I just ran across a most interesting “top ten” list. It’s a list of technologies that the Angela Mulholland, with CTV.ca News, figures are on their way out. I’ll post just the list – with a few comments of my own – and without her excellent commentary. You’ll have to click over to read her comments. Ya’ gotta’…
Ten Technologies on their way to the scrap heap:
1: Camcorders and compact cameras – I still like the flexibility & picture quality of my 
digital camera.
2: iPods and other portable music players – Being a deaf guy, I never did get into portable music.
3: Discs of all kinds – I still like my music on CDs – and my movies on DVD, but I’m guessing that will change – and I’m slow to change.
4: GPS devices – I still use my dash-mounted GPS a lot more than the GPS in my Android phone.
5: Answering Machines – The tape machine is long-gone, but voice mail seems impossible to scrap.
6: eBook Readers – I use my Andoid phone at the moment.
7: Proprietary charging cables – I went to Radio Shack a while back and got a universal charger.
8: Fluorescent light bulbs – Oh, please… I hate these low-light radioactive funny-looking nightlights…
9: External storage devices – I have a lot of them, and still like the idea of keeping the stuff at home.
10: Watches, alarm clocks & wall calendars – Although I have these things, my phone does too…
Have you noticed that our cell phones are now taking the place of all kinds of items we thought we couldn’t live without?
The writer goes on to list another ten technologies that are already obsolete, but just won’t go away. They are:
Fax machines – In a box, and in storage.
Typewriters – Kept my old 1950s vintage Royal, but just for old times sake. Not used in 20 years.
Telegrams – Never used them. Western Union was never able to depend on me.
Pagers – Never needed one.
Cheques – I still write a lot of checks to pay bills, but know that this will soon change. I use my check & debit cards a lot. I never write checks at stores anymore.
Phone books – Used for getting the grandchildren up closer to their dinner.
Turntables – The only player I have left has no needle. I have a USB turntable for record to digital conversion.
Film cameras – Kept my Canon A-1 for old times sake, but haven’t used it in many years.
Land-line telephones – No actual phone service, but I do have Comcast digital phone service for business use.
Maps – I still carry a full-sized Rand-McNally Atlas on trips, but use the GPS unit alone 98% of the time.
Noting how quickly technology evolves, I still think that photographs on paper are the one way to retain images for the long term. Yes, I know about acid paper deteriorating and all that however, I’m sure that 20 years form now, my grandkids will have a hard time accessing all the photos we’ve kept on discs, just as we can’t listen to LP’s without needles
As for land line telephones, I know it’s old technology, but I live in hurricane country, When the power goes out for several days, it’s nice to know, that the landlines often are still available.
What about the people who live in zones where there is no cell reception? That makes a lot of these obsolete techs very viable. Also a land line phone comes in handy when the power goes out.