I’m a huge tablet fan. One day soon, I’ll be able to do all of my work with my iPad and Magic Keyboard. I’ve owned tablets since the original iPad, Microsoft Surface 2, and the fire-sale HP TouchPad.
Because of this tablet affinity, I jumped at the chance to watch LGR’s YouTube video on the Samsung Pen Master from 1992.
Formerly known as Lazy Game Reviews, the LGR YouTube channel is a fantastic place to go if you love retro gaming, vintage computers, and more. His coverage of products like the Samsung Pen Master 386SL/20 is excellent for retro fans like myself.
One of Samsung’s earliest tablets, this thing was, by all accounts, a brick. At 5.5 pounds, it’s heavier than my MacBook Pro and iPad combined! But oh boy, is it beautiful. Take a look for yourself.
A Big Kahuna
First shown in 1991, the Samsung Pen Master 386SL/20 was announced for the low price of….wait for it….just $5,000!
Of course, as LGR points out, the Samsung tablet wasn’t the first of its kind, as similar tablet-style computers from now-defunct brands like Dauphin Technology, Grid, and Momenta were also shown at the same time. Of course, not everything LGR shows off on this 32-year-old hardware works, as its included 3.5-inch disk drive is long past its expiration date.
“Pen” Master
What makes Samsung stand out is that it was one of the first times I saw what would become the stylus. Today, it is known as the S-Pen, but in 1991, the “Pen” in Pen Master was battery-powered and could write all over the 10-inch monochrome LCD. As someone who uses the Apple Pencil daily, I’ve grown fond of the stylus idea even as Steve Jobs wanted to believe our fingers were good enough.
Operating System
Running the “Windows for Pen Computing Version 1.0,” the software was based on Windows 3.1 for desktops. The real highlight is the unsurprising addition of pen tools designed by Microsoft specifically for use with handwriting recognition programs. While it may have been advanced for its day, it looks downright archaic compared to today’s iPad and Android tablets.
This said, in 1992, LGR nailed it when he said this “was a glimpse of the future” as far as using the pen on screen. Whether or not the computer has enough power for the home user is questionable. Still, there is little question that businesses and professionals likely jumped at the opportunity to have a tablet/computer they could take on the go.
Too Early
As seems to be the case with Samsung products today, the Pen Master was a tablet that came out well before its time. The idea was sound, but LGR shows some issues, including the overall size, which made it too heavy to hold for extended periods. This isn’t a problem with the iPad, which I can hold for hours on end and not feel like I’m starting to cramp up.
Speaking of the iPad
Again, I’ll emphasize that I love tablets, iPads, and even a few Android tablets here and there. This is my perfect idea of computing, or at least what it could be. While the real future might be Star Trek-style computing (hopefully), it’s clear that tablets like the Samsung Pen Master had to walk so the Apple iPad could run.
In some way, I also appreciate how Samsung’s love affair with the stylus began in this era and has continued to this day. Rest assured, I firmly believe the smartphone and tablet world is better because of this.
Today, I value my ability to browse a desktop-level Safari browser on my iPad and the hundreds of apps and games I have installed. I’ll say it with a bit of trepidation, but I think I like using my iPad more than my smartphone; it’s just that my smartphone is smaller.
Check Out LGR
If you want to see more videos like this one, check out LGR’s channel. Over 1.73 million subscribers love the throwback videos about vintage computers. After the Samsung tablet video, I recommend watching the 1984 MacPhone for Apple’s Macintosh Computer video.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Sarayut Sridee/Shutterstock.com.