The lost charm of old technology

Technology was simple, enjoyable and reminded us of all of the fun memories of yore. It wasn’t as advanced as what we have today, but it carried a unique charm that many of us still remember. There are old applications, gadgets and technologies which were among popular choices in the past and are no longer in use. Although I enjoy today's inventions, I miss the old ones since they elicited a different kind of pleasure. Let me take you down memory lane.

What I miss most is the BlackBerry phone. Back in the day, having a BlackBerry meant you were stylish and important. The phone came with a miniature keyboard with almost negligible tiny–square buttons which were very satisfying to touch. People loved the “BBM” app—short for BlackBerry Messenger. It was a simple way for communication with friends and family. You didn’t need to type long text messages like now. Ping" and the recipient would be able to understand that it was, in fact, desired. I remember that everybody used to use BBM "pins" instead of phone, etc. It felt special. However, with the appearance of smartphones, such as Android and iPhones, BlackBerry disappeared. I experience a longing for BBM pings, and what a phone like it did to you, making you feel different and important rather than normal.

Another gadget I miss is the Walkman. To young people, the Walkman was a sort of small box with the ability to playback music from cassette tapes. The user had to manually wind up a tape, operate the "play" button and listen with headphones. It was small, so that you could carry it in your bag or in your pocket. I liked it when I could, on the streets, walk with headphones to drown out the noises around me, listening to the music I enjoyed. Music lovers listen to it on their mobile phones today, convenient, but there is something missing. With the Walkman, you had to take care of your tapes, as they could get knotted, so every song felt precious.

Old media apps like 2go also bring back memories. As 2go was the app of choice before the ubiquitous introduction of mass messaging technologies (WhatsApp, Facebook). It was easy and did not involve voice, or video, telephone calls, but it was fun. One can find other chat rooms where one could become friends with others, and/or play games. I can remember spending a lot of time talking with friends and being content just to receive a message from them. Today, however, apps like 2go are defunct, and if current apps have more gismo, they are no longer innocent fun.

Even old vehicles had their charm. E.g., the Volkswagen Beetle, for example, was everywhere in Nigeria. Its special design and vivid colors set it apart. Patients remembered the repair facility well when (and if) a piece of equipment needed to be repaired. Cars of today are complex systems with many computers and sensors. The one I sometimes have the urge to watch is walking by [small, happy] car in the street.

However, while I acknowledge the virtues of the present day's gadgets and apps, I believe that the history of the past had a knack for making us covet things and more things. The excitement of waiting for a song to finish downloading, the joy of flipping open a phone like the Motorola Razr, or the fun of typing on a Nokia keypad—it all felt special. Technology is very fast now, but sometimes I wonder if it lost the soul that once characterized these old trends. Perhaps that is why I still think of them, even if they are no longer sold.

Images are screenshots on my phone

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