Many of the things we once believed we couldn’t live without are now pretty much obsolete… here are just 12 of the once must-have items.
1. The Teledex
Long ago this was once a necessity to keep and organise all of your contacts.
2. Double tape deck
How else were you going to record your favourite songs to listen to again?
3. Telephone books
Now these are mostly used as doorstops but once upon a time, they were the only way to find an electrician.
4. Paper street maps
Every car had a trusty street map in the side pocket to be consulted regularly but now it’s all GPS and maps on your smartphone.
5. Encyclopaedias
The time-consuming moments of flipping through all the pages for the information you want have been replaced with a quick Google search.
6. The Walkman
Listening to music on-the-go?! These were revolutionary at the time but were soon superseded by Discmans, mp3 players and then the iPod. What’s next?
7. Radio alarm clock
Waking up the sound of your favourite radio station certainly wasn’t a bad way to wake up but it seems, like many things, the alarm clock has been replaced by the all-powerful smartphone.
8. Floppy disc
How many floppy discs have you accumulated in your lifetime? At least the floppy disc lives on as the save icon.
9. VHS tape
You will never have to experience the frustration of re-winding VHS tapes back to the start again.
10. Vertical grill
This two sided vertical grill achieved cult status in the 70s and 80s because it was quick, clean and fat-free. How many chicken schnitzels did you make in it?
11. Phone booths
While these are still around, they’re mostly used by people whose phones have run out of battery. They’re certainly not everywhere like they used to be!
12. Fax machine
Does anyone really need to fax anymore?