Nostalgic Tech Consumers Once Couldn’t Live Without

Released in: 2007
Manufactured by: Canon, Sony, etc.

By 2007 DVDs were in their prime, and lugging around camcorders with tapes was quickly becoming a thing of the past. Tech companies thought they could get a slice of the pie by coming up with a trio of direct-to-DVD camcorders. They weren’t cheap to buy though, starting at $399. 

/Wikimedia Commons

Of course, smartphones and other handheld camera technology were soon to follow, meaning that camcorders on the whole were eventually seen as obsolete. Now, everyone can record clips on their phone and send them across the world at just the click of a button. 

Released in: 1990
Manufactured by: Sega

The world of gaming has changed dramatically over the years. Back in the early days, consoles like the Sony Playstation would’ve seemed otherworldly. But back in 1990, kids were busy playing with Sega’s hand-held Gamegear. The Game Boy competitor was hugely popular at first, with over 300,000 units sold in its first week. 

Sega Gamegear ©vsop / Shutterstock.com

Nothing good lasts forever though, especially in a business with such fierce competition. After seven fruitful years the Gamegear was discontinued. These days it barely gets an honorable mention, falling largely in the shadow of the Game Boy. 

Released in: 1974
Manufactured by: Motorola

In today’s busy world there are multiple ways for us to communicate with each other. As long as we have smartphones we can email, text, and even locate someone on a map. Back in 1974, the only hope you had of getting in touch with someone was beeping them on a pager – if they had one. 

Pagers ©maradon 333 / Shutterstock.com

Ten years after Motorola first released the product in 1974, 22 million people were using them. Fast forward to 1994 and over 61 million people had a pager. It may seem silly to think about, but these little devices helped pave the way for modern communication.

Released in: 1972
Manufactured by: IBM

Floppy discs may seem like a grotesquely old way to share data now in a world where we can do so with just the click of a button – but back in the early days of computing, they were gold. Originally created by IBM in 1972, the products became increasingly popular everyday items. 

Floppy Discs @The 8-Bit Guy / Youtube.com

By 1990, the Berkshire Hathaway-owned company was selling 5 billion units per year, making it an incredibly lucrative business. These days, the likelihood of even seeing one laying around an office is about as rare as winning the lottery. They became defunct as the years rolled by.

Released in: 1999
Manufactured by: Blackberry Limited

When Blackberry launched its first device in 1999, it bridged the gap between business and cell technology. It was essentially a personal assistant that helped you keep track of everything from emails and beyond, but it could also be used for your social life. 

Blackberry ©ebay.com

Blackberry soon took the world by storm, making the 2000s its own by offering further developments including the free messaging service BBM. In 2022, Blackberry was retired as a brand, marking the end of an era.

Released in: 1992
Manufactured by: Pipex

Kids today have no idea how lucky they are. With fiber optic broadband Internet connections, getting on the web is quick and doesn’t involve buying up your phone line. When dial-up modems were first released back in 1992 by Pipex, they were the coolest thing ever – but impossibly slow. 

Analog and Dial-Up Modems ©Reddit.com

While trying to establish a connection, users had to hope and pray that no one would call the landline as you’d have to start all over again. If we only knew back then that things would advance so quickly over the next twenty years, those hours spent trying to access a webpage may not have hurt so much. 

Released in: 1957
Manufactured by: IBM

IBM has been at the helm of some of computing’s most impressive breakthroughs. Back in 1957, they released the first dot matrix printer. Unlike modern printers we know today, these printers used low-res dot matrices that rely on an ink-soaked ribbon, similar to typewriting. 

Dot matrix pronter @PIYAWAT WONGOPASS / Shutterstock.com

With the rise in laser printing and the development of other, more efficient technology, dot printing machines eventually became extinct. They might be gone, but there are still plenty of us that remember using one in our offices back in the day! Laser printing might be faster, but dot-matrix printers will always be the OG. 

Released in: 1985
Manufactured by: Nintendo

When Nintendo released R.O.B back in 1985, it certainly looked like the future had finally come true. This was in the age before big companies like Sony had made big advancements, so seeing a robot designed to help make the gaming experience better was enthralling. 

nintendo r.o.b. @u/BFarr14 / Reddit.com

R.O.B sold over 60 million units, delighting users with its unique design. However, R.O.B. didn’t live long, with only two games in the Robot Series: Gyromite and Stack-Up. At the time it was unlike anything anyone had ever seen, but even this wasn’t really enough to save it from fading into the dusty sands of time. 

Released in: 2004
Manufactured by: Oakley Inc.

By 2004 the thought of wearable audio systems should’ve died down, but Oakley still wanted a slice of the pie. They introduced the Oakley THUMP sunglasses that contained an MP3 Player that could hold up to 1GB. Amazingly, the product is still being marketed and updated to this day. 

Oakley Thump @pixostudio / Twitter.com

Oakley held the distinction of being the first audio player built into sunglasses, with handy flip up lenses for darker days or indoor use, so users never had to be without their music. By 2007, the range was costing anywhere between $249 to $349.

Released in: 2015
Manufactured by: Thync

Getting out of a funky mood can be difficult, but could it really be as simple as wearing a piece of tech on your temple? Well, Thync believes it is. According to the company, they have already sold thousands of their strange white triangles designed to stimulate parts of your brain using electrical currents. 

Thync Vibe @phillyvoice / Pinterest.com

Big publications like The Wall Street Journal and New Scientist were keen to explore the possibility, but some felt like it was simply a fancy placebo that wasn’t worth the money. Thync has yet to really crack the market.

Released in: 1984
Manufactured by: Sony

These days, everyone can play the songs they want to listen to on their smartphones by simply touching a button and being connected to the internet. Back in 1984, this was a novelty that could only be achieved by owning a Sony Discman. 

Sony Discman @wpk2k2k / Youtube.com

These incredible portable devices were the epitome of cool, and when they were first released the price reflected that. The first models retailed at around $300, but as they became more popular the price decreased. Over 400 million units were sold. 

Released in: 1986
Manufactured by: FujiFilm, Kodak

When FujiFilm and Kodak’s disposable film cameras first came out in 1986, they were fun for everyone. Families could use them on vacations without worrying about damaging a costly traditional camera, or teens could use them to take snaps at the mall. The thrill of getting the photos developed was also added excitement. 

Disposable Film Cameras @martinc5929 / Pinterest.com

At the height of their popularity, disposable cameras were selling upward of 23 million units per year. Although they are still available for purchase today and places like Walmart still develop film, most of us prefer to use our smartphones for the sake of convenience. 

Released in: 1961
Manufactured by: Buick

The 1960’s was all about flashy cars and making statements, so when Buick unveiled its Flamingo at the General Motors Motorama in 1961, the world was shook. The sleek, bright pink motor was actually a custom painted Electra 225 convertible that looked like it came straight from Barbie’s Dreamhouse. 

1961 Buick Flamingo @Susy Thompson / Pinterest.com

Sadly for fans, the Flamingo next went into production and was purely an example of what the company could do with custom paintwork. Would it have sold many units if Buick had decided to roll with it? We’ll have to leave that up to your imagination. 

Released in: 2000
Manufactured by: Nokia

There are so many choices when it comes to smartphones that it’s almost impossible to think back to the early days of cell phone tech. In 2000, Nokia’s 3310 reigned supreme as the cell phone that everyone wanted. 

Nokia 3310 @TheSunOnline / Pinterest.com

Not only did it have incredible battery life, but it had things that other phones hadn’t had up until that point. Features like customizable ringtones and the much-loved game Snake set it apart. These days, it’s hailed as a true classic.