If 90’s Gadgets were Apps today

If you haven’t noticed… We’re well into the 2020’s. and the kids today are starting to think that the 1990’s are “retro”. Anyone else freaking tf out? We know we are. But also, let’s take a minute to see some of the gadgets back in the 90’s and how they would look like today if they were phone apps.

Dictaphone = Voice Memos App

Not much has changed except maybe being able to make safety copies and “rewinding” or “fast-forwarding” is easier now.

Portable DVD Player = Netflix App

Think of it as a one purpose iPad where you could watch movies. Of course, you couldn’t really “binge watch” unless you brought several DVD’s. Kids today will also never know that short prayer you used to say when you put in your bootleg CD.

90’s Kodak Cameras = Camera App

Of course, film photography is a niche style that will probably make it through the test of time. But it’s usually reserved for die hard traditionalists – or hipsters. For the rest of us, the “Camera” app on your phones will have to do. Can you imagine taking a selfie without any preview screen and you won’t have unlimited redo’s?

Camcorders = (Also the) Camera App

If you would walk up to a 90’s person and tell them that they could get HD photos and videos in one app, they would probably freak out. (Actually, they would probably ask what “HD” and “app” are first…) But can you imagine making a TikTok in this chunky thing? At least this one has a playback…

Walkman = Spotify

Burning Mix CD’s wasn’t even a thing up until the end of the 1990’s/2000’s. So, for most of this decade, you ideally just stuck to one album on loop – for the whole day. Or carried one of those portable CD cases. On another note, anyone else out there that still listens to the same 4 or 5 songs though either way?

 

Nintendo 64 = App Store

Play multiple games on your Nintendo! Except you actually had to go to a physical store and get your game of choice. #Throwback to the days when game stores were a physical thing…

 

 

Gameboy = Twitch

More of a portable playing device really. But if you think about it, being able to play next to your friends or just watch them play was lowkey the beginnings of Twitch, right?

Tamagotchi = Coinbase or any other Bitcoin App

Let’s assume for this one, if you were actually using Tamagotchi’s in the 90’s, you’ve aged up a bit (I know, we all have.) But that probably also means you’re old enough to be earning and have saved up a bit. Now, in the 90’s you had to check in on your Tamagotchi pet once-in-a-while and make sure it was still alive. Fast forward a few decades later, you’re into the whole bitcoin business and now have to look to see if the 100 euros you put in is still alive.