Comments on: RadioShack & The DIY Community: 2012 Update

By: Yngram

Yngram — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:21:30 +0000

I think the biggest thing if you really want to move forward in this arena (one that you once owned and honestly I thought you were out of entirely) is education. I here a lot of people bemoaning the fact you don’t have a Mouser or digikey selection and really never did. But honestly if they were well educated they would realize that the components you once carried were enough to do a lot. You don’t carry the bridge reflector I need to prototype this?? then I’ll get these 4 diodes. Don’t have the bread board to support this lead thickness then I’ll solder leads on.

You want a small parts robot in each store… something that is cool to watch, but something that can carry a lot of small packages and dispense them easily taking up a lot less space then shelves or peg boards. and something that unlike drawers depth is not a real problem. look at all the glass front vending machines that kids get ice cream from because they get to see the vacuum hose pickup their ice cream for them.

You need a partner??? Talk to your local schools and PTAs if the kids in middle school know how to make things that look cool and attach to their iphones, androids, etc then they will and some of them will continue on to do real electronic engineering. When the Air Force wanted to push aerospace education they went to the Civil Air Patrol and made it a mandate to teach to the Air Cadets. If you get the knowledge into the brains of the young we all win. (if you get them thinking of you when they are looking for knowledge you win)

By: Chris M

Chris M — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 06:24:50 +0000

I’m 37 now but grew up with you guys and only you had what anyone wants to learn. You have come a long way. As long as you keep it nerdy and real. I’m buying one of those boards tomorrow.

By: Stan

Stan — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 19:00:11 +0000

I miss the 3909 led driver.

I had awesome battery life

By: Lloyd H

Lloyd H — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 11:16:53 +0000

Put back a larger selection of parts like resistors,caps,diodes,etc. RS was famous for as well as the neat kits that you used to sell…remember Knight Kits???

By: Lauren Blais

Lauren Blais — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 02:35:57 +0000

wow, I’m not sure how long I have been oblivious to the new DIY inventory at Radio Shack, but let me say that you have One More Customer that will no doubt be spending a lot of time and money on the things that will keep my kids doing fun learning and perhaps up to speed with the rest of those tech communities across the globe…keep it up…KEEP IT UP!!!

By: Glen VanDenBiggelaar

Glen VanDenBiggelaar — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:52:03 +0000

With the whole “retro” thing in full swing, and the fact that many of us grew up on the humble CoCo, I think it would be great if Radio Shack brought “back” the CoCo in a DYI kit form.
On e-bay right now (http://www.ebay.ca/itm/TRS-80-COLOR-COMPUTER-UNASSEMBLED-FACTORY-KIT-ULTRA-RARE-RADIO-SHACK-NEW-/251211620665?roken=bUp7jY#ht_955wt_1414)
there is a CoCo 2 that apparently came from the factory in a DYI kit form.
I think a CoCo 3 might be a bit hard (but totally Awesome), to get the GIME and custom chips, but a CoCo 2 could use all socketed chips. Its very “doable” as I believe most. if not all chips are still available on the market, but you could always get Jerry (Heep) and the boys in the lab to tweek it

By: Louis Ciotti

Louis Ciotti — Thu, 27 Dec 2012 13:07:06 +0000

One more idea… Bring back the “Realistic” brand of consumer electronics, but have it be all 100% made in the US electronics focused on quality and long life.

By: Deborah Curran

Deborah Curran — Mon, 24 Dec 2012 00:23:13 +0000

I can’t think of a thing that you don’t already carry. I lost 1/3 of my home to Hurricane Sandy but more importantly I almost lost all of my office. I was able to save desktops but not monitors, keyboards, and all the various wires needed. But I was able to find everything I needed at Radio Shack – your guys were so helpful and informative. Even when I couldn’t get online via wifi – back I went and they told me exactly what to buy and how to hook it up. Even my tv flooded. Now I need a new ATT cell phone and guess where I plan on buying it – yep – Radio Shack since you have been there for me so much. Thank you