Is this the Village People in street clothes? Pictured are Gene Frantz, Richard Wiggins, Paul Breedlove and Larry Brantingham, who invented the Speak and Spell. Unveiled at CES in 1978, the $50 toy became a huge hit and lead to several spin-offs. Eventually, TI spun off the entire unit. It was the first commercial device, according to TI, to use synthesized human speech .
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