Retro gadgets from the 80s provide a fascinating way for us to look back to see how far we’ve come Seriously. Many would argue that there was no way to predict just how far modern tech would come in such a short period of time. Yet here we are. We continue to see technological innovation after technological innovation, and at a rising rate. Whether or not all of modern tech has been for the betterment of the world at large is an easy question to ask if you want to start up a fiery debate. In the meanwhile though, we’ll take a look at 10 gadgets from the 80s that predicted modern tech.
1. Sony Walkman (1980)
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The Sony Walkman sprung onto the scene at the onset of 1980. It was to serve as a handy portable cassette player that’d ultimately revolutionize one’s ability to listen to music. The Sony Walkman was essentially a hint of what would come on down the road and end up being the MP3 player, the smartphone, and even streaming services like Spotify.
2. Camcorder (1983)
Isn’t it just wild to think that people used to live in an inconvenient world that didn’t have camcorders? The camcorder was invented to be an early handheld video camera that’d combine a recorder and a camera into one device. Today’s modern equivalent is the smartphone with all of its video recording capabilities.
3. Commodore 64 (1982)
The Commodore 64 was hands down of the must successfully sold home computers that offered numerous entertainment options at the time like gaming, programming, and productivity. Today’s modern equivalent is the standard affordable personal computer, laptops, and gaming systems like PCs.
4. Motorola DynaTAC 8000X (1984)
Wow, there was a dark time when mobile phones most certainly weren’t commercially available. Then, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000x came into play. While bulky and featuring a bit of a higher price point, it did stand as a precursor to those modern, spiffy iPhones and Android devices.
5. Apple Macintosh 128K (1984)
And then we made it to what would be the first mass-market personal computer that had with it its own graphical user interface, as well as a mouse. Today’s modern equivalent would be Apple’s iMacs as well as their Macbooks.
6. Nintendo Entertainment System (1983)
The Nintendo Entertainment System was a gaming console that would literally end up redefining home entertainment and game design as a whole. Today’s modern equivalent includes gaming consoles with the likes of the Nintendo Switch, Playstation, and Xbox.
7. Winner of the Retro Gadgets from the 80s: Atari Touch Tablet (1984)
The Atari Touch Tablet was a tablet accessory for the Atari 8-bit computer series, which allowed users to draw and create graphics. Today’s modern equivalent includes graphics tablets like Wacom or touchscreen devices like the iPad.
8. Psion Organiser (1984)
The Psion Organiser was the world’s first ever personal digital assistant. It came with its own basic database and also calculator functions. Today’s modern equivalent includes smartphones and smartwatches.
9. Casio Databank Watch (1983)
The Casio Databank Watch came onto the scene, inspiring all kinds of excitement as it was a digital wristwatch that was able to store phone numbers as well as perform calculations. In today’s rapid evolving technological world we’d see the Apple Watch or Fitbit as being a solid equivalent.
10. LaserDisc Player (1980s)
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The LaserDisc Player was an impressive, high-quality video storage medium that was able to offer uncompromising superior quality to VHS tapes. Today’s modern equivalent would be Blu-ray players, DVD players, and 4k streaming services.
