Shown here is the Satellaview (サテラビュー) satellite modem add-on for the Super Famicom.😎🤘 It was released on April 23, 1995 and was only available in Japan. Nintendo partnered with satellite radio company St.GIGA so players could download games, digital magazines, and other content from satellite broadcasts. This gave players the option of downloading, instead of purchasing cartridges. It plugged into the Super Famicom’s bottom expansion port (like a 64DD). The unit added 1 MB of ROM and 512 KB of RAM. You also needed: • A BS (broadcast satellite) tuner and dish (buy or rent from St.GIGA) • The included BS-X cartridge (Sore wa Namae o Nusumareta Machi no Monogatari — “The Town Whose Name Was Stolen”), which served as both BIOS and an EarthBound-style town menu. • An 8 Mbit Memory Pack that slotted into the top of the BS-X cart to store downloaded games. A bundled AV selector let you switch between the Super Famicom and regular satellite TV on one input. Broadcasts ran in scheduled blocks (originally 4–7 p.m., later expanded), branded as “Super Famicom Hour.” During those windows you walked around the BS-X town, entered buildings, and downloaded whatever was being transmitted that day and only accessible while the live broadcast was on. Yet another very cool Japan only add-on unit from the 1990’s.😎🤘#Nintendo #SuperFamicom #SNES #Satellaview #retrogaming

In 2001, Sony released an i-mode connection cable (SCPH-10180) in Japan. The cable would plug into a PS1 controller port to link the console with compatible mobile phones, providing basic network and data transfer services. It initially supported connections with NTT Docomo's mobile service. Sony had big plans to expand coverage using other carriers. A cool gadget from the early 2000’s.😎🤘#Sony #PS1 #retrogaming