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Ed Smith

Vintage Video Game & Computer Designer

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Ed Smith Biography

Ed Smith got the technology bug early on in life, repairing appliances for the folks in the neighborhood. Smith attended Westinghouse Technical High School for Electronics and studied Marketing and Computer Science and Pace University. After studying microprocessor technology at Fairchild while developing traffic control signals at traffic control company Marbelite, the computer bug hit Smith at the age of 21. He would read Popular Electronics, Popular Mechanics and Omni magazines to stay caught up in a whirlwind of technological change. Smith’s first home was Radio Row on Canal Street, NY and his second home was Radio Shack.

By 1976, Smith was hired by APF Electronics in New York to work on the next generation video game after the success of TV Fun - a variation of Pong. Smith’s role at APF included collaboration on hardware design, building the prototypes as well as Joystick and I/O port design for the MP1000 video game. The MP1000 competed directly with Atari, Magnavox and Coleco during the first generation of cartridge-based games. By 1978, Smith and the APF design team leveraged the processing power of the MP1000 and the I/O design by him to add a computer console unit to the MP1000, creating the Imagination Machine personal computer.

Since his time at APF, Smith has been involved in almost every area of emerging technology with stints at Apple, Novell, Infosys Technologies and Kronos, developing global technology partner relationships that generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Smith worked with firms at the senior executive level in areas of Mainframe and Mini Computer Integration, Networking, Enterprise Application Development and Integration, Open Source Solutions, ERP, CRM, Workforce Management, Cloud Computing and Big Data amongst others.

Smith has worked with some of the top firms in the industry to deliver solutions that are seamlessly integrated. Some of the firms he has partnered with to deliver pervasive solutions to global clients include IBM, HP, Digital Equipment, Oracle, Microsoft, Infosys, Wipro, Unisys, SAP, Workday, Informatica, Tibco, Intel, Adobe, Amazon, Google and others. Smith has been engaged with over 200 software and hardware firms during his career. ​ Smith has been recognized for his early pioneering work in the video game and personal computer industry by numerous publications including Fast Company and Vintage Computing. He is listed as one of seven Black tech pioneers by PC Magazine. His book “Imagine That!” is now available on Amazon eBooks. Smith is an active speaker at corporations, high schools and universities across the country, telling his story of being a dreamer and overcoming almost impossible odds to escape the ghetto stereotypes and eventually be hired as an African American engineer in the early 1970s.

Speaking Topics
    • Vintage video gaming and computers
    • Early adopter of technology
    • African American in technology
    • Overcoming adversity in the tech space

Videos
Books
Imagine That!

Imagine That!

FAQs
  • How do I book Ed Smith to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Ed Smith for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Ed Smith, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Ed Smith or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Ed Smith

    Speaking fees for Ed Smith, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Ed Smith are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Ed Smith, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Ed Smith speak about?

    Ed Smith is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business, Computer Science, Diversity Speakers, Innovation, Science and Technology, Technology Speakers, Virtual Speakers.
  • Where does Ed Smith travel from?

    Ed Smith generally travels from Orlando, FL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Ed Smith’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Ed Smith for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Ed Smith for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Ed Smith or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Check Availability

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Vintage Video Game & Computer Designer

Travels From:
Orlando, FL, USA
Speaking Fee:

Ed Smith Biography

Ed Smith got the technology bug early on in life, repairing appliances for the folks in the neighborhood. Smith attended Westinghouse Technical High School for Electronics and studied Marketing and Computer Science and Pace University. After studying microprocessor technology at Fairchild while developing traffic control signals at traffic control company Marbelite, the computer bug hit Smith at the age of 21. He would read Popular Electronics, Popular Mechanics and Omni magazines to stay caught up in a whirlwind of technological change. Smith’s first home was Radio Row on Canal Street, NY and his second home was Radio Shack.

By 1976, Smith was hired by APF Electronics in New York to work on the next generation video game after the success of TV Fun - a variation of Pong. Smith’s role at APF included collaboration on hardware design, building the prototypes as well as Joystick and I/O port design for the MP1000 video game. The MP1000 competed directly with Atari, Magnavox and Coleco during the first generation of cartridge-based games. By 1978, Smith and the APF design team leveraged the processing power of the MP1000 and the I/O design by him to add a computer console unit to the MP1000, creating the Imagination Machine personal computer.

Since his time at APF, Smith has been involved in almost every area of emerging technology with stints at Apple, Novell, Infosys Technologies and Kronos, developing global technology partner relationships that generated hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue. Smith worked with firms at the senior executive level in areas of Mainframe and Mini Computer Integration, Networking, Enterprise Application Development and Integration, Open Source Solutions, ERP, CRM, Workforce Management, Cloud Computing and Big Data amongst others.

Smith has worked with some of the top firms in the industry to deliver solutions that are seamlessly integrated. Some of the firms he has partnered with to deliver pervasive solutions to global clients include IBM, HP, Digital Equipment, Oracle, Microsoft, Infosys, Wipro, Unisys, SAP, Workday, Informatica, Tibco, Intel, Adobe, Amazon, Google and others. Smith has been engaged with over 200 software and hardware firms during his career. ​ Smith has been recognized for his early pioneering work in the video game and personal computer industry by numerous publications including Fast Company and Vintage Computing. He is listed as one of seven Black tech pioneers by PC Magazine. His book “Imagine That!” is now available on Amazon eBooks. Smith is an active speaker at corporations, high schools and universities across the country, telling his story of being a dreamer and overcoming almost impossible odds to escape the ghetto stereotypes and eventually be hired as an African American engineer in the early 1970s.

Ed Smith Speaking Topics

    • Vintage video gaming and computers
    • Early adopter of technology
    • African American in technology
    • Overcoming adversity in the tech space

Ed Smith Videos

  • Celebrating Ed Smith
  • The Imagination Machine with Ed Smith - The Retro Hour EP229 ...

Ed Smith Books

FAQs on booking Ed Smith

  • How do I book Ed Smith to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Ed Smith for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Ed Smith, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Ed Smith or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Ed Smith

    Speaking fees for Ed Smith, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Ed Smith are $10,000 - $20,000 for live events and under $10,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Ed Smith, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Ed Smith speak about?

    Ed Smith is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Business, Computer Science, Diversity Speakers, Innovation, Science and Technology, Technology Speakers, Virtual Speakers.
  • Where does Ed Smith travel from?

    Ed Smith generally travels from Orlando, FL, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Ed Smith’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Ed Smith for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Ed Smith for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Ed Smith or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best, unbiased speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.

Ed Smith is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as. The estimated speaking fee range to book Ed Smith for your event is $10,000 - $20,000. Ed Smith generally travels from Orlando, FL, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Brenda Louise Romero, Dominick Evans, John Romero, Maxwell Planck and Lisette Titre-Montgomery. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Ed Smith for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Ed Smith Speaking Topics

    • Vintage video gaming and computers
    • Early adopter of technology
    • African American in technology
    • Overcoming adversity in the tech space

Ed Smith Speaker Videos

  • Celebrating Ed Smith
    The Imagination Machine with Ed Smith - The Retro Hour EP229 ...

Tell us about your event!

During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

  • Customized Service

    Our agents find the right fit for your event

  • Unparalleled Database

    Full access to all speakers & celebrities

  • One Stop Shopping

    A reliable and unbiased point of contact

  • Logistics Management

    Your personal Logistics Manager who takes care of all event details

Speakers Similar to Ed Smith

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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