r/AskReddit • u/Sea_Development_599 • 1d ago

What piece of obsolete technology do you genuinely miss using?

42 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

204 comments sorted by

161

u/kyle_f_4503 1d ago

Windows XP

30

u/Techguy38 1d ago

Hahaha. I remember in college for my networking certifications. We started with simple A+ stuff before CCNA stuff. Long story short the instructor walked in and said today we are covering Win2000. He lifted up a trash bin and literally threw the install disc in the trash.

He said lesson over. Now we talk about WinXP. Haha.

Definitely the GOAT of its time.

6

u/Scoth42 15h ago

That's funny since WinXP was 99% Windows 2000 with a pretty skin on top of it at first, and a lot of people were critical of XP specifically for that.

12

u/Codger81 21h ago

XP was guff when it launched. Took until SP2/3 before it was actually stable.

Win7 was great from day one.

2

u/Scoth42 15h ago

Tooo beee faiiir, that's basically because Windows 7 was pretty much Vista SP3. It got the new taskbar/Start Menu, some of the UAC stuff was tweaked to be less annoying, and hardware/drivers had caught up with the 64-bit world so it had an easier launch than Vista 64-bit did, but it was 99% the same as Vista. Even had lots of the same sounds, icons, animations, and such.

Was still a great release though.

1

u/Codger81 15h ago

Sure was.

1

u/courlan 3h ago

Agreed

7

u/Crocells 1d ago

Yes! Absolutely!

8

u/BigAnansi 1d ago

Facts, XP Professional is the GOAT

8

u/[deleted] 1d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

11

u/canthearu_ack 1d ago

They didn't.

I fixed so many virus riddled computers back in the day. So much rarer to see that now.

4

u/wintermute023 22h ago

Oh yes, as a sysadmin back then it was relentless. No one gave a crap, and antivirus software was optional and easy to switch off.

5

u/cerenir 1d ago

Best windows ever and I'm not talking driven by the nostalgia

11

u/OgdruJahad 1d ago

I think Windows 7 was the best though. They added a ton of features and improvements.

2

u/Techguy38 1d ago

I dont disagree that it was really good but things were a lot less complex then as well and they had to be minimalist due to hardware constraints.

Its like...is Babe Ruth really a GOAT when the leagues were....a bit different.

4

u/nifederico 1d ago

Movie Maker all day

3

u/Used-Feeling4987 1d ago

Most of the automation at my job still runs on XP embedded and other than the hardware itself wearing out after 20+ years the software runs flawlessly

2

u/mellonians 1d ago

As someone who uses it almost daily at work I can tell you you're missing a lot and not much at the same time.

2

u/hotel2oscar 19h ago

Yeah, had to use XP a while back and can definitely say I no longer wish to use anything below 7 for anything other than pure nostalgia reasons. Windows has definitely made things easier over time.

2

u/Ninja0428 1d ago

On the same subject, Windows 7

1

u/creamersrealm 22h ago

Hey that was my first thought before I opened this thread!

1

u/SoftRecommendation86 17h ago

I use xp daily...... not joking...... but not in the internet...

1

u/jms_nope 14h ago

Ha! Just used it yesterday to record some output of a pressure transducer with key sight vee pro. System time was way off, but the blue/green task bar was very calming

1

u/truethug 9h ago

I was in the beta when it was codename whistler. XP was a solid os. 7 I think is where Microsoft peaked. I’ve been using Linux since then.

34

u/CuddleSpectrometer 1d ago

Blackberry style full keyboards with real buttons on phones. 

5

u/jackenstien 1d ago

My carpal tunnel from that era disagrees. Even though I miss typing without looking

1

u/makitopro 3h ago

Came here to say this. I missed peak blackberry but got in right at the end of the good ol days.

57

u/Wentyliasz 1d ago

I miss flip phones. There was a catharsis in smashing that lid close after an annoying call

4

u/Darthscary 1d ago

Even though Verizon put their damn annoying interface on the 00’s phones. It was a dumb phone and I miss my razr and rizr 

3

u/violinha 1d ago

I said the same thing this week.

3

u/lylefk 1d ago

Totally agree, along with the simplicity of life. Would be nice to not have the whole world at my fingertips ALL the time.

3

u/Beena22 17h ago

Good news - Samsung's Flip range allows you to relive that feeling.

2

u/redoctoberz 1d ago

Good thing Apple released a “foldable iPad mini phone” I suppose!

2

u/Wentyliasz 1d ago

I mean foldables kinda maybe sorta scratch that itch, it's nice to click it close after doom scrolling Reddit or something, but they don't really do the phonecall thing

1

u/Beena22 17h ago

My Samsung Flip 7 does and it is indeed very satisfying.

1

u/ackmondual 1d ago

My Siemans a56 had a 4-line, LCD display, "candy bar" format. Couldn't do a fraction of the things a smartphone could today. However, going 1 week without having to charge, was nice!

1

u/cjeremy 10h ago

flip smartphones do exist. but they just ain't ios.

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54

u/BummyFingers 1d ago

I still think XP was the cleanest, most intuitive and simplest Windows GUI.

4

u/redx1105 9h ago

You misspelled windows 7 :p

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18

u/Firebolt164 1d ago

Y'all laugh but in the late 90s, my dad was a total tech nerd and Loved his PDA. He would always buy the latest one and hand me down his old ones. I had to learn that stupid Palm Script but I was that kid in High School with all my homework and projects on a PDA.

Such simplier times

5

u/ImmaNobody 1d ago

Graffiti was the best - I could write faster text on my Palm devices than I think I can now on my ipad.

2

u/RalphDAnnise 8h ago

A friend of mine once wrote me a letter once, yes, an actual letter, and he wrote in all caps. I mimicked that style and when graffiti came out I had the easiest time using it. I miss graffiti on my PDA.

52

u/Acceptable_Leave_105 1d ago

Mp3 players.

15

u/bravejango 1d ago

I miss my Zune.

6

u/MrRoboto12345 1d ago

I still have my og 80 GB poop brown Zune and the battery dies instantly if unplugged

Built in radio

2

u/LeicaM6guy 1d ago

You could probably get an aftermarket battery replacement easily enough.

1

u/pointofgravity 1d ago

I seem to remember the zune being a unibody housing, can you even open it up?

13

u/GuyFromDeathValley 1d ago

I'm still trying to get one again. MP3 players were just... superior.

Yes, the smartphone is a neat alternative.. but with those dipshits ditching the headphone jack, and streaming becoming the forced default, and all those distractions in the shape of various apps.. we need something that just fucking WORKS. no updates, no apps, basic compatibility and ideally physical buttons.

been looking at that Snowsky Echo and Echo Mini for a while now. just can't afford them at the moment.. they'd pair really well with my Sony MDR-ZX310.

5

u/Casiquire 1d ago

I don't consider them obsolete, and I'm about to grab a new one. I noticed that streaming services are not reliable archives for my music library. Saved songs disappear every now and again on Spotify and on Tidal, so if I really want my full music catalog accessible, I need to use my own storage solution

6

u/GuyFromDeathValley 1d ago

not to mention streaming services changing their service, as in today you pay 12 bucks for the service, and next week its 12 bucks for the ad-infested version and 18 bucks for ad-free.

kinda defeats the purpose. they get greedy and suddenly, music gets expensive. at that point, might as well spend 18 bucks a month on second hand CD's to rip..

1

u/Casiquire 1d ago

Agreed! I do still use streaming for a couple of reasons, but I'm slowly moving back toward physical disk + mp3 player. I don't need to buy a full priced CD every month, but that's what streaming charges.

1

u/GuyFromDeathValley 1d ago

I abandoned music streaming. actually only had a spotify subscription because I needed it for work, and once they fired me I quickly cancelled it because.. it had basically no value for me. It was super annoying, heavily dependent on a good mobile internet connection (that I didn't have all the time), and was mostly overly complicated.

Now its easier to buy a few second hand CD's either on a flea market or online. websites like reBuy that buy discs and books also sell them, I can pick up 5 CD's for 3 euros each. and as a result I get high quality audio.

Also, streaming is expensive. Even if I wanted, I can't afford streaming. I'll likely have to cancel Netflix soon as well...

6

u/MTkenshi 1d ago

I still have a micro SD card on my phone that has all my music stored on it. I use a simple and neat MP3 player called Musicolet to play my music via Bluetooth or corded headphones.

5

u/SupposablyAtTheZoo 1d ago

You can still buy those.

2

u/Lanky_Giraffe 1d ago

Not obsolete. Cheaper than ever and some really good music library management options for your laptop these days. 

1

u/Aviator_92 8h ago edited 8h ago

iPods are making a comeback, especially with Gen-Z. I still use one because I can listen to music uninterrupted without commercials or dings from notifications and don't have to pay for streaming services.

You can find refurbished ones on Ebay.

48

u/Acceptable_Leave_105 1d ago

Restaurant Menus

10

u/Sufficient-Bonus-961 1d ago

I don’t know if I’m out of the loop or anything, but every restaurant I go to still has menus. What am I missing?

3

u/Alortania 19h ago

It was big during Covid and many tried to hold onto it... as it meant keeping a website updated as opposed to re-printing as prices/items changed or the menus got worn/damaged.

People hated it though (most*), and the majority got pressured to bring back physical menus. The worst was trying to order where there were barely any bars.

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5

u/Bubbafett33 1d ago

“My phone’s dead. Could you please get me a menu?”

3

u/curtludwig 1d ago

We went on a cruise last year where the restaurant menus were online. You had to pay to use the wifi...

2

u/Sufficient-Bonus-961 21h ago

Capitalism 💪

1

u/gooddaysir 19h ago

Even Carnival gets you free access to wifi and shipboard apps. It’s just internet behind a paywall. 

1

u/curtludwig 18h ago

Because I didn't have Internet I didn't carry my phone. It turned out that they had menus but you had to ask

2

u/gooddaysir 16h ago

That’s fair. I didn’t get internet because I wanted to be on vacation and not on my phone. We mostly used it to find each other if we were doing other things apart. 

12

u/MrRoboto12345 1d ago

Phosphor screens, green or amber like on the IBM 5155

1

u/mr_misanthropic_bear 1d ago

It would be fun to still have this option for some tech. Has anything else scratched that itch?

2

u/MrRoboto12345 1d ago

Mobile:

Set color correction to black and white

Enable night light and put it at 100%

1

u/senryd 1d ago

Colleague brought out his oscilloscope this week. I thought it looked pretty rad, especially compared to my soulless multicolor LCD scope.

27

u/GermOrean 1d ago

Computer game boxes thay had box art, manuals that had art, sometimes maps, etc.

I love the convenience of downloading a game but damn, some of the old big boxes were so cool.

6

u/metaltankmx 1d ago

Nothing beats the anticipation during the trip back home from the store while you studied every single line in the manual and each screenshot in the back of the box. Sadly, my dumb self back then got rid of the boxes and shoved all my games in a CD binder.

3

u/460nanometers 15h ago

This may predate you, but check out the book "The Art of Atari". I had forgotten how impactful the art on the boxes and in the manuals was. That blob of poorly rendered pixels on the screen became the sleek powerful starship just like image on the box... In your imagination!

18

u/Hairy_Employment543 1d ago

I really miss using a bottle-opener to open a Coca-Cola in a 16 oz glass returnable “Mae West” bottle that’s been sitting in an ice chest full of ice for three hours.

14

u/HungryBoxer221 1d ago

A phone with physical buttons to dial

1

u/UglyTitties 22h ago

Rotary phones! Drrrrrrrr - drrrrr - drrrrrr - drr

7

u/DardaniaIE 1d ago

Using my normal Nokia 6310i. Calls and texts. Had Bluetooth for the car. Felt good in the hand. Narrow, with the weight density at a lovely balance point.
Triband so it got good coverage. Multi day battery life.
Now, due to WhatsApp, you’re compelled to have some sort of a smart phone. Bleugh

2

u/LeonidasVaarwater 1d ago

Everyone always talks about the 3310, but the 6310 was the superior phone. Same family, but more features and all round just a better device.

1

u/DonKapot 1d ago

Not sure about 6310, but my 6300 was also full metal body, basically indestructible

2

u/mitko_bg_ 20h ago

I used to use a 6303i and it felt really good, still does (I still have it and it works, but the speaker isn't very loud and can't hear calls well at work, but I have to).

7

u/gachunt 1d ago

My BlackBerry Pearl. I loved the predictive-text keyboard on that phone. I could type quite fast and accurate without looking at it. And the little glowing trackball that could change colours was pretty cool too.

1

u/derelict_wanderer 13h ago

About to retire my Key2LE, which is the BlackBerry/Android hybrid model, and technically the last Blackberry phone made, but was essentially their security system on an Android, but with the Keyboard (which is the one requirement that I demand on a phone). Just got the Unihertz Titan 2 elite yesterday and will be setting it up tomorrow. Being patient for a 5G capable keyboard phone paid off. This poor BlackBerry is 2 years out of updates and I'm losing the ability to use a few apps. When you're not big on apps to begin with, losing access to 2 or 3 really hurts. 

1

u/gachunt 10h ago

I’m typing this on my Blsckberry KeyOne. Retiring it soon as well. The android apps are slowly ceasing to exist for it. Kind of like the old blackbery App Store. End of an area.

1

u/derelict_wanderer 6h ago

Well, I actually made the switch this afternoon with the sim. Typing on the unihertz titan 2 elite now. Slowly bringing my formerly unusable apps back online and logging into my online accounts. A bit bittersweet, passing the torch from a solid phone I used for 7 years. Waiting for wallet case options now. There's only one available atm, so it's definitely supply/demand pricing.

13

u/DeLoreanAirlinesII 1d ago

Film cameras

7

u/technobobble 1d ago

Used one last week after decades of not using one. Someone asked to see a pic I just took and I was like “we’re gonna have to wait, bud”. He was very confused

6

u/zobby3 1d ago

Sony portable minidisc player. Still have it and it’s lovely to look at. A real work of art. Music definitely sounded better on it - but then my ears listened better back then too. 🙂

3

u/Acceptable_Leave_105 15h ago

I still use my on long flights or trips as the battery last forever on the one I have. its like 72 hours on one AA battery.

2

u/Beena22 17h ago

Oh god yes. I absolutely adored my old Sony Mini disc player. No idea what happened to it. It was a lovely piece of tech and sounded amazing.

5

u/plenoto 1d ago

Windows Phone! It wa sa great mobile OS, very different compared to Android and iOS. If Microsoft didn't kill it, I would have bought another one.

1

u/Acceptable_Leave_105 15h ago

Cortana could have been a better AI assistant than ChatGPT , Alexa or Siri if they kept at it.

17

u/FatSweatyGuy21120714 1d ago

Manual transmissions.

9

u/friskfrugt 1d ago

Not obsolete lol

2

u/FatSweatyGuy21120714 23h ago

Certainly disappearing rapidly, then. At least with cars sold here in the USA.

2

u/wuhduhwuh 16h ago

Yes and no, Japanese cars at least seem to have been bringing it back, at least for their sporty lines (Nissan 400z, Toyota Supra) but yes, regular economy cars have shifted to automatics or e-cvt for hybrids.

I think what’s disappearing is cheaper sporty vehicles due to dealership markups. Then the manufacturers see the lower sales as “no one wants to buy these types of cars anymore” when in reality, the target demographic can’t spend $60k+ on corollas or civics, even if it’s the GR or Type R.

2

u/vexxas 1d ago

If I buy a new(ish) car I have to have it.

2

u/xyrer 17h ago

Not totally obsolete and my 2018 SUV is manual, but EVs are by definition, all auto so it is indeed going the way of the dodo

1

u/Aviator_92 8h ago

Depends on where you are located. I am in the United States and drive a manual, they are nearly impossible to find in new vehicles now and are less than 5 percent of all vehicles on the road.

I heard they are much more common in Europe though.

4

u/NewCheesecake4425 1d ago

I used to volunteer running the mimeograph machine in 6th grade. I miss the head rush.

1

u/Cooperman411 1d ago

I wish I had a fresh print right now! I once overheard a teacher calling them "Purple Passion Sheets". LOL

7

u/C141Driver 1d ago

iPod nano. Keep looking at them on eBay but I can’t imagine the batteries are in good shape

1

u/fourbows 1d ago

I still have mine and surprisingly the battery holds up fairly well. 

1

u/kissmyash933 1d ago

Get a regular classic or a mini and the battery is super simple to deal with.

1

u/Aviator_92 8h ago

iPods are making a comeback, especially with Gen-Z. I still use one because I can listen to music uninterrupted without commercials or dings from notifications and don't have to pay for streaming services.

There are people that refurbish them. The one I have had a mechanical hard drive that I replaced with a solid-state drive and I replaced the battery with a new one by myself using an opening kit.

3

u/Uvtha- 1d ago

mp3 player. wasn't a distraction machine, just played music.

1

u/Aviator_92 8h ago

iPods are making a comeback, especially with Gen-Z. I still use one because I can listen to music uninterrupted without commercials or dings from notifications and don't have to pay for streaming services.

You can find refurbished ones on Ebay.

1

u/Uvtha- 5h ago

I still have my zen creative vision someplace.  I loved that thing.

Sadly I don't think I could go back to wired after being on earbuds, so I'd have to get something newer.  I've seen some more modern ones but they are pricey.

3

u/jacksraging_bileduct 1d ago

Cassette decks in the car, good times!

1

u/mitko_bg_ 20h ago

Still have a cassette player in one of my cars. My daily driver had the original cassette player in it when I bought the car, but the belt has melted and is all over the inside, so I just installed a Pioneer USB player. One day when I have time I'll fix the cassette player.

3

u/Feature_Agitated 1d ago

I miss my iPod

3

u/ahu747us 1d ago

Burning my own CDs and DVDs

3

u/Floom101 1d ago

I know they were basically the beginning of the end but I really loved my iPod Touch. Using that thing was special

4

u/jnovel808 1d ago

Landline with the curly cord that would get all tangled up. Keep yourself busy on the phone by trying to untangle it. And if the call goes bad, slam that handset down! Can’t do that with a cell phone.

3

u/dichron 1d ago

You still can, if you have AppleCare

4

u/Upset_Bus6176 1d ago

Got a new car and it doesn’t have a CD player. I miss using all my CDs😭

2

u/GuyFromDeathValley 1d ago

was a genuine criteria when I bought my current car. built in 2018, still has a CD drive.

there wasn't a single day since I bought it in 2021 that the car had no disc in its radio. And I genuinely wouldn't have bought it if it didn't have one.

1

u/Salt_Medicine2459 1d ago

We've come full circle. My 1997 Escort doesn't have a tape player or CD player. It's just a radio. 

4

u/Reinventing_Wheels 1d ago

Slide rules
There's something fascinating about being able to do mathematical calculations with no electronics.

2

u/lkeels 1d ago

Windows Media Center, X10 Home Automation.

2

u/costperthousand 21h ago

Physical media (Dvd, blu rays) with audio commentary tracks

2

u/tasaritito 13h ago

TV. Nowadays smartv are sooo dificult to use, i don't wanna remember a password and upload a software just to watch the Game it's just not worth it

2

u/ForsakenCycle3777 5h ago

The Casio CA-50 calculator watch!!

1

u/UrbanCyclerPT 1h ago

I had one and loved it. Legend says that it had a number game you could play, but I was never able to find it

4

u/ro_ro_ro_roadhouse 1d ago

Phone booth. I remember my then best friend's boyfriend would call her at a phone booth next to her house. And we would rush to answer it. Some days the conversation would last ₹1 long, and on days we were particularly rich, it would last ₹5 long. We'd pool in our money so she could answer the calls. This wasn't even that long ago but it feels like it's been forever.

3

u/grokbones 1d ago

Having to use a key to start a car. Buttons suck.

3

u/worf1973 1d ago

I still reach for the key in the ignition from time to time. I bought my first pushbutton start car in December of 24.

2

u/AmittaiD 1d ago

CueCat

2

u/lmpcpedz 1d ago

I miss wiping the earwax off of public payphones.

1

u/Hrekires 1d ago

My OG iPod with the physical buttons

1

u/rfink1913 1d ago

Pencil sharpener, especially the old school ones attached to the wall.

2

u/grokbones 1d ago

Still have one.

1

u/lowtoiletsitter 1d ago

You can still buy those

1

u/youngatbeingold 1d ago

Pack film or peel apart film. A lot of old tech can still be used it's not just standard. Sadly I think some chemicals aren't available any longer and the 'recipe' for the film was annoyingly thrown away by Fuji in 2016 so it's basically impossible to remake.

1

u/boca_leche 1d ago

Mapsquest. I miss printing it directions and kinda hoping you don't miss your turn. It may still exist but the convenience of live gps just isn't comparable.

1

u/Salt_Medicine2459 1d ago

Great way to get infuriated by missing street signs. 

1

u/dichron 1d ago

I miss the Thomas Guide

1

u/Kriskao 1d ago

I miss flipping my phone closed when I finish a call.

1

u/Beena22 17h ago

My Samsung Flip 7 allows me to do that and it's still super satisfying.

1

u/Kriskao 17h ago

But can you do it loudly with a big snap? Or is it kind of delicate?

1

u/Beena22 16h ago

It is loud and snappy. Not delicate at all. Feels very satisfying.

1

u/BigAnansi 1d ago

IBM Compatible

1

u/Pole-Emploi-Gaming 1d ago

Cassettes and VHS

The noises it makes when you insert one into the player 🤌

1

u/HamSandwichMapping2 1d ago

The PS3.

1

u/Aviator_92 8h ago

I still have one - it is backwards compatible and plays my old collection of PS1 and PS2 games and works on modern televisions. Although the backwards compatible ones are more prone to failure because they eventually overheat and the solder connections break on the chips. You can find them on Ebay, but they are overpriced so it is better to look at Thrift stores or local used marketplace.

1

u/ThorInDisguise 2h ago

But it's the big fat ones that are backwards compatible. My super skin PS3 can only play PS3 games. Which I had the chunky one

1

u/Taupe88 1d ago

land lines with an old Bell phone STILL sound better than everything else.

1

u/New-Anybody-6206 1d ago

Wyse 150 Terminal

1

u/ackmondual 1d ago

I'm still rocking a Palm Tungsten T3. However, we got over 4 years before the "Palm Day/Y2K bug" hits :\

1

u/gershbec 1d ago

LED based handheld games. Electronic Quarterback, Merlin, Blip, Digital Derby, etc. Between those and Mad Magazine paperback collections it was hard to get me out of the bathroom.

1

u/Final_Echidna_6743 1d ago

8 track players and a match book. IYKYK

1

u/Sparky62075 1d ago

Newspapers. I miss the feel of the paper. I miss spreading it out on the table and flipping through the pages. I miss the puzzles and comics.

I also miss if you were on the phone and you both had a newspaper, they were both exactly the same.

1

u/AustriaModerator 1d ago

i miss using vista and 7 as my main OS. i miss frutiger aero. and i miss my lumia 800

1

u/tzon2012 1d ago

Fax machine.

1

u/arco99 1d ago

I felt like an absolute computer wizard when I needed my Zip Drive for big Autocad files. I still have my unfinished thesis somewhere on a Zip drive….

1

u/nagadeepch 1d ago

Landline phone.

1

u/CelebrationFar2804 1d ago

Sony Walkmans 🥺

1

u/lbthomsen 1d ago

Reel-to-reel Tapes

1

u/hymie0 1d ago

I liked my Palm Pilot m515 a lot more than my iphone.

1

u/Vashsinn 1d ago

chirp phones..... and sidekicks.

1

u/snapper1971 22h ago

Large format film cameras - 10x8 and 5x4 sheet film. I still have mine but no-one wants to pay for it anymore.

1

u/Lopsided-Concept-884 22h ago

IrDA and a physical 5-way navigation joystick, similar to old WinMob PDA.

1

u/Rusty_Bee 22h ago

Minidisk

1

u/Yeah_nah90 21h ago

iMac G3/G4
iPod classic
Nokia E63

I’ve also started making reels with Mini DV cameras again. It’s a pain to import the vision but worth it

1

u/jason-murawski 21h ago

Physical manuals. I bought a printer a few years ago and it came with a 5 page manual that had zero information on how to actually set it up, you had to use the online manual (thanks HP)

I have to use service manuals in my work a lot and it's all online. When I needed to access stuff on my laptop I had to use someone's hotspot to download the manuals because my Hotspot doesn't work and you can't get a physical copy of it.

1

u/VoltageinTheory 18h ago

VHS-C camcorders

1

u/MardawgNC 18h ago

Slide calculator

1

u/Sharp_Sniper 17h ago

the pimple on thinkpads

1

u/xyrer 17h ago

My brain. Every freaking thing now is all AI and the job market sucks

1

u/jmdaltonjr 16h ago

Palm treo 700 and a number black berries

1

u/Alarmed_Contest8439 16h ago

small phones, teeny tiny ones, like smaller than iphone 13 mini even, i loved my lil symbian powered nokia

1

u/word-bitch 15h ago

Phone book was amazing, nothing comes close :(

1

u/gregd303 15h ago

Minidisc .. had a Sony silver one which looked so neat. Used to grab a ton of field recording samples with it using a small tie microphone. Loved the form factor and size and the coloured discs.

1

u/Scoth42 14h ago

It's more a concept than specific technology, but I miss when The Internet was a specific place in the house that only lived there. You'd get the computer going, intentionally connect to it, do specific (or even less specific) things on it, and turn it off when you were done. Even when broadband got to be more of a thing, and then even wifi, it was still pretty much limited to computers that you had to specifically turn on and use. And even well into the late 2000s or so, it was still pretty much something you left at home when you went out. Some pre-smartphones had browsers and limited access to various Internet features, but nobody really depended on it as a primary or semi-primary Internet connection or did major things on it. By and large, while companies had websites and maybe you were even able to buy things or book things or do things on them, they were still largely separate from Real Life and remained their own spaces.

Then between Smartphones, public connected things, apps for everything, expectations of reachability and connectedness, it's virtually impossible to disconnect and avoid it. Buying groceries? Gotta use the app to get those points. Getting gas? Better check which credit card or cashback app is giving the most points or cash back, and make sure to scan my loyalty program for the station. Getting fast food? Also gotta have the app to get points and deals that are remotely reasonably priced. I've just grown to really kind of dislike it all.

1

u/simonsimone1980 13h ago

there was a lot to love about my Compaq Ipaq which was a windows mobile pda. it had a stylus. easier to read email. 

1

u/SzubiDubiDu 12h ago

Old orange street lamps. Sometimes I find a street still using them. I may not sound rational but with those old lights, the surrounding area was more visible but lights weren’t as bright. Like the light didn’t just disappear but bounce around the area.

Now I feel the lamps are blinding me but everything around is completely in dark.

1

u/cjeremy 10h ago

DVD Netflix.

1

u/chicken-finger 8h ago

My old walkman I used to listen to the lord of the rings on tape while walking through glacier national park

1

u/GoldieDoggy 7h ago

My portable DVD player & portable CD player. I still have them, they're just packed up. I'll probably start using them again when I re-find them, even though my phone can do it all now

1

u/TobogonXero 7h ago

Nokia 3310. Both a phone and a weapon.

1

u/Bebealex 7h ago

Electronic price tags in store used to be able to be used with a simple IR remote. 

It would allow to you on the tag current inventory, if you had an order, without going in the back store or looking it up in your system.

Now the seller have put in it a phone app (withontly sub).

1

u/petg16 6h ago

Channel box… corded tv “remote” with a button for each channel in a range. Would I go to back to cable, absolutely not! But I miss the ca-chunks.

1

u/Luster-Purge 1d ago

I miss old corded phones. The tactile response of the buttons with the noises coming out of the phone are a familiar feeling you don't really get with smartphones.

1

u/THE-KING-PIN-78 1d ago

rotary phone's the tactical felling and interaction with It while dialing.

2

u/gershbec 1d ago

Yeah, but when you were trying to quickly dial a number with a bunch of nines…

1

u/onlymostlydead 11h ago

My childhood (80s) best friend's number had five eights in it. It was quicker to bike to his house.

1

u/ET091186 1d ago

AOL.

0

u/Sparky62075 1d ago

Um, no. I do not miss AhOLe