The technologies that you forgot existed

With the continuous advances in technology, it doesn’t take long for gadgets to become obsolete. That’s why it’s always nice to take a walk down memory lane. Which of these had you forgotten all about?

Here are some of the best technologies you forgot existed!

Typewriters

How could an individual produce printed characters on a piece of paper before computers and printers were invented? With the typewriter! Introduced in the 1870s, the commercial typewriter was used to write letters, as well as many books. This machine was favoured by the likes of Ernest Hemingway, Agatha Christie and even Danielle Steel. Today, typewriters are rarely used because laptops, tablets and computers have taken their place.

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Wired telephones

Once upon a time (in the 1870s) the telephone was as big as a lunchbox and it only had one purpose: to speak to other people. It was also wired, meaning that you couldn’t leave the spot that it was plugged into. Today, we take our phones for granted, but a century ago, individuals would never have imagined that they could instantly chat to someone anywhere in the world. Thanks to the advances in technology, we can do so much more than just make a phone call – we can now use our smart devices to pay our utility bills, watch our friends go about their daily lives on the other side of the globe, and turn down the heating in our homes if we know we’re not going to be back for a while. What can we expect a century down the line?!

Phone directory enquiry services

Do you remember the likes of directory enquiries provider 118 118, whose advertising features two athletic runners and the catchphrase, ‘Got your number’? Of course you do! These days, after receiving fewer calls due to easily accessible information via mobile devices, they now offer personalised financial solutions to ensure that individuals can handle whatever lands in their path.

Fax machines

When you needed to transmit scanned documents from one phone number to another, the fax machine was the piece of technology to rely on. Achieved by a transmission of audio frequency tones that were deciphered at the other end, the recipient would receive the printed copy of the document as it burst through their machine!

Which ones had you completely forgotten about? And which ones do you wish still existed?!