Version History
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Episodes
Overhead projectors: Turn around
This episode of Version History explores the evolution of the overhead projector, tracing its lineage from 17th-century magic lanterns to its peak ubiquity in 1980s classrooms.
LeapPad: Book smarts
This episode of Version History explores the rise and fall of LeapFrog’s LeapPad, a revolutionary educational toy that used a stylus and electrode technology to teach children reading.
Google Chromebook CR-48: Black box
Host David Pierce and guests Neel Patel and Marques Brownlee explore the origins of the first Chromebook, the CR-48, and the early development of Chrome OS.
OLPC XO-1: The price of free
This episode of Version History explores the One Laptop Per Child (XO-1) initiative, a project led by Nicholas Negroponte to provide durable, low-cost computers to children in developing nations.
TI-84: Monopoly math
This episode of Version History explores the rise of Texas Instruments' graphing calculators, tracing their evolution from 1960s prototypes to the dominant classroom standard.
Oregon Trail: Saddle up
Host David Pierce and guests Chris Grant and Philip Bouchard explore the history of *Oregon Trail*, from its 1971 origins as a mainframe text game to its 1985 Apple II revival.
Vergecast: ELIZA, the world's first chatbot
Host David Pierce discusses the history of Eliza, the 1966 chatbot created by Joseph Weizenbaum, with co-authors David Berry and Mark Marino.
The Clapper: Light work
Version History explores the bizarre legacy of the Clapper, a 1980s device that turned lights on and off via sound.
Philips Hue: The smart home’s light bulb moment
This episode of Version History explores the origin of Philips Hue, the smart lighting system that pioneered smartphone-controlled home automation.