Forget "the cloud," in 1983, data storage was apparently something you kept next to your lint and spare change. This digital flasher is the hero we didn't know we needed, offering the sketchy thrill of a back-alley deal for hardware that has less processing power than a modern-day smart toaster. Look at the sheer confidence in those black-rimmed glasses. He’s not selling "watches" or "luxury perfumes"; he’s hawking a Mattel Aquarius, a computer so "powerful" its own box basically apologized for it. The vibe is very "Psst, kid, want to try some 8-bit BASIC?" It’s the ultimate 80s fever dream: a world where the sidewalk economy was fueled by chiclet keyboards and the $300 price point was a revolutionary bargain rather than the cost of a mid-range pair of headphones. Truly, nothing says "The Best and The Worst" of technology like a man who needs a reinforced spine just to carry his inventory to the bus stop.
Front Cover, April 1983 issue of Creative Computing.
