View Full Version : Nokia the oldest software/hardware company
still active in the world, beating Nintendo by 24 years.
Nintendo was founded in 1889, Nokia was founded in 1865, putting Philips now into third place, founded 1891, although Philips stopped the software/hardware side for the moment.
jb143
07-28-2009, 03:34 PM
I guess that would depend on how you define a software/hardware company...or when they became a software/hardware company. Becasue I don't think any of those companies started making electronics untill much much later, other than Philips, which I think started out making light bulbs. It is pretty amazing some of these companies have been around for so long though.
Greg2600
07-28-2009, 06:13 PM
I bet everyone thinks Nokia is Japanese, nope, started and still located in Finland. Technically Siemens is older than those, started in 1847, although they don't do much in gaming/entertainment. Milton Bradley dates back to 1860
Ed Oscuro
07-28-2009, 06:39 PM
Tom, you've got a funny sense of humor - citing a date before the introduction of the telephone as the founding of a software and hardware company. It wasn't a software and hardware company then so the point is useless. By this reasoning, if an ancient fishery merged with Nintendo tomorrow, Nintendo would automatically become the "oldest software and hadware company!"
The reason Nokia could be considered the "oldest" hardware company is because of the Finnish Cable Works' founding in 1912 (http://www.nokia.com/about-nokia/company/story-of-nokia/nokias-first-century). They later sold their own computers by 1960, which I'm sure trumps Nintendo's early mechanical / optical games by a ways. Nevermind that this was all industrial equipment for at least the next ten years.
They didn't merge with the rubber company and Nokia AG until 1969, the same year AMD was founded (and AMD has strong ties to previous hardware companies, at least through personnel, going back to the early 50s at least).
I would put forward Sega or Midway as old companies consistently in the hardware or software business - maybe some of the universities and governments who funded early hardware and software development (and games) too.
Bottom line, the oldest company that actually has been in the consumer gaming business is still probably Nintendo.
Wow, Milton Bradley started in 1860, shame they don't exist anymore though. Last video game was 1994?
Ed Oscuro
07-28-2009, 07:01 PM
Also, lest some international strife begin, I would like to note that Nokia getting knocked on its duff in a technology bid (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-ericsson_26met.ART.State.Edition1.4bdd03c.html) may have severe negative implications for the Dallas, Texas area.
Steve W
07-28-2009, 09:20 PM
Also, lest some international strife begin, I would like to note that Nokia getting knocked on its duff in a technology bid (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-ericsson_26met.ART.State.Edition1.4bdd03c.html) may have severe negative implications for the Dallas, Texas area.
Isn't it odd that so many companies have their company headquarters or North American headquarters around Dallas? I never knew Blackberry was local, for example.
Ed Oscuro
07-28-2009, 10:32 PM
Isn't it odd that so many companies have their company headquarters or North American headquarters around Dallas? I never knew Blackberry was local, for example.
I'm a bit jealous you guys have the Dallas Gaming Mafia, too (which seems to have survived, although changed since the early days due to mergers, layoffs, and subsequent rebandings).
'course Battle Creek does pretty good for its size :)