Lately, I’ve been hit hard with nostalgia for old tech, for no particular reason either.
One of my favourite things about technology, and in particular consumer tech is how it evolves and becomes more intricate as the years go by. But as some technology evolves, others get left behind.
The best example is smartphones, they’ve removed the need for digital cameras, stereos, CDs, landline telephones and passing notes in classrooms. All of that tech is wrapped up into one metal brick.
While this tech has been made obsolete, they still have a place in our hearts.
For this month’s Great Tech Debate, we asked our readers to put on rose-coloured glasses and let us know about the technology they miss and why.
James, 25: The PlayStation Portable
The Sony PlayStation Portable; it is actually a disgrace Sony has not brought this [model] back in recent times. Also miss the Nintendo DS as well, something so chic opening the flip screen (and the stylus too!)
Jasmin, 28: DVD Players
There are so many I miss but one I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is DVD players (and, subsequently, DVDs). The resentment I feel when one of my favourite movies isn’t across one of the five bloody streaming services I have is enough to make me pull up to the second-hand store and build my own movie library. They’re going for about $1 each at most Salvos at the moment and I wonder if there’ll be a DVD renaissance, a la vinyl players in the next few years.
Zac, 25: Up front costs
I miss up-front costs. Everything is a subscription service these days, and it sucks! We’ve become so accustomed to not owning anything, that the very act of even keeping your photos in a unified place requires a subscription payment.
Mateus, 28: GameBoy Advance link cable
I want to bring the (literal) peer-2-peer GBA link cable. Everything is online and thus already connected and I miss the intentionality of stringing up two gameboys to do some PVP or trade Pokemon in the schoolyard. Make tech gadgets visceral again and so on.
Jack, 30: OG Multiplayer games
PlayStation 2 multiplayer games! Lord of the Rings Twin Towers, Mortal Kombat 2 Shaolin Monks, Marvel’s Ultimate Avengers, Devil May Cry 2. NEED I SAY ANY FKN MORE?
Alex, 34: RollerCoaster Tycoon
I miss my old Windows 95 for one specific reason: to play RollerCoaster Tycoon. I get a deeply specific craving to play it once or twice a year, and I cannot find an emulator for my MacBook to save my life. I will pay money to play this game!!! Please, God (or rather, Gizmodo Australia readers), just send me in the right direction.
I long for the days of carefully managing a desert theme park, keeping my little pixel visitors happy, and where the laws of the game mean I can overcome a mass roller coaster-induced death with lower park prices and a marketing campaign. No, I will not be examining this need for control further.
Tina, 31: iPod Nano
I remember so vividly when the iPod Nano came out, the white string of the headphones was a status symbol and if you had the OG iPod Nano, you were god-like. My first Nano was the second-gen, a Silver 2GB model that housed maybe a few hundred songs but I adored it. I miss the days of having to carefully curate my music library ensuring every banger and bop was on my silver gadget.
What I miss about the Nano is not only the simpler tech but also the simpler times. You really don’t know what you’ve got until it’s gone. RIP buddy.
Responses have been edited for clarity.
Image: iStock/Gizmodo Australia