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Stuff.tv
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Stuff.tv
25 of the most iconic computers ever
Home computers have come a long way since the '70s, progressing from simple-text-based CRT monitors to full-colour 3D graphics, hi-res LCD screens, and hundreds of times more processing power in a simple desktop box than there once was in an entire room of hardware. Desktops were once all you could get, but notebooks came along and became the machine of choice for travellers. Even the best mid-range laptops have more power than most people will ever need. But are any of today's models as distinctive as the following machines? Probably not. And so here's our pick of the most iconic computers ever made. Apple iMac G3 (1998) Along with the iPod, the original iMac is probably the product that best encapsulates Apple's late '90s/early '00s resurgence. Jonathan Ive's curvaceous and colourful all-in-one design was cuddly, colourful and cool – making something based around a 15-inch CRT desirable is no mean feat. The bold styling was backed up by equally ballsy feature choices: the G3 tossed out a 3.5-inch disk drive in favour of just a CD tray, came with a 'hockey puck' circular mouse and was the first home computer to offer a USB port. Revolutionary? Not 'arf. Apart from that hockey-puck mouse, which was rubbish. x-default BBC Micro (1981) Guaranteed to trigger a flood of memories for anyone who went to a British school in the '80s or early '90s, the Acorn-designed 'Beeb' swiftly became the go-to computer for educational establishments, who prized its durability, power and versatility. Despite being largely ignored outside the UK, it's undoubtedly one of the most iconic computers ever and found some success as a home computer, games machine (classic titles like Elite debuted on the BBC Micro) and even as a tool for synth-pop bands like Erasure, Yazoo and Depeche Mode. Alienware Area-51 (1997) Cast your minds back to a time before hi-def games consoles. The PC was the uncontested ruler of the world of hardcore gaming, and Alienware's desktops were widely considered the most scarily powerful gaming PCs available. These plastic behemoths were as beefily-specced as they were wallet-emptying expensive, and their UFO-inspired looks (glowing alien eyes!) moistened the underwear of adolescent FPS addicts worldwide. Sinclair ZX Spectrum (1982) This compact, rubber-keyed 8-bit classic became a common fixture in British bedrooms and studies during the 1980s, chiefly as a games machine. What Spectrum owner could forget the banshee-like screeching that accompanied a game loading via data cassette? Or that it lasted about ten minutes? The Spectrum was perhaps less powerful than its great rival, the Commodore 64, having a palette of only seven colours (plus black) and a single channel of sound – but it became hugely popular, particularly in the UK, and led to a knighthood for its creator Clive Sinclair. He then invented the C5, for which he should have been de-knighted. Dell Adamo XPS (2009) Think the MacBook Air is thin? The Adamo makes it look like a chubber, being a wafer-esque 9.99m in depth. It's the thinnest laptop ever made, no less – and a real looker too, proving that grey-plastic-loving Dell can create something truly gorgeous. And the way its screen automatically flips up when you touch the heat-sensing strip on the top with your fingertip is achingly cool. Commodore Amiga 500 (1987) Commodore scored a huge hit with its range of 16-bit computers, and the Amiga 500 became the most popular home computer in Western Europe. Although capable of performing a range of tasks, the Amiga was most commonly used as a games machine: who can forget classics like Lemmings, Speedball 2, Cannon Fodder and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis? Samsung Q1 (2006) Samsung's Q1 sparked a short-lived craze for UMPCs (ultra mobile PCs), computers tiny enough to be tucked into a manbag for a weekend away. The original Q1 had a 7-inch touchscreen, a 40GB hard drive and three hours of battery life, but its largish frame made it awkward to hold. While it was never a huge success, it demonstrated that big guns like Samsung were serious about ultra-mobile computing, and is a direct ancestor of today's Galaxy Tab. Apple Macintosh 128K (1984) The first Apple Mac was an all-in-one computer based around a 9-inch black-and-white CRT monitor. Despite its beige colour, it was a design hit. It also came with Mac OS 1.0, one of the first-ever graphics-based user interfaces, and served up impressive performance for the price – costing about $2,500, you could use it for graphics applications for which you'd have previously needed a $10,000 PC. Microsoft Surface (2008) Apple may have made multitouch mainstream but Microsoft's original Surface brought it into the commercial world: a 30-inch multitouch HD display that looked like a table, it let its user (or users) manipulate on-screen objects through a variety of gestures. Renamed as the PixelSense in 2012, it could respond to up to 52 touches simultaneously, and its large size made it ideal for use in shops, restaurants and museums. Samsung would later make a 40-inch version, which was discontinued in 2014. And as exciting as a giant $10,000 horizontal tablet may have been, Microsoft decided its efforts, and the Surface name, were better employed elsewhere. IBM ThinkPad (1992) Want to know how reliable the ThinkPad is? Well, in 1993 NASA took IBM's laptop aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour for the first time to see how it performed in space – and it remains one of the few laptops certified for the International Space Station. 'Well built' doesn't even come close. Apple Mac Mini (2005) Apple approached its first micro-sized desktop in typical fashion: by making it sexier and smaller than its Windows-based rivals. The original Mini was a mere 165 x 165 x 51mm in size and its stylishness has made it popular as a home theatre PC – it's one of the few personal computers that looks good underneath your telly. Compaq Portable III (1987) Despite boasting the looks of an upended fax machine, the Portable III was rightly regarded as a high-concept product upon its launch. Why? Well, you could lug it about with relative ease, and there was a flip-up gas plasma screen built in – although its bulk and the lack of a battery meant it wasn't as portable as a laptop. Commodore PET (1977) The Personal Electronic Transactor: goofy name, Buck Rogers looks, and essentially the first all-in-one home computer in the world. Despite an almost comically undersized calculator-style keyboard, the PET was successful enough to convince Commodore to keep producing variants into the '80s – and it formed the basis for the crazily popular Commodore 64. Apple iBook G3 (1999) Apple streamlined its computer line-up in the late '90s, and the 12-inch iBook G3 took the role of its low-end laptop – little did Apple know, but it was designing one of the most iconic computers ever. Taking many of its design cues from the iMac G3, the iBook also rocked a brightly coloured transparent plastic body, USB port and optical drive. It was the first laptop to offer built-in Wi-Fi as standard, and its photogenic looks made it a popular fixture in TV shows and movies. IBM 5150 (1981) Also known as the IBM Personal Computer, the 5150 defined the term 'PC'. While there were 'personal computers' available before its 1981 launch, the 5150's massive success meant that 'PC' came to specifically mean an IBM-compatible computer. HP TouchSmart Crossfire (2007) The HP TouchSmart IQ770 wasn't much of a success on the sales or critical fronts, but gets in here by virtue of its headlining feature: it was the first mass-market desktop with a touchscreen. The Crossfire's 19-inch screen was finger-friendly, adding a new dimension of control – but perhaps it was a little ahead of its time, and its reliance on mobile components made it a (groan) touch underpowered Shuttle SV24 (2001) At the time of its launch, the SV24 was the smallest desktop PC available, and sparked a movement towards small-form-factor PCs. Despite its dinky dimensions, the SV24 was packed with proper desktop components, making it a hit even with gamers and others seeking power aplenty. Shuttle's XPC small-form-factor line – still running today – followed soon after. Apple iMac (2007) The 2007 revamp of the iMac range saw Apple take a radical step: it housed its consumer desktop in a slim enclosure of pure aluminium and glass (and a bit of plastic), with just one screw visible on the whole shebang (and that neatly hidden away on the underside of the screen). Add in the wafer-thin aluminium keyboard and you had a jaw-droppingly stunning design that cemented the Cupertino company as the go-to brand for the style-conscious. Today's model isn't that far removed from it. Acorn Archimedes (1987) Like the BBC Micro (also built by Acorn), the Archimedes series became a key fixture in school computer labs all over Britain. Boasting 256 colours and 8-channel sound, the Archimedes took over where the BBC left off – and millions of young Brits (including us here at Stuff) got their first taste of the delights of 'desktop publishing', BASIC programming or word processing on one of these beige titans. Atari ST (1985) A rival to the likes of the Commodore Amiga and Apple Macintosh, the ST's games-running proficiency meant it was often found in teenage boys' bedrooms – but it was also a dab hand at business and CAD functionality. Its MIDI ports proved a hit with musicians too, with the likes of Fatboy Slim and 808 State employing STs to control instruments in their live shows. Epson HX-20 (1983) The first laptop computer EVER? Pretty much: the HX-20 had a footprint roughly the size of a sheet of A4, along with a keyboard, 50-hour (!) rechargeable battery and 120×32-resolution screen. Yep, that's right: 120 x 32 pixels, allowing for four lines of 20 characters each. It weighed in at 1.6kg, making it genuinely portable, although a floppy disk drive came separately. Commodore 64 (1982) One of the most successful home computers ever, the C64 sold a total of 17 million units in its 12-year lifespan. Its affordable pricetag – a result of Commodore's clever mass-production techniques – and the fact that it could be hooked up to a regular TV made it many families' first computer. Loads were used for nothing more than gaming, and there were around 10,000 different games available by the end of its production run. It also inspired legendary magazine Zzap! 64. Asus Eee PC (2007) There are dozens of different netbooks available today, but the Linux-based Eee PC was the first. Small, lightweight and very cheap, it was designed for anybody who didn't need huge amounts of power or storage (or a decent screen resolution): just a portable device they could use for email, web browsing and other basic tasks. The formula was a winner, and Asus shifted 300,000 Eee PCs in 2007 alone. Amstrad CPC (1984) The Commodore 64 and Sinclair Spectrum had their feet under the table and a row of drinks lined up by the time the Amstrad CPC series pushed open the saloon doors. The basic CPC464 model had a tape deck built in and came with the choice of a colour or (far cheaper) monochrome monitor, while the CPC664 and CPC6128 came with 3-inch disk drives instead of the tape deck. Apple iPad (2010) Is it really a computer? Well, it runs apps and lets you surf the web, so we'll allow it – and as for its iconic status, just look at all the tablet pretenders that have already been announced in the wake of its recent launch. With a fantastically vibrant screen and a gloriously responsive multitouch interface, the iPad is still an absolute joy to use today, whether you plump for a cellular model or the Wi-Fi-only tablet.
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
If Your Teen's Room Is a Pigsty, This New TikTok Trend Might Make You Feel a Little Better
Weird smells, clothes everywhere, literal mold growing on discarded food — teens live like they were born in a barn with the way they treat their rooms. If you've ever found questionable, odd, or downright disgusting things in your teen's room, you're not alone. A new TikTok trend has teens sharing their messy bedrooms, and if anything, it'll make you feel better about your own teen's room. It's hard to pinpoint who exactly started this trend, but one of the most popular videos was done by a TikToker named @jellybelly835, They shared a video of all the truly unhinged things found in their room that quickly went viral and has amassed 3.6 million views so far. More from SheKnows This Mom Uncovered What's Really Hiding on Teens' Phones in a New Documentary & It Changed Her Mind on Social Media In the video, @jellybelly835 said, 'im scared to be in this literall [sic] infested room.' There was a mug with flies living out of the leftover gunk at the bottom and another cup half-filled with liquid and insects. 'Cup with maggots and hatched fly eggs,' they wrote. 'We will be one big family.' A moldy microwave cake, moldy orange juice, and a 'deteriorating mold infested drink pouring [out on the] windowsill' completed the tour of the room. Many people expressed concern about the account, encouraging them to get mental health help before they get sick from their environment. The messy room trend has sense taken off, with many other teens sharing what their bedrooms look like. One video, which has 5.1 million views, showed all the places pee was collected in their cousin's room (like Monster energy drink cans). Ew! Another user shared a video featuring disgusting mold-filled Yazoo bottle, reaching 7 million views. These extreme examples show what it's like to be a teen and the other side of the viral 'bed-rotting' term that is actually masking depression. There's one thing to have a gross room and another to be so depressed you don't care about anything including basic hygiene. According to the CDC, depression among teens and adults has increased 60 percent over the last decade. Neuropsychologist Dr. Sanam Hafeez previously told SheKnows, 'Depression during adolescence can interfere with school, friendships, and family relationships. It also increases the risk of self-harm, substance use, and suicide.' Signs your teen is struggling with depression include feeling sad and/or irritable. 'This is a rough day type of mood that lingers for weeks,' Dr. Maria Grace Wolk previously told SheKnows. 'Another key sign is a loss of interest in activities they used to enjoy, like sports, music, or time with friends. Changes in sleep or appetite are also common, whether it's sleeping too much, not sleeping at all, or noticeable shifts in eating habits.' Additionally, parents should be sure to never dismiss 'expressions of hopelessness, self-harm, or talk of wanting to disappear.' Although these videos are gross, they are encouraging others to seek help and/or clean their room, which are both wonderful steps forward. If you can get past the gross factor and see the vulnerability that lies behind these users posting about their embarrassing mental health challenges, then you can see the beauty in this trend. If your teen or someone else you know is showing signs of depression, call the National Mental Health Hotline at of SheKnows Bird Names Are One of the Biggest Baby Name Trends for Gen Beta (& We Found 20+ Options) These Are the 36 Celebrities with the Most Kids 15 Celebrity Parents Whose Kids Went to Ivy League Schools
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'80s Pop Icon, 63, Puts Major Glow-Up on Display: 'She Has Aged Beautifully'
'80s Pop Icon, 63, Puts Major Glow-Up on Display: 'She Has Aged Beautifully' originally appeared on Parade. Alison Moyet, 63, has never looked (or sounded) better. The '80s icon, often referred to as 'the female David Bowie,' dazzled fans on her recent European tour—and it wasn't just her rich, bluesy voice. The former Yaz (Yazoo in Europe) lead singer's appearance had fans doing a double a video shared to TikTok, the Situation songstress sported a form-fitting, long-sleeve black top and skirt, which showcased her shoulder-length deep red hair. Moyet put her 1980s-inspired dance moves to the test as she moved her svelte body around the stage, grooving as if no time had passed since the hit song came out in 1982. Moyet's unique, emotive voice has always set her apart from the rest. Her raw, unfiltered, bluesy sound is undeniable. There is no mistaking Alison Moyet's voice for timeless voice was only slightly eclipsed by her age-defying demeanor. Naturally, fans took note. One wrote, 'How after all these is she now looking in her prime ❤️' We were wondering the same thing. Some fans weren't as gracious about the quality of Monet's singing voice. Video from another tour date from Moyet's tour begs to differ. To the fan who wrote, "She has aged beautifully," we're with you. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 '80s Pop Icon, 63, Puts Major Glow-Up on Display: 'She Has Aged Beautifully' first appeared on Parade on Jun 2, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
News.com.au
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
One shouted word ruins the vibe at star's otherwise-stunning Sydney concert
One shouted word from a heckler was all it took to momentarily kill the vibe during British singer Alison Moyet's Sydney show over the weekend. Moyet, 63, is touring to mark the 40th anniversary of her solo career – a career that started even before that, as one-half of the chart-topping electro duo Yazoo (of Only You fame) in the early 80s. Moyet, though, has always bristled at any notion she's a heritage act, only here to play 80s retro circuit – and her musical output has long backed that up. Perhaps her finest work, 2002's Hometime, arrived shortly after she'd turned 40; in recent years, a fruitful collaboration with producer Guy Sigsworth saw her return to her edgy electro roots across two stellar albums. Songs from 1982 to 2024 got an airing during Saturday's near-sold-out show at Sydney's Darling Harbour Theatre. Moyet was in fine voice throughout, and was charming, frequently hilarious company, stopping to sip tea between songs and offer self-effacing stories from throughout her life. After one cheer from the dark, she made a confession: In-ear monitors meant she could never really hear anything audience members yelled at her during gigs, and therefore interpreted all muffled noise only as praise. It's just as well, because about half a dozen songs into the show, a lone heckle began. 'EIGHTIES!' one man yelled, filling the brief silence between songs. And again, echoing through the theatre a couple of songs later: 'EIGHTIES!' Not even a 'play the hits,' or 'sing Only You ' (which she did, by the way). Just a barked, one-word order, reducing an artist's 40-plus-year career to the brief period several decades ago when she was a twenty-something, radio-ready pop star: EIGHTIES. Thank god she didn't hear it – but the rest of us did, and it momentarily soured the atmosphere at an otherwise stunning show, as fans lapped up a precious two hours with an artist who visits our shores all too rarely. And as the concert wore on, guess what happened? Moyet did sing the eighties hits, delivering Yazoo bangers Situation and Don't Go, along with her classic debut solo single, Love Resurrection, during an encore set that had the audience out of their seats and rushing to the front of the stage to form an impromptu dance floor. It's almost like she … knows how to structure her set, sending the show out on a high with her best-known songs rather than burning through them early? This entitled, 'just play the hits' attitude is common here in Australia. In 2023, the Red Hot Chili Peppers copped a fierce audience backlash when they dared leave Under The Bridge off the setlist during one of their Aussie stadium shows. resident RHCP superfan Jasmine Kazlauskasan leapt in to give an impassioned defence of the band amid a backlash that saw some concertgoers declare they'd never see them live again. More recently, Kylie Minogue's latest tour made its world debut here in Australia amid complaints from some fans that she was playing too much new material – and from others, that she wasn't playing enough. Moyet had even tried to tackle the issue head-on at the top of Saturday's show, warning the audience that a setlist comprised solely of faithful renditions of her early material would feel like 'bad karaoke' – something that holds no interest for her as an artist. Perhaps her heckler would've been better off staying home and doing some 'bad karaoke' of the 80s hits he was only interested in hearing.
Forbes
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Alison Moyet Celebrates Her 40-Year Solo Career At N.Y.C. Concert
Alison Moyet When the British singer Alison Moyet released her debut solo album Alf in 1984, it initially appeared daunting. At the time, she had severed her musical partnership with keyboardist Vince Clarke in Yazoo, which had achieved major U.K. success with their first two synthpop albums Upstairs at Eric's and You and Me Both and such hits as 'Only You' and 'Nobody's Diary.' But any concerns or questions of whether Moyet could succeed on her own after Yazoo's brief career were immediately allayed: Alf became a hit and kick-started an acclaimed career incorporating genres such as sophisticated pop, jazz and blue-eyed soul in addition to synthpop. To commemorate her 40 years as a solo artist, Moyet released her 10th studio album, Key, last October. That record featured reworkings of her well-known songs and deep cuts as well as new material. As Moyet indicated in a press statement about Key, she wanted 'to look at the trajectory of those decades and explore songs that, in their original form, were never fully realised or have had their relevance to me altered by time.' Alison Moyet at Webster Hall pn May 2, 2025. Alison Moyet at Webster Hall, May 2. That was also the focus of her current Key tour, which included a sold-out stop in New York City's Webster Hall on Friday. Supported by musicians Sean McGhee and Brendan Cox, Moyet presented a satisfying 90-minute overview of her solo music and a few Yazoo classics. Die-hard fans in the audience likely recognized certain songs from her rich catalog that were reimagined, such as 'Is This Love?' (which was rendered as a slow and smoldering ballad that contrasted with the very poppy original studio version from her 1987 Raindancing); 'Love Resurrection' (originallly from Alf and reinterpreted as a pulsating dance number); and 'It Won't Be Long' (a standout pop track from 1991's Hoodoo that was presented as an acoustic folk-country song). In addition to those popular songs, Moyet performed two new tracks from Key: the reflective 'Such Small Ale' and the eloquent 'The Impervious Me.' Alison Moyet at Webster Hall pn May 2, 2025. Of course, the only material not reworked for this show was from her time in Yazoo; they were in their original form from the lovely ballad 'Only You' and sublime 'Nobody's Diary' to the banging hypnotic dance numbers 'Situation' and 'Don't Go.' the latter closing the night on a high. Certainly, time had not diminished Moyet's rich and soulful voice since her Yazoo days—her performance of the anguished and haunting ballad 'This House' was a showstopping moment, in particular. Overall, she was in fine and commanding form at Webster Hall for a night to celebrate one of the most durable careers in pop music. Setlist: Fire More Such Small Ale Nobody's Diary The Impervious Me So Am I Can't Say It Like I Mean It This House Changeling Beautiful Gun Only You It Won't Be Long Dorothy Is This Love? All Signs of Life Footsteps All Cried Out Whispering Your Name Encore: Situation Love Resurrection Don't Go
