Technological "Firsts" at Westport Tech & Nostalgia Museum

Westport Tech & Nostalgia Museum displays nearly 60 iconic "firsts" in technological history —including first-generation, first-release, or historically inaugural consumer devices that defined entire categories. 

See the lists of "firsts" we exhibit below: 

AUDIO FIRSTS: 

  • Apple iPod 1st Generation (2001) - The First iPod 

  • Diamond Rio PMP-300 (1998) - The First Commercially-Successful Mp3 Player 

  • Norelco EL 3301 (1964) - The First Cassette Recorder Released in the United States 

  • Nina Simone “Wild Is The Wind” Original Cassette (1966) - The First Album Released on Cassette Tape 

  • “The Simon & Garfunkel Collection” Original Japanese CD Pressing (1982) - One of the First Albums Released on CD 

  • Dire Straits “Brothers in Arms” Original CD (1985) - First Album to Sell 1 Million Copies on CD 

  • Sony D-5 (1984) - First Portable CD Player 

  • Sony CDP-101 (1982) - First Commercially Available CD Player


COMPUTER INDUSTRY FIRSTS: 

  • Hewlett Packard HP-45 Calculator (1973) - The First Scientific Calculator with a Shift Key 

  • Apple PowerBook 170 (1991) - One of Apple’s First Commercially-Successful Laptops 

  • Apple iBook G3 (1999) - First Computer With WiFi Internet Capabilities

  • Timex Sinclair 1000 (1982) - First Computer Under $100

  • Commodore 64 (1982) - Best-Selling Single Computer of All Time 

  • Apple Macintosh 128K (1984) - First Commercially Successful Personal Computer to Feature a Mouse and GUI 

  • Texas Instruments TI-99/4 (1979) - First 16-Bit Personal Computer 

  • Osborne 1 (1981) - First Luggable Computer 

  • Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer (1980) - First BASIC Computer to Fit in a Pocket 

  • Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 (1983) - First Commercially-Successful Notebook-Style Computer 

  • Connectix QuickCam (1993) - First Commercially Released Web Cam 

  • Atari Portfolio (1989) - First PalmTop PC 

  • Casio IF-8000 (1986) - First Digital Organizer to Feature a Touchscreen 

  • WYSE WY-50 (1983) - First Mass-Produced Computer Terminal 

  • Compaq Portable (1983) - First IBM PC-Compatible Luggable Computer 

  • Commodore VIC-20 (1981) - First Computer to Sell 1 Million Units 

  • Apple Newton MessagePad H1000 (1993) - First Personal Digital Assistant 

  • Microsoft Excel 1.0 (1985) - First Excel Version 

  • Apple iPad (2010) - First iPad

  • Seiko DATA-2000 (1984) - First “Smartwatch” 



VIDEO/PICTURE FIRSTS: 

  • Sony Betamovie BMC-110 (1983) - First All-In-One Camcorder 

  • JVC VideoMovie GR-C1U (1984) - First All-In-One VHS Camcorder, First VHS-C Camcorder 

  • Sony Mavica MVC-FD5 (1997) - First Camera to Save Media on a Floppy Disk 

  • Polaroid Model 95 (1948) - First Commercial Instant Camera 

  • Apple QuickTake 100 (1994) - First Color Digital Camera Under $1000

  • Pioneer LD-700 (1984) - First Solid-State LaserDisc Player 

  • Panasonic DVD-L10 (1998) - First Portable DVD Player 

  • Sony Watchman FD-210 (1982) - First Television to Fit in a Pocket 

  • Pilot TV-37 (1948) - First Television Under $100 


COMMUNICATION FIRSTS: 

  • Motorola Razr V3 (2004) - Best-Selling Flip Phone Of All Time 

  • Apple iPhone (2007) - First iPhone 


TOY FIRSTS: 

  • Teddy Ruxpin (1985) - Best-Selling Toy of 1985-1986 

  • Texas Instruments Speak & Spell (1978) - First Commercial Product to Use Synthetic Speech 

  • Texas Instruments Little Professor (1976) - First Electronic Educational Toy 


VIDEO GAME FIRSTS: 

  • Mattel Intellivision (1979) - First 16-Bit Home Video Game Console 

  • Magnavox Odyssey (1972) - First Home Video Game Console 

  • Fairchild Channel F (1976) - First Home Video Game Console with Interchangeable ROM Cartridges 

  • Sega Dreamcast (1998) - First Video Game Console to Feature a Built-In Modem 

  • Sony Playstation (1994) - First Video Game Console to Sell Over 100 Million Units 

  • Sony Playstation 2 (2000) - Best-Selling Video Game Console of All Time 

  • Mattel Auto Race (1976) - First All-Electronic Handheld Video Game 

  • Milton Bradley Microvision (1979) - First Handheld Video Game System with Interchangeable Cartridges 

  • Nintendo Game & Watch “Ball” (1980) - Nintendo’s First Handheld Video Game System 

  • Nintendo DS (2004) - Best-Selling Handheld Video Game System of All Time 

  • Asteroids Cabaret (1979) - First Video Game to be Copyrighted 

  • Nintendo Virtual Boy (1995) - First Video Game Console with “Portable” Stereoscopic 3D Graphics 

  • GCE Vectrex (1982) - First (and Only) Video Game Console to Feature a Built-In Vector-Based CRT Monitor 

  • Mattel Power Glove (1989) - First Commercially-Available Wearable Gesture-Based Video Game Controller