Some technological devices are old and outdated, yet still in circulation. Whether it is because people love them, necessity, or just plain old emotional attachment, these devices need to be replaced with newer, better looking, and more efficient gadgets with better outputs and results.
If you have any of the following gadgets, it is time to upgrade and get yourself a better version of it; something snazzier, more powerful, faster, something that just beats them hands down. No matter how useful you might think these old items are, there are even better and more valuable upgrades out there.
[Recommended reading: Technology Upgrade – Swapping Your Laptop for A Tablet]
1. Dial-Up Modem
Dial-up internet, the old standby of internet access, is practically extinct. There’s broadband now, T1 lines and tons of faster, more powerful internet connections. So, unless there’s an absolute need for it, such as your community not offering broadband, you should upgrade to faster connections.
This is even more imperative in the workplace given the enormous amount of data the average small and medium scale business gobbles up on just research. Any company using dial-up is most likely setting itself up for failure nowadays.
2. Pagers
These were “status symbols” in the 90s. It was, usually, the insignia of the busy and prosperous people. It was often very common among doctors, lawyers, investment bankers, anyone who was anyone or into any major business or sector had one.
Cell phones have effectively replaced them. This does not mean that there isn’t an active market for it though. A 2012 study by the CEA showed that $7 million worth of pagers were bought in that same year. Some doctors still use it though. However, a cell phone is better and more efficient.
3. Fax Machines
In the not too distant past, this was a popular item in every office. In fact, any office without a fax machine was not considered serious. There was always the humming sound of faxes coming through those machines at all hours of the day.
Nowadays, fax machines are completely outdated. They have been replaced by online faxing systems which offer the added advantage of speed of delivery, privacy and easy access. Upgrade to an online faxing system today, you will not regret the move. In fact, you can find a fantastic website for online fax comparisons by going to www.findafax.com.
4. Typewriters
Some writers still use these, even though they have been out of circulation for a while. Whether it is out of emotional attachment or a symbol of something important to them, there’s the more recent and better option of PCs, tablets and Macs.
Pick one of your choosing, and you’ll never have to worry about where to find ribbons or special typewriter oils. Not to mention the fact that you can carry the PCs around and start typing furiously when an idea hits in the middle of a walk or coffee break.
5. PDAs
According to the CEA, about 350,000 of these gadgets were sold in 2012 to the American public. They were sold to companies, warehouses and hospitals that still use it to collect and store data. So, unless you are just interested in old fashioned organizers, there’s no need for one. The average smartphone can do all that it used to do so easily and then some.
About the Author: Oscar King is a small business consultant who never ceases to be surprised at the obsolete and outdated technologies he frequently finds in failing small businesses. If you’re interested in learning more about Oscar, you can visit his profile on Google+.
[Image credit: Tim Knifton, Flickr]
Feels like I can add my experience to that conversation!
Dial up modems – many people tell me that they feel safe and protects them from hackers because the ip address changes with every dial-up session!
Also you do not want to spend money on fiber or cable if you are using your Internet connection only 1-2 months a year when you go to your vacation home!
Also I have many costumers that live in two different countries – they also tell me that they do not want to spend money for fiber optic or cable or even dsl – they just get the dial – up and they are happy!
About faxes! How do you fell sending your SSN , taxes, personal info over the email or Internet 🙂
With the old fashioned fax – you can have a peace of mind and fax your sensitive info to hackers or unsecured Internet!
Every businesses and home business I know uses just the old fashion fax machine!
I have to admit i still do use the fax machine from time to time- everything else listed is pretty much obsolete.
I think I have used a fax machine maybe two times ever, and that was at least 10 years ago maybe more. I just don’t have the need to use one at the current time. I am not even sure how they fit into the business world anymore. Some company did tell me I could fax a document to them if I wanted, but I emailed it to them instead.
Regarding typewriters, I actually learned to type on one many years ago. The computer revolution (or whatever we call it) hadn’t come about yet, but I am glad I was taught to type even if it was on an typewriter.
I haven’t used a dial-up modem in years now. I think my computer came with one. I don’t see them getting that much use anymore, but they are probably cheap enough that some computer makers ship with one. Can’t say how long they will continue to do so, or if they will one day quit making them entirely. It’s definitely a possibility.
Never had or used a PDA. I did work a job about 15 years ago where I had to wear a pager when I worked the night shift so the person in charge could get a hold of me if they needed to.
It’s nostalgic to see you reminiscing the olden technology. The PDA seems obsolete compared to our smartphones, but people told me that they enjoyed the PDA mainly because of its better adaptability for handwriting recognition, which is probably why Samsung is stirring thing up with its Note series.
I can’t even imagine how anyone would use a typewriter for official work these days. One error and you can discard your entire work. You’d need perfect typing skills just to produce proper workpiece. The last time I tried it, I almost flung the device in anger.
I get that feeling. Luckily, the computer does the entire job and produces your script in perfection. And it allows correction for human errors too. The typewriter is more for aesthetic and cultural purposes today.
LOL. The dial-up modem. I certainly don’t miss that.