Ask any of your fellow classic computer enthusiasts what they think of the VideoBrain and you're likely to get a bunch of blank stares in return.  The VideoBrain was an obscure and ultimately short-lived system, yet it holds a special place in computer history as the first cartridge based computer system (not video game system).

The VideoBrain was introduced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 1978 and was available for purchase at limited number of locations (such as the Macy's department store in San Francisco) in late February.  However the VideoBrain didn't start shipping in significant quantities until mid-March.  The VideoBrain came with a sculptured 36 key keyboard (with 71 distinguishable input symbols), 1K of RAM, 4K of ROM, two joysticks and sold for $300.  Built into the system where four programs: text editor, clock, alarm, and color bar generator.  New programs could be loaded into the system via cartridges which sold from $20 to $40 each with some of the specialty productivity cartridges selling for around $60 due to the extra ROM they required.  The VideoBrain could be connected to a printer, cassette player, or a modem through special expansion modules.  While it may not sound like much now, this was very impressive for early 1978.  When it was introduced at the Winter CES show that year the VideoBrain was widely praised for its abilities.

The VideoBrain library consists mostly of productivity and educational software, with few simulation and strategy games mixed in.  Most cartridges make liberal use of the keyboard even when it probably wasn't necessary.  This was not by accident, the keyboard was one of the main features that separated the VideoBrain from pure video game consoles like the Atari 2600 and was one of its main selling points.

Unfortunately a number of problems plagued the VideoBrain from the start and it was never able to gain a sufficient market share.  While most families own at least one computer today, back in 1978 they weren't well understood by the general public.  Not helping win people over was the VideoBrain's confusing and non-user friendly keyboard which was poorly designed and makes even simple typing a chore.  Another key to the VideoBrain's downfall was that it did not support the popular programming language BASIC.  Instead users had to settle for APL/S, an obscure and quirky programming language used mainly by mathematicians.  Compounding the problem was the fact that the APL/S cartridge was only available in small quantities at the very end of the VideoBrain's life (less than 100 cartridges were made).  The VideoBrain also had trouble finding a target audience with it's small program library.  Most of the available programs were either productivity or educational in nature with only a smattering of action titles and no third party support.  But what may have been the nail in the VideoBrain's coffin was lack of advertising and availability.  While game systems such as the Atari 2600 were sold in toy and department stores, the VideoBrain was mostly sold directly through the company via mail order although it was available through a few department stores (such as Macy's) for a short period of time.

While the VideoBrain may have been revolutionary for its time, its poorly planned and executed launch doomed the system to an early grave.  Production of the VideoBrain was shut down in March of 1979 with only around 5,500 units being made, making them a rare collectable today.