I Got an Intel Chat Pad Prototype

In this video, the host shares his recent acquisition of an Intel Chat Pad prototype, a relic from the late '90s to early 2000s when Intel was exploring the consumer electronics market. Allegedly a prototype, the device is missing critical components, rendering it non-functional. The host reminisces about Intel's venture into consumer products, including the Chat Pad, which was intended to provide wireless instant messaging and email capabilities. Despite its potential, the project was abandoned due to market competition and commoditization. The video offers a detailed look at the device's design, including its full keyboard, LCD display, and speaker, while speculating on its origins and the reasons behind Intel's exit from the consumer electronics arena. The host expresses his excitement about adding this piece to his collection of prototypes and invites insights from former Intel employees who might have more information.

Takeaways

• 🛍️ The presenter purchased an Intel Chat Pad Prototype, which was part of Intel's consumer products in the late '90s and early 2000s.
• 🔍 The device is missing a crucial part, making it non-functional, and the presenter only plans to showcase it due to the scarcity of information online.
• 📸 The presenter previously owned an Intel digital camera/webcam, which was inexpensive but had limited features compared to contemporary digital cameras.
• 🚀 Intel's Wireless Space Station allowed for wireless connectivity of various devices like keyboards, mice, and a game pad to a computer.
• 📱 The Webpad was a tablet device conceptualized by Intel, predating the iPad by about nine years, designed for wireless web surfing.
• 💬 The Chat Pad was an instant messaging device intended to provide wireless internet connectivity to a PC for instant messaging.
• 🛠️ The Chat Pad was never officially produced for sale and only existed as a prototype, with scarce online documentation.
• 🤔 The presenter is unsure if the device in their possession is an actual prototype or a pilot unit, due to the lack of typical prototype markings.
• ⏱️ The Chat Pad project was likely abandoned due to bad timing, with the market becoming commoditized and Intel's clients disliking competition from the chip manufacturer.
• 📐 The device is bulky and features a full keyboard, which was considered futuristic design for the time, despite being large by today's standards.
• 🔋 The Chat Pad has a speaker and volume controls, indicating it was designed with sound capabilities, but lacks a motherboard and other internal components.
• 🏞️ The presenter plans to keep the Chat Pad on display, acknowledging their limitations in attempting to restore or modify it due to a lack of electronics engineering expertise.

Q & A

What is the subject of the video?

The video is about a prototype Intel Chat Pad, a wireless internet instant messaging device from the early 2000s.

What was the purpose of the Intel Chat Pad?

The Intel Chat Pad was designed to provide wireless connectivity to a PC for instant messaging over the Internet.

Why did the presenter originally plan to do a full deep dive video?

The presenter initially planned a full deep dive video because they believed they could test the device using a base station they had purchased.

What was the issue with the Intel Chat Pad that prevented a full video?

The Intel Chat Pad was missing a crucial part necessary for it to function, making it impossible to test and demonstrate fully.

What was unique about the Intel Chat Pad's design?

The Intel Chat Pad had a full keyboard, a small LCD display, and was designed to be a messaging device without a mouse or pointer.

Why did Intel abandon the consumer electronics market?

Intel abandoned the consumer electronics market due to commoditization leading to low profit margins and pushback from clients who were also their chip customers.

What other wireless devices did Intel produce in the late '90s and early 2000s?

Intel produced a variety of wireless devices, including a digital camera/webcam, a wireless space station, and a tablet-like device called the Webpad.

What is the significance of the Intel Chat Pad being a prototype?

The Intel Chat Pad being a prototype suggests it was never mass-produced for sale, and only a limited number may have existed.

What is the current state of the Intel Chat Pad shown in the video?

The Intel Chat Pad shown in the video lacks a motherboard and other internal components, rendering it non-functional.

Why did Intel produce consumer products like the Chat Pad?

Intel produced consumer products to sell more of their chips and microprocessors, and also to capitalize on the growing internet market in the late '90s.

What does the presenter intend to do with the Intel Chat Pad?

The presenter intends to keep the Intel Chat Pad on display and may attempt to rig it up to operate, although they acknowledge their limitations as a non-electrical engineer.

Outlines

00:00

📦 Unboxing an Intel Chat Pad Prototype

The video introduces a prototype Intel Chat Pad, a relic from the late '90s to early 2000s. The presenter explains that they had initially planned a deep dive video but due to the device being missing a crucial part, they opt for a show and tell. The Chat Pad was part of Intel's suite of products, which also included a digital camera/webcam and a wireless space station. The presenter reminisces about owning an Intel digital camera and discusses the Chat Pad's intended use as a wireless internet instant messaging device. It was never produced for sale and information about it is scarce, with only trademark registrations and news articles available. The video also touches on Intel's venture into consumer products to sell more chips and the eventual discontinuation of their consumer electronics line.

05:01

🔍 Exploring the Intel Chat Pad's Design and Features

The presenter provides a detailed look at the Chat Pad's hardware, noting its intended use as a messaging device with no mouse or pointer. They highlight the device's full keyboard, which is comfortable to type on, and the presence of a speaker with volume controls, suggesting multimedia capabilities. The Chat Pad's design is discussed, with a focus on Intel's preference for translucent blue and white, their corporate colors. The presenter also mentions the device's portability and how it could be used anywhere in the house without tying up the family computer. However, they discover that the device lacks a motherboard and is non-functional without it. The video concludes with speculation about whether the device is a true prototype or a pilot unit and the presenter's decision to keep it for display purposes.

10:02

🤔 The Intel Chat Pad's Market and Cancellation

The presenter delves into why Intel might have abandoned the Chat Pad project. They suggest that the market for such devices became commoditized, reducing profit margins, and that Intel's clients, who used their chips, were unhappy with the competition. The presenter also discusses the potential reasons for Intel's exit from the consumer electronics market, drawing parallels with Texas Instruments' experience with calculators. They express excitement about owning a piece of tech history and invite anyone with knowledge about the Chat Pad from their time at Intel to share information. Finally, they decide against attempting to make the device operational due to the complexity of the task and their lack of expertise in electronics engineering.

Keywords

Intel Chat Pad Prototype

The Intel Chat Pad Prototype is a device mentioned in the video that was part of Intel's consumer product line in the late '90s and early 2000s. It is a wireless internet instant messaging device that was intended to provide wireless connectivity to a PC for instant messaging over the Internet. The video discusses its potential features and design, but it is noted that the device in question is missing a crucial part, making it non-functional. It represents Intel's attempt to innovate in the consumer electronics market during that era.

Base Station

A base station, as referred to in the video, is a device that the Intel Chat Pad Prototype would connect to in order to communicate with a computer. The base station acts as a bridge between the Chat Pad and the computer, enabling wireless communication. In the context of the video, the base station is significant because it was purchased with the intention of testing the Chat Pad's functionality, but the absence of a crucial part in the Chat Pad itself prevents this.

Wireless Space Station

The Wireless Space Station is a term used in the video to describe an Intel product that served as a hub for various wireless devices to connect to a computer. This includes peripherals like keyboards, mice, and the unique toilet seat-shaped game pad. The Wireless Space Station is an example of Intel's efforts to create a wireless ecosystem for consumer electronics in the early 2000s.

Webpad

The Webpad is a device mentioned in the video that was conceived by Intel as a tablet-like device capable of wireless web browsing, predating the iPad by about nine years. It represents an early attempt at creating a mobile internet device. Although not much information is available about the Webpad, it signifies Intel's forward-thinking approach to technology during that period.

Translucent Blue Design

The translucent blue design is a stylistic choice made by Intel for their products during the late '90s and early 2000s, as highlighted in the video. This design feature was part of Intel's corporate colors and was intended to give their products a futuristic and distinctive look. The video mentions that the Chat Pad Prototype and other Intel devices from that era, such as the game pad and webcam, shared this design language.

Prototype

A prototype, in the context of the video, refers to a preliminary model of a new product that is used for testing and development. The Intel Chat Pad Prototype discussed in the video is believed to be an early version of the product that was never officially released for sale. The term 'prototype' is significant as it indicates the experimental nature of the device and the fact that it may possess unique features or design elements not found in the final, commercial product.

Consumer Electronics Market

The consumer electronics market is the sector of the economy concerned with the development, marketing, and sale of electronic devices intended for everyday use by consumers. In the video, it is mentioned that Intel decided to exit this market abruptly, which is why the Chat Pad Prototype and other products like the Webpad were never fully realized or released to the public. The decision was influenced by factors such as market commoditization and competition with Intel's own clients.

Ribbon Cable

A ribbon cable, as noted in the video, is a type of cable with multiple conductors held together by a strip of insulating material. In the context of the Intel Chat Pad Prototype, the ribbon cable is a key component that, when disconnected, prevents the device from functioning. The video's host discovers that the ribbon cable in the Chat Pad is not connected to anything, indicating the absence of the device's motherboard.

Bulky Design

The term 'bulky design' is used in the video to describe the size and shape of the Intel Chat Pad Prototype and other devices from the early 2000s. It refers to the larger and heavier form factor of electronic devices at that time, which is attributed to the technological limitations and design trends of the period. The video contrasts this with the more compact and sleek designs that are common in contemporary devices.

LCD Display

An LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) is a type of display technology used in electronic devices to present information in the form of text or images. In the video, the Intel Chat Pad Prototype features an LCD display, which, despite being smaller than modern standards, was considered an advancement over the displays of the 1980s. The presence of an LCD display indicates the device's intended use for messaging and possibly email notifications.

Pilot Unit

A pilot unit, as discussed in the video, is a limited version of a product that is produced to test the design and functionality before full-scale production. The Intel Chat Pad Prototype could be a pilot unit, which would mean it was one of the few made before the decision to cancel the project. The term is significant as it suggests that the device may not be a one-off creation but rather one of a small batch intended for testing and demonstration purposes.

Highlights

The presenter purchased a prototype Intel Chat Pad, a product from the late '90s, early 2000s.

The Intel Chat Pad was intended for wireless instant messaging and web connectivity.

Intel's product line included a digital camera/webcam and a wireless space station for various peripherals.

The presenter's Chat Pad is missing a crucial part, making it non-functional.

Intel's webpad was a precursor to the iPad, capable of wireless web surfing.

The Chat Pad was designed to connect wirelessly to a PC for instant messaging.

The device was never officially produced for sale and only existed as a prototype.

Intel's venture into consumer products was primarily to sell more microprocessors.

The Chat Pad may have been a victim of bad timing and market changes.

Intel abruptly exited the consumer electronics market, selling off produced web pads to employees.

The presenter suspects that the Chat Pad in their possession might be a pilot unit rather than an original prototype.

The Chat Pad features a full keyboard, LCD display, and volume controls.

The device has a unique design with Intel's signature translucent blue color and rounded shape.

The presenter discovered that the Chat Pad is missing its motherboard upon attempting to power it up.

Intel's exit from the consumer electronics market was influenced by competition concerns and commoditization.

The presenter plans to keep the Chat Pad on display and is not attempting to restore its functionality.

The video is a show-and-tell of the Chat Pad, sharing its history and design with the audience.