destinations, it was simple but useful, and the format turned out to be a durable one–we revamped it only in June of last year, when we unveiled our current design.
In recent years, long-time readers of computer magazines have complained that they’ve gotten noticeably smaller than they once were. In our case, it may gave had something to do with the handy new format we introduced in 2006 as a response to crippling increases in the cost of printing and postage. This intrepid response to the stark realities of today’s publishing world has helped keep Technologizer alive as one of the few remaining computer magazines; since 2007, it’s been distributed exclusively through General Mills cereals, including Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Rice Chex, and Frankenberry.
We wouldn’t change a thing about Technologizer’s first forty-five years. Well, okay, one thing. The order we placed in 2000 for 1.25 million customized CueCats emblazoned with our logo, if you must know. But that’s it. And we wouldn’t trade loyal readers like you for anything. Happy anniversary, everybody!
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Six of the best April Fool’s Tech Jokes Says:
April 1st, 2009 at 10:22 am[…] been broadcast. That’s great news for anyone with a bookmaker on speed dial.Best visual gag: Technologizer has a look back at technology over its 45 years history, including the 1979 release of the Apple […]
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April Fools’ Day Headline Round-Up « Conservative Thoughts and Profundity Says:
April 1st, 2009 at 3:46 pm[…] Technologizer’s First Forty-Five Fabulous Years […]
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Six of the best April Fool’s Tech Jokes : International News Bureau Says:
April 2nd, 2009 at 3:26 am[…] broadcast. That’s great news for anyone with a bookmaker on speed dial. Best visual gag: Technologizer has a look back at technology over its 45 years history, including the 1979 release of the Apple […]
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Tynan on Tech » Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right Says:
April 3rd, 2009 at 7:17 am[…] Day pranks, Wired’s Finest Internet Jokes for 2009, and Harry McCracken’s look at the “first 45 years” of publishing his Technologizer blog. (Note to Harry: You need to get out more, […]
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35 años de Apple (english) | Mafdevil Says:
April 4th, 2011 at 10:54 am[…] stroll down memory lane – “Technologizer’s First Forty-Five Fabulous Years” – was fabulous on a number of levels, including an advertisement for the 1979 debut of the […]
April 1st, 2009 at 1:58 am
I remember Technologizer in the good old days.. before all this newfangled “blog” crap. It’s never been the same since Web 2.0
You kids get off my lawn!
Happy April Fools to you to, Harry.
April 1st, 2009 at 6:19 am
Funny – Boy how time flies..
April 1st, 2009 at 6:23 am
Hhahaha! I love it! 🙂
Happy April 1st!
April 1st, 2009 at 6:58 am
that Mag cover looks strangely FAMILIAR. you are too funny
April 1st, 2009 at 10:32 am
Oh man, I remember accessing the old Technologizer BBS service on an old IBM PC. I saved up all summer for a $800 300 Baud modem and waiting an hour to download a black and white dithered image and review of the latest models of 5″ disk drives and acoustic couplers on the market.
April 1st, 2009 at 12:26 pm
ROFL, that’s brilliant! “Home-Page” with dash and quote-marks, bwa-ha that’s attention to comedic detail at its finest
April 1st, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Great post, Mr. McC! I love it!
April 3rd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Go ahead, pick on the CueCats once again! (brilliant blog, Harry)
April 4th, 2009 at 7:29 am
Absolutely hilarious! Oh, the poor much maligned CueCats…
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January 26th, 2012 at 7:40 am
Oh man, I remember accessing the old Technologizer BBS service on an old IBM PC. I saved up all summer for a $800 300 Baud modem and waiting an hour to download a black and white dithered image and review of the latest models of 5" disk drives and acoustic couplers on the market.
January 28th, 2012 at 1:37 am
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