10 tech gadgets from the 1970s that we want back right now

The 1970s was one of tech's golden eras, marking the dawn of personal computing and video games.

By Business Insider | Updated: Aug 23, 2014, 01.41 PM IST

10 tech gadgets from the 1970s that we want back right now

By Steven Tweedie

The 1970s was one of tech's golden eras, marking the dawn of personal computing and video games.

From gadgets like the first digital watch to the classic Atari 2600 game system, there was no better time to hit up the arcade or plop down on the couch for friendly round of "Pong."

Here are the best gadgets and tech of the 1970s, and we've even included a healthy dose of nostalgia, free of charge.

Who could forget the iconic Apple II computer? This 8-bit beauty was launched in 1977, and was designed by Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak.

There's nothing like the crackle of static to make you feel nostalgic for Sears' 1975 Walkie-Talkies.

Motorola's DynaTAC was invented in '70s and became the first cellphone available for the public to buy. It cost only $3,995 back then.

The Commodore PET computer was created in only six months after Commodore saw a prototype of the Apple II.

Steve Jobs offered to sell this prototype to the company.

The company rejected the offer, and instead created the first all-in-one PET.

It may not be the iWatch, but Pulsar P1 was the first-ever digital watch, encased in 18-karat gold. It cost $2,100 back in 1972.

We might have virtual reality nowadays, but who could ever pass up a chance to play "Pong" on an Atari 2600, which was first launched in 1977.

Designed in 1978, the first Sony Walkman prototype was actually created so that Sony co-chairman Masaru Ibuka could listen to opera music while flying abroad.

It might look a bit like an old television, but the 1977 TRS-80 was actually one of the first microcomputers, and hobbyists loved it.

The 1979 Atari 800 might have arrived a bit after the first personal computers, but its cutting-edge processor offered better graphics and sound than both the Apple II and Commodore PET.

The sound of the Epson MX-80 dot matrix printer may just be the 1970s equivalent of digital nails on a chalkboard, but it was actually one of the more popular printers for early adopters with personal computers.