Gizmo
The retro-tech we loved and lost - a comprehensive illustrated survey of electronic gadgets.
Gizmo charts the evolution and genealogy of personal electronic devices, taking the reader on an illustrated journey through the amazing diversity of gadgets - classified by purpose and type, design, origins, colour and shape. The iconic, the frivolous, the utilitarian, and the unwanted inventions long consigned to the scrapheap.
The Book
We live in a world where many aspects of late twentieth century science fiction have become technological reality. As gadgets and technology have become more miniaturised, sleek and capable, so too has an appetite for the sort of quirky, retro tech that wistfully reminds us of earlier times.
This book sets out to provide a comprehensive survey of electronic and time-saving gadgets and devices, their evolution and genealogy - revealing where they come from and how they developed. In charting the diverse spectrum of gizmos by type and purpose, it uncovers the sometimes unexpected connections between them.
Finally, we discover how these technologies have become the nexus of our interaction with each other and the world around us - shaping creativity and culture, storing memories, helping, guiding and, increasingly, thinking for us.
Details
Pages
224
Format
Hardback
Publication
May 2026
