Top Tech of the 1980s and What’s Replaced Them

Oh the ‘80s – what a decade! Ronald Reagan, big hair, and Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” come to mind. We also saw the precursors to much of the technology we enjoy today, including personal computers and cellphones.

There’s no denying the direct impact 1980s tech has had on the world. Let’s get nostalgic as we review the top tech of the decade and what’s replaced them today.

Fax Machines

There used to be a time when you couldn’t visit a home or office without seeing a fax machine. Though a great option for transmitting documents, they weren’t all that convenient. Faxing could be slow or incomplete, and fax pages could print out blurry, out of order or not at all.

Many industries still rely on the fax today, and bulky fax machines are being kicked to the curb in favor of internet faxing. Sending a fax online eliminates the troubles of a 1980s fax machine, and it can be done with any computer, tablet or smartphone.

Answering Machines

Back in the 1980s, an answering machine was your only hope if you weren’t around to catch a call. Sure, it might eat your messages or fail to pick up calls, but at least you took comfort in thinking it had you covered.

Nowadays, voicemail is built right into smartphones and office phones, making it easier for you to retrieve and keep track of messages, from wherever you may be. And virtual answering services take things yet a step further, with features like voicemail transcription.

Floppy Disks

Before there was “the cloud,” there was the floppy disk – a storage medium used to hold a limited amount of data (a mere 110 KB for the 5-1/4 inch disk, and 1.4 MB for the 3.5-inch version). While convenient for transferring computer files, the biggest downside to the floppy disk was that it wasn’t always easy to determine which version was compatible with your PC. Plus, the initial formatting process could take hours to complete.

Today, cloud sharing lets you electronically share, transfer, and co-author computer files using any internet-enabled device. Cloud storage also allows you to back up and share as much data as you’d like – a huge advantage over the disks of the ‘80s.

Pagers

Commonly referred to as “beepers,” pagers were the mobile devices of their time. These little gadgets clipped onto your belt and displayed a caller’s number across the screen when you were being “beeped” …and that’s about it. It was then up to you to find a pay phone in order to call back.

Mobile phones have of course replaced this tech in the modern day, so you can receive calls, texts, emails and other notifications right in your pocket. The only beeping going on is your phone letting you know about one of these messages.

References:

http://money.cnn.com/gallery/technology/2016/03/25/80s-tech