Never close-throttle idle?

[Dan Thomas]

Exactly. I was once in the consumer electronics business. When VCR's first came out we sold them for $1600, but not very many. I remember when they dropped to about 1/2 that and we couldn't keep them in stock. We unloaded trucks every single day, restocking. When I got out of the business Walmart was selling VCR's for $39.95

Paid $700 for our first microwave oven in 1979. Now they're under $100. Adjusted for inflation, that would be about $30 in 1979 bucks, right? Lots of profit in the early days of a gimmick, I think.

I remember a friend, the owner of a small sawmill, buying an electronic calculator from Radio Shack in about 1974. Paid $99.95. It could add, subtract, multiply and divide. That was its total capability. It ate four AA batteries in about two hours. Had tiny red numbers. Now you can buy a scientific calculator that has 200 functions or whatever for seven or eight bucks. That might be $3 in 1975 dollars.

 

[Henning]

Not really, The first TV I watched cost 86 bucks.

And a new car was $1250...

 

[Jim_R]

Not really, The first TV I watched cost 86 bucks.

I said apples-to-apples. I can't quite do that, but I can still beat your price. You'll have to accept portable, color, and a remote control, though.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Supersonic-SC-195-7-inch-Portable-Digital-LCD-TV/42662676

Otherwise, you got me. Best I could come up with on short notice is this flat-panel, high-def model, but it comes in at a break-the-bank price of $100:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15.6-Naxa-NT-1508-12-Volt-AC-DC-LED-720p-Widescreen-HD-Digital-TV/45917323

 

[Henning]

I said apples-to-apples. I can't quite do that, but I can still beat your price. You'll have to accept portable, color, and a remote control, though.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Supersonic-SC-195-7-inch-Portable-Digital-LCD-TV/42662676

Otherwise, you got me. Best I could come up with on short notice is this flat-panel, high-def model, but it comes in at a break-the-bank price of $100:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/15.6-Naxa-NT-1508-12-Volt-AC-DC-LED-720p-Widescreen-HD-Digital-TV/45917323

You missed this 19" for $89

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Seiki-SE1...fault&beacon_version=1.0.1&findingMethod=p13n