Outdated Gadgets Still In Use

Specialists or niche applications that use technology that may have become commercially obsolete, like the vacuum tube. Historical societies may maintain a working knowledge of old machines. In this article, RNN will be discussing a few outdated gadgets that are still in use.

In recent times, new gadgets have been superseded by newer technologies. Many older technologies co-exist with newer alternatives or are still in use due to cost, convenience, personal preference or availability. Some people still use their existing CD collections or their old functional equipment. Some prefer the sound of vinyl records to newer sound system gadgets.

1. Vinyl LPs

A phonograph, in its later forms, also called a gramophone (as a trademark since 1887, as a generic name in the UK since 1910) or since the 1940s called a record player, or more recently a turntable, is a device for the mechanical and analogue recording and reproduction of sound. The sound vibration waveforms are recorded as corresponding physical deviations of a spiral groove engraved, etched, incised, or impressed into the surface of a rotating cylinder or disc, called a “record”.

With CDs, DVDs and other modern devices that can record music, the large black discs, i.e. the vinyl LPs should not have survived. But, instead, they have remained in the market. Music lovers who like a classic touch cling to the LPs. While gramophones are still available, the modern digital turntables that convert music on the LPs to digital files, make sure vinyl LPs are outdated gadgets still in use.

2. Dedicated GPS Device

Though most smartphones have GPS functionality, the dedicated GPS system still survives, and for several good reasons. Most people find the in-dash GPS devices or even the portable ones easier to balance on the dash than smartphones. Besides, it may also be a problem if there is a call when the driver is about to take a turn. On top of it all, their manufacturers also tend to update the maps.

3. Portable Media Player

A portable media player (PMP) is a portable consumer electronics device capable of storing and playing digital media such as audio, images, and video files. The data is typically stored on a compact disc (CD), Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), Blu-ray Disc (BD), flash memory, microdrive, SD cards or hard drive; most earlier PMPs used physical media, but modern players mostly use flash memory.

Everyone uses the all-in-one cell phone as a portable media player. Why, then, are dedicated media players available? They generally have more memory than what can be committed to music on a phone which has other uses. Some portable media players can be plugged into a TV or other devices. Most importantly, the phone battery is saved for other tasks by the separate portable media players.

4. Typewriters

We could say that typewriters are a combination of the modern keyboard of a computer and the printer, as this device can directly print on paper, what needs to be printed on paper. A more advanced version is the series by Brother, which uses electricity. While it doesn’t allow saving documents for editing or reproduction, it is still used, especially by small enterprises, individuals, in schools for training students etc.

5. Landline Telephone

People have cell phones to attend calls – or reject them – at any time and place, landline phones are still important, not only because sometimes, cell reception is not easy to get, especially in some inside houses and atop tall buildings, but also because it offers a sense of reliability to people when an establishment offers a permanent number. Rotary phones, however, are just antique collectables.

6. Analogue Watches and Clocks

As with most portable devices, cell phones seem to be the perfect replacement for wristwatches and clocks, as they show time and even perform the task of alarm clocks. But, to be honest, cell phones haven’t yet matched the convenience of real clocks and watches. While, with watches, the knowledge about time is just of twist of the wrist away, big clocks remind us of the ticking time.

7. Answering Machines

With landlines still surviving as outdated gadgets still in use, answering machines are pretty much indispensable. The dedicated answering machines perform the same task as the voicemail of modern cell phones do, except they are separately installed, to record messages. The drill is the same – customized greetings urging the caller to leave a message that can be played back later.

8. Non-Smart Mobile Phones

Everyone has a cell phone, now, even kids, and no one wants anything other than smartphones. But, the non-smart cell phones are not out of use, yet. They are mainly used by elderly people who have yet to get the hang of smartphones. People who do not want to be bugged by technology at all times also prefer the old phones which can be used for calling, messaging, or at best, taking snaps. Sometimes the younger generations use non-smart phones as second phones.

9. Digital Camera/Camcorder

Smartphones or other high-end phones come with an in-built camera that can capture high-quality photographs. These can also double as camcorders and shoot videos in High Definition. For casual uses, like taking a selfie or recording a quick video. But, for professional use, a mobile phone cannot beat a Digital SLR camera, or a digital camcorder, which are outdated gadgets still in use, and largely so.

10. Local Storage Device

The cloud storage system acts like a virtual storage device and can store the back of files. Clouds make it possible to access data at any time, from anywhere. If this isn’t enough, another compelling reason to use cloud storage instead of local storage devices is that it can be lost or even damaged. However, poor net connectivity and chances of getting hacked ensure that local storage devices are still in use.

There are plenty of other outdated gadgets still in use, today. For instance, there are fax machines that scream the 80s but are still unbeaten because of their reliability in the case of digital signatures. Then, there are the portable DVD/VCR players that are still used at home to watch a film on the big television screen.

It might be hard to believe, but, even laptops are considered outdated, what with the advent of tablets, though their main problem is the virtual keyboard, and small screen size compared to laptops, or even desktops.

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