26 Obsolete Gadgets We Used to be Obsessed With

What is known as the first practical typewriter was invented in the second half of the 19th century. The writing speed using a typewriter was much faster than using a pen. The first typewriters for mass sale were put on the market in 1874. Nowadays, people just type on their computers or dictate text into their phones. In a few decades, the need for typing in general may disappear as voice-to-text becomes even more widespread.

Believe it or not, there was a time when you had to basically wait all night to back up whatever information you had on your computer. The tape drive was a data storage device that stores data on a magnetic tape. The tape drive was a data storage device that stores data on a magnetic tape, and the operation took what today’s generation would consider forever. You had to always start from the beginning and roll down until you’d find the file you wanted.

The Simon was the first smartphone. It was invented in 1992, long before people even started using the term “smartphone.” It was the world’s first touchscreen phone, the iPhone would come out 15 years later, in 2007. Simon became available for sale in 1994. Yes, it could send emails. It was the beginning of modern-day super smart gadgets.

If you have seen music video from the 1980s, you’ve probably seen people walking around with a boombox listening to music. It was a popular all-in-one music device even though it was big, heavy, and required frequent replacement of batteries. You can still buy this kind of music players, but today they are much smaller and cheaper.

Invented in 1993, DVD players actually outsold video recorders for the first time in 2002. They became obsolete when online streaming took over. Though DVD and Blu-ray players are still available in stores, the technology is fast becoming obsolete — especially as millennials and gen Zs are becoming the main consumer market.