Popular Electronics, 1970–1982
Vol. 33, no. 3 from September 1970 was the first issue to feature the new design.
Popular Electronics was “started by Ziff-Davis Publishing Company in October 1954 for electronics hobbyists and experimenters. It soon became the ‘World’s Largest-Selling Electronics Magazine’ […] Popular Electronics was published until October 1982 when, in November 1982, Ziff-Davis launched a successor magazine, Computers & Electronics.”
Vol. 33, no. 3 from September 1970 introduced a new design, featuring Trooper Roman for the logo and as the main display typeface on the cover, accompanied by various styles from Venus. Editor Oliver P. Ferrell commented on the new look:
Regular readers of Popular Electronics can scarcely fail to notice that many important changes have been made in this issue. Not only do we have a new logo design, there will be more technical content, more news, more state-of-the-art reporting, more new product mentions, improved typography and layout plus many other minor editorial additions and changes. The purpose of our “new look” in this magazine has been to aim its editorial content toward the electronics experimenter whose hobby interests are serious, challenging, and extraordi-narily motivated.
At that time – and until the end of the magazine – Edward I. Buxbaum served as the art director.
In January 1972, Electronics World (until 1959: Radio & Television News) was merged into Popular Electronics. The process started in the summer of 1971 with a new editor, Milton S. Snitzer, replacing the longtime editor, Oliver P. Ferrell. This is the cover of Popular Electronics including Electronics World, vol. 1, no. 1. The double name was abandoned again in January 1974. Additional typefaces include Filmotype Flyer and News Gothic.
![Vol. 7, no. 1 from January 1975 is arguably the most famous issue. From Wikipedia:
[It] had the Altair 8800 computer on the cover and ignited the home computer revolution. Paul Allen showed that issue to Bill Gates. They wrote a BASIC interpreter for the Altair computer and started Microsoft.
The secondary typefaces are and .](https://fiu-original.b-cdn.net/fontsinuse.com/use-images/N213/213552/213552.jpeg?filename=PE Jan 1975.jpg)
Vol. 7, no. 1 from January 1975 is arguably the most famous issue. From Wikipedia:
[It] had the Altair 8800 computer on the cover and ignited the home computer revolution. Paul Allen showed that issue to Bill Gates. They wrote a BASIC interpreter for the Altair computer and started Microsoft.
The secondary typefaces are ITC Grizzly and News Gothic.
Vol. 20, no. 10 from October 1982 was the last issue under the name Popular Electronics. Content teasers are set in ITC Avant Garde Gothic Condensed. The letterforms of Trooper Roman aren’t squooshed as in the previous issues.
Vol. 20, no. 11 from November 1982 was issued under the new name Computer & Electronics, formerly Popular Electronics. The use of Trooper Roman for the logo was continued by Computers & Electronics until the final issue in April 1985. The sans is Helvetica.
1 Comment on “Popular Electronics, 1970–1982”
See also Ben’s contribution about the MITS Altair computers featuring Tuxedo for the logo: