The Cidco MailStation is a series of dedicated e-mail terminals sold in the 2000s as simple, standalone devices for people to use to send and receive e-mail over dialup modem. While their POP3 e-mail functionality is of little use today, the hardware is a neat Z80 development platform that integrates a 320×128 LCD, full QWERTY keyboard, and an internal modem.
After purchasing one (ok, four) on eBay some months ago, I’ve learned enough about the platform to write my own software that allows it to be a terminal for accessing BBSes via its modem or as a terminal for a Unix machine connected over parallel cable.
A year old story, but come on, this is timelessly cool.
Enjoyed that one. Good read!
I remember these! They were advertised as basically the precursor to smartphones – an email and socialization platform that gave you Internet access without needing a “real computer.” My family had computers coming out the ears, with even my baby sister having her own 486 at the time, so I never got one, but I did like the concept.