1970s Technology Trivia Quiz: Test Your Retro Tech Knowledge

How Well Do You Remember 1970s Technology? Take Our 15-Question Trivia Quiz

From Atari cartridges and VCRs to floppy disks, CB radios and the first handheld cellular phone, test your knowledge of 1970s technology with 15 questions.

Which home video game console, released in 1977, helped popularize interchangeable game cartridges?

Did you know? The Atari 2600 became one of the first hugely successful cartridge-based home consoles and helped turn video games into a mainstream household hobby.

Which portable music format became increasingly popular during the 1970s and could be used to make your own recordings?

Did you know? Compact cassettes became popular for both prerecorded music and home recording. Their popularity grew even more after portable cassette players arrived.

Which company introduced the Apple II personal computer in 1977?

Did you know? The Apple II became one of the first highly successful mass-produced personal computers and helped establish Apple as a major technology company.

What device allowed people to record television programs onto videotape and watch them later?

Did you know? Videocassette recorders changed television viewing by allowing people to record shows and watch them whenever they wanted.

Which arcade game released in 1972 became one of the first major commercial video game hits?

Did you know? Atari's Pong simulated table tennis with two paddles and a bouncing ball. Its success helped launch the commercial arcade video game industry.

Which handheld device became widely popular during the 1970s and began replacing the slide rule for everyday calculations?

Did you know? Falling electronics prices made handheld calculators increasingly affordable during the decade, rapidly pushing traditional slide rules out of everyday use.

Which computer storage technology used a flexible magnetic disk inside a protective sleeve?

Did you know? IBM introduced the 8-inch floppy disk in the early 1970s. Smaller versions later became standard removable storage for personal computers.

Which early computer network, first connected in 1969 and expanded during the 1970s, helped provide the foundation for the modern Internet?

Did you know? ARPANET connected universities and research institutions and became an important testing ground for networking technologies that eventually led to the Internet.

Which home-video format introduced in the 1970s eventually became the dominant videotape format in the United States?

Did you know? VHS competed with Sony's Betamax during the famous videotape format war and eventually became the dominant home-video standard.

Which company introduced the Betamax home-video format in 1975?

Did you know? Sony launched Betamax in 1975. Although it offered strong video quality, it eventually lost the consumer market to VHS.

Which device used a television screen and telephone line to let users communicate with remote computers during the 1970s?

Did you know? Early modems allowed computers to exchange data over ordinary telephone lines, laying the groundwork for later bulletin board systems and online services.

Which 1975 computer kit became a symbol of the early personal-computer revolution?

Did you know? The Altair 8800 appeared on the cover of Popular Electronics in 1975 and inspired hobbyists—including future Microsoft founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen.

What device increasingly allowed television viewers to change channels without walking over to the television?

Did you know? Remote controls existed before the 1970s, but electronic and ultrasonic models became increasingly common as televisions gained more channels and features.

Which type of two-way radio became a nationwide craze among American drivers during the mid-1970s?

Did you know? Citizens Band radio exploded in popularity during the 1970s, complete with slang such as “10-4,” “breaker” and “what's your handle?”

What technology did Motorola engineer Martin Cooper famously demonstrate with a handheld device in 1973?

Did you know? In 1973, Martin Cooper made a famous public call using a prototype handheld cellular phone—decades before smartphones became part of everyday life.