Did you think your old gadgets were destined for the landfill? Think again because today here is the exciting story of a true technological resurrection that will make you want to rummage in your attic.
Polymatt, a retro-computing enthusiast, has achieved the feat of bringing a tablette IBM ThinkPad de 1993 which seemed definitively doomed. You will see, it is a real work of art which deserves our attention!
Imagine that this tablet, a real museum piece, arrived in the hands of our hero of the day in catastrophic condition. Cracked screen, battered case, tired components… In short, the kind of device that even the most optimistic of DIY enthusiasts would probably have thrown in the trash with a muttered prayer. But not our friend, who saw this as a challenge worthy of his measure!
For fans of technical details, here are some specifications that will make you smile: a processor that is measured in MHz (not GHz!), RAM that is measured in MB, and a monochrome screen that will remind you of the glory days of the Game Boy. But make no mistake: in 1993, this tablet represented the pinnacle of mobile technology, with its stylus and touch interface that already heralded the era of modern tablets.
To give you an idea of the challenge, imagine yourself facing a 30-year-old device, whose spare parts are as rare as a 386 processor in good working order. The first good surprise was that despite its deplorable condition, the tablet still showed some signs of life: the touch screen responded to the stylus and the backlight worked… more or less.
But the LCD screen was seriously damaged and had to be replaced. And this is where the most impressive part of this restoration begins. Our tinkerer managed to find a 9.4-inch dual-scan monochrome LCD screen which, by a happy coincidence, had dimensions close enough to be suitable. Of course, nothing was plug-and-play at the time, so a custom mount had to be designed to accommodate this new screen with the original housing and electromagnetic scanning sheet.
But this was only the beginning of a long restoration process. Between replacing the tired capacitors, repairing the wiring, repairing the batteries and meticulously reconstructing the case using 3D printing, our man had to demonstrate the patience of an angel and boundless creativity. He even took his attention to detail to the point of restoring the original stickers!
What makes this restoration particularly remarkable is that a tablette IBM ThinkPad de 1993 is a real rarity. At the time, these devices were niche products, sold in limited quantities. Each surviving example therefore deserves special attention, and this one was lucky enough to fall into the hands of a determined enthusiast.
If you are curious to see this restoration in action, I invite you to watch this video which documents the entire process:
Another great success for the preservation of IT assets !
So the next time you come across an old electronic device, take the time to think before throwing it away. Maybe you can fix it?
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