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Does anyone know what kind of device this is? I found it in my late dad's stuff, probably from the 1970s. It has no number, type, model, serial number or anything else on it that could be used for identification, besides the IBM logo.

Picture #1

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Picture #2

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Raffzahn
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Congo B. Bongo
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    Lovely pictures. Looks like something out of Star Trek episode - TOS of course. It's funny how much industrial design has changed over the years. Back then this was certainly considered by the designers - and customers too - as the epitome of cool tech. – davidbak Nov 16 '20 at 19:23
  • From the pictures I would never make up that it is so tiny. From the Youtube video (link in the answer below) it appears to be about the size of a hand. I never imagined IBM made devices smaller than the siz of a typewriter. – Johannes Linkels Nov 17 '20 at 09:38

1 Answers1

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Classic IBM 224 Dictating Unit using a magnabelt, often called a Dictaphone, although that wasa trademark of a different company. Introduced in 1966 and sold in high volume and worldwide, way into the 1970s.

Seen here in action.

So while being from IBM, it's in no way computer related. They are still a common find. Only complete setups, including the microphone and all other accessories, in the original carrying case are a bit more rare.

Raffzahn
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    re it's in no way computer related. Well, the company is International Business Machines :-) – dave Nov 15 '20 at 16:56
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    For years before IBM went into the computer business, The IBM logo was associated with the punchclock where employees stamped the time-in/time-out on their time cards. – Walter Mitty Nov 15 '20 at 17:39
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    The IBM selectric typewriter was another business machine that was not a computer. – Walter Mitty Nov 15 '20 at 17:40
  • All true so far, but then again, this is RC.SE, and it is, as the name may imply, a computer related site, not an IBM related site - or did I miss something? – Raffzahn Nov 15 '20 at 17:54
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    @Raffzahn - but if you don't know it's not computer-related, you may have to ask here to find out it isn't. So, I think fair question, and you've appropriately answered it. – dave Nov 15 '20 at 18:28
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    @another-dave you might have noticed that I did not vote to close it - but simply mentioned that it's not computer related, which I think is a valuable information here. – Raffzahn Nov 15 '20 at 18:30
  • IBM also made rifles during WW2, mostly M1 Garands. – Robert Columbia Nov 16 '20 at 23:54
  • IBM did a lot of products for DoD in the 40s (and continued but.) One other thing is that Thomas Edison Sr. especially noted that IBM as an american corp should and shall keep the markup really low. – Stefan Skoglund Nov 18 '20 at 21:56
  • The plant in Poughkeepsie got an Excellence award for it's production of: 20 mm aircraft guns, automatic Browning rifles, the Garand, parts to superchargers, aircraft air compressors. According to Thomas W himself, IBM produced 38 whole munition products and 99 development programs. https://www.mbiconcepts.com/ibm-and-world-war-ii.html – Stefan Skoglund Nov 18 '20 at 22:03