With vintage gadgets like record players growing in popularity every year, there’s no telling which piece of tech will see a modern resurgence. Although recent developments have rendered gadgets obsolete, some people can’t help but miss the old-school gear they used to own.
From failed music formats like MiniDisc to home computers like the Commodore 64, the tech may be gone, but it’s certainly not forgotten by those who used it. Although almost every gadget eventually becomes obsolete, users have taken to Reddit to commemorate the technology they missed the most.
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Tamagotchi
Gaming has come in leaps and bounds over the last few decades, but many people miss the tactile and personal nature of older games. Citing one such example, user Sapharodon said, “Tamagotchi are the best. Apparently they are still big in Japan.”
The cute little pocket-sized pets were all the rage for a brief moment in the late ’90s and early ’00s, but were quickly abandoned in favor of more intense handheld games. Although they are cumbersome and inefficient, many are nostalgic for them because they represent a simpler approach to entertainment and were a fun time for not a lot of money.
Commodore 64
The beginnings of home computers democratized what was originally reserved for mathematicians and natural scientists, but which still required a certain amount of knowledge to operate. “I’ve never had so much fun with computers as I did when I was young with my Commodore 64,” said user Fixnahole, who became nostalgic for a home computer long gone.
Aside from its impressive computing power from the 1980s, many often forget that it was also a video game console and was instrumental in starting the PC gaming trend. Unlike modern computers that have a simple user interface, old computers like the Commodore range required users to have a bit of knowledge to get the most out of it. This skill requirement connected users to their machines, and they often made a closer connection to their technology.
tapes
While vinyl record players are making an old-school comeback, the audiocassette’s resurgence hasn’t been quite as meteoric. User Ashtronica2 remembered her well when she said: “I miss cassettes and mixed tapes. There’s something magical about listening to a tape a friend made especially for you.”
Although cumbersome, the cassette tape had a tactile feel that is in high demand in today’s high-tech world. User links to mixtapes, and while they’ve been replaced by personalized playlists, the new iteration lacks the obvious commitment that was required to record a special tape for someone else. Nostalgia is the driving factor behind cassette tapes today, and their audio quality was far inferior to vinyl or CD.
microfiche machine
Although less a gadget and more a giant monster of a machine, microfiche in libraries for the modern age has largely been digitized. User schmoopie313 lamented the loss, writing: “I miss microfiche machines a lot too.
Developed to replace stacks of paper documents, microfiche has ironically been replaced by digital scans, which take up even less space. Unfortunately, as with most digitizations, the personalized and tactile feel of scrolling is lost in the modern age. Digitizing old news articles has also often locked them behind paywalls.
There is no doubt that in the past people were more difficult to reach and the pager was developed as a remedy to this shortcoming. One deleted user explained why they miss them: “I liked beepers. You know they tried to reach you, you can answer if you want, or you can apologize that the phones weren’t available.”
Nostalgia aside, it’s less the technology that the user misses and more a time when it was less accessible. Pagers were some of the first modern devices to invade our privacy, but they weren’t nearly as invasive as the proliferation of text, email, and instant messaging. In comparison, pagers seem like a much nicer alternative to our ultra-connected modern world.
HD DVD
As physical video formats like Blu-ray are phased out in favor of streaming, some people still look back fondly to their competitor, HD-DVD. User KillerBeeTX made a bold statement, saying “HD-DVD… So much better than Blu-ray, but Sony had more money to throw (and lose) in the fight.”
The physical media wars are essentially over, but many fondly look back to the final battle between HD-DVD and Blu-ray. HD-DVD offered users choice and was indeed superior to Blu-ray at first, but was eventually usurped by Blu-ray’s massive improvements. Most don’t even remember HD-DVD, but those who do see it as a piece of technology that should have been more popular than it was.
Nokia phones
Now that every brand’s flagship phone is a modern marvel, it’s easy to forget just how far things have come in just a few short decades. Nostalgic for the not too distant past, user nicoliest_of_nicoles said: “I miss being able to text without looking at those old Nokea phones. The feel of real keys.”
While most would rather never see the numeric keypad again, it’s another skill that has been replaced with more user-friendly text messaging. Smartphones have enabled users to do things they never could before, but they lack the tactile nature that many are nostalgic for. Actual buttons have been replaced by touchscreens, and something has been lost in the mix.
MiniDisc
With the exception of vinyl records, physical media is practically dead in music and has been replaced by streaming. However, one deleted user did mention a music format that became obsolete almost immediately, saying, “I have a thing for mini discs. Too bad they never really caught on in the US.”
Conceived as a cross between a floppy disk and a CD, the MiniDisc had all the audio quality of a CD but without the problem of fragility. They required less maintenance and were therefore more portable, but the industry never took to them and many albums were never pressed to size. Although they failed to start, the user isn’t the only person lamenting what could have been for the ill-fated MiniDisc.
Original iPod
Apple products are always highly anticipated and their innovation often leads the personal gadget market. Recalling one Apple product she sorely miss, user sleepySQLgirl wrote, “I miss my old iPod with the hard drive and the click wheel.
One thing that’s consistently lacking in modern technology is a sense of physical connection to the device, and the original iPod was rewarding in its tactile nature. The rotary scroll function made the user feel like they were actually controlling the device manually, and the chunky weight made the user feel like they were buying something built to last. While most smartphones can do so much more than an iPod, they lack the convenience of the antiquated device.
vhs
The VCR revolutionized the film industry and brought the magic of cinema into people’s homes more consistently than television ever could. On behalf of many others, a deleted user said, “Nobody owns a VCR anymore, which sucks because I have so many cool movies on video.”
When VHS tape finally became the most affordable home video format, it was quickly phased out in favor of DVDs, and a massive shift in home video quickly ensued. While not an analog medium, many stick with VHSs for analog formats like vinyl, and those who have used them have a deep connection to the defunct media. Unfortunately, many hidden gems have not made the leap to newer formats, and VHS is the only way to experience them.
