Packard Bell Corner Computer

Packard Bell Corner Computer

Manufacturer	Packard Bell
Type	Home Computer
Release date	1995;30 years ago (1995)
Introductory price	US$1,299(equivalent to $2,681 in 2024) (without monitor)
Discontinued	1997;28 years ago (1997)
Operating system	Windows 95
CPU	Intel Pentium 75 MHz
Memory	8MB RAM
Storage	820MB
Display	Cathode ray tube Monitor/TV
Graphics	S3 Trio64
Sound	Aztech Sound Galaxy

Packard Bell Corner Computer was the popular name given to the models in the Executive Multi-Media range manufactured by Packard Bell in the mid-1990s, with a distinctive casing designed by the consultancy firm Frog Design to be placed in a corner. ^{[1] [2] [3]} This breaks with the usual trend of rectangular beige towers. ^[4]

They were originally marketed together with an infrared remote control so that they could be used as a multimedia centre. ^{[5] [6]}

However, despite the distinctive design of its casing, some critics focused on the fact that the cables and slots were located at the rear, preventing it from being placed perfectly in a corner, as it was necessary to leave a space or the position of the floppy drive and CD reader on the sides, preventing front use. ^{[7] [8] [9] [10]}

The pre-installed software included Windows 95 as the operating system, ^[11] along with Packard Bell Navigator, a program manager that sought to compete with Microsoft Bob. ^{[12] [13]}

References

1. "Designers gone wild: most bizarre functioning computers | CyberNews". Cybernews. 23 April 2021. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
2. "Project | VT-69 Handheld Terminal | Hackaday.io". hackaday.io. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
3. "Fascinating Look Back at the Strange Packard Bell Corner Computer from 1995". TechEBlog. 25 December 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
4. Estapé, Juan Antonio Pascual (7 February 2025). "Qué fue de Packard Bell, el fabricante de ordenadores que competía con HP y Dell". Computer Hoy (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 October 2025.
5. Archives, L. A. Times (11 July 1995). "Packard Bell PCs Add Another Remote to Pile". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
6. "Packard Bell introduces PC with remote control function". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
7. "Designers gone wild: most bizarre functioning computers | CyberNews". Cybernews. 23 April 2021. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
8. "7 Vintage Computer Designs That Give Me Nightmares". PCMAG. 28 December 2017. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
9. Farquhar, Dave (13 June 2023). "Packard Bell Corner PC". The Silicon Underground. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
10. "Packard Bell Executive MM 907 C". HomeComputerMuseum (in Dutch). Retrieved 22 October 2025.
11. Archives, L. A. Times (11 July 1995). "Packard Bell PCs Add Another Remote to Pile". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
12. "PACKARD BELL MULTIMEDIA: EASY DOES IT". The Washington Post. 26 April 1995. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 22 October 2025.
13. "Packard Bell Navigator". IT History Society. 15 December 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2025.

Bibliography

• Windows Panoráma, 1997 Computer Panoráma Kiadói Kft Internet Archive
• Power Unlimited - Jaargang 3, 1995, VNU Media Internet Archive
• "Packard Bell introduces PC with remote control function", page 44, July 11, 1995, Tampa Bay Times tampabay.newspapers
• Packard Bell PCs Add Another Remote to Pile, page 133, , July 11, 1995, The Los Angeles Times latimes.newspapers

External links

• Packard Bell Corner Computer: One of 1995's Strangest PCs (YouTube)
• Desktop Models Worth Seeking (Packardbell Store)
• YOU'D BETTER WATCH OUT (The Washington Post)