When you want to send a message to someone you probably head for your email account, rather than a telegram. However, once upon a time, technologies such as the telegraph, typewriters, fax machines and even record decks were depended on.
These technologies served their purpose for a while, then either evolved into cheaper, faster, better forms or simply disappeared. Yet some - such as fax machines, landline phones, and instant cameras - just refuse to die, despite better digital alternatives.
Here are ten technologies that should be dead and buried, yet still cling to life.
1. The Telegraph
At the telegram's peak in 1929, more than 200 million were sent. However, by 2005, that number had dwindled to 21,000 in the US. This decrease resulted in Western Union sending its last telegraphic transmission on January 27, 2006.
Subsequently, iTelegram took over Western Union's telex network, though you can access it via the web. It's still a fairly pricey form of communication however. Western Union is still around too, though its primary customers appear to be internet scam artists hoping to dupe suckers into wiring them money.
2. Typewriters
In the age of web tablets and smartphones, typewriters are a bit like Fred Flintstone's car - strictly for cave dwellers. Yet people still buy and use them. In 2009, for example, the New York City Police Department made headlines when it spent nearly $1m on typewriters, mostly so it could continue to use multipart carbon forms for processing evidence.
Still, the typewriter's primary market appears to be snooty novelists who claim they cannot compose on any technology introduced since Hemingway died. Case in point: last December, author Cormac McCarthy's 1950's era Olivetti Lettera 32 portable sold for an astounding $255,000 at auction. Proceeds were donated to the Santa Fe Institute. McCarthy promptly went out and bought another $20 manual typewriter to take its place.
NEXT PAGE: Fax machines
- From fax machines to typewriters
- Fax machines
- Cash registers
- Cathode ray tubes
Comments
Paul said: As for downloading large Files - Virgin Media gets a bit teechy if you download more than 1GB in 24 hours by slapping a cap on you which is a pain to get it removed
John Smith said: So US this US that I dont care about the US What about more UK This and Thats I live in the UK This site is PCAdvisorco guess what UK Quit bumming the overrated oversized US and concentrate on the UK alreadyAnd do people actually WANT to move on in to a digital world Its only the media and arrogant giants like M who are forcing us to change Upgrading OSs all the time forcing people to waste even more money on practically the same keyring with a different design and maybe an extra gadget FlatPlasmawidescreen TVs HD 3D Who caresIts all the same just a lot more expensive and a little bit different Quit wasting money on revolutionary new ideas
sirjohng said: Get over yourself Mr Adams of Protus what arrogance you have telling people to ditch a perfectly legitimate form of communication with which they are familiar and uses the one form of communication that very rarely breaks down - the telephone line It makes a good backup when the broadband system goes down as ours has for 8 working days this year and you can easily scribble a message too yes that is with a pen - so last century Perhaps you should think outside your box
soulman said: Def agree with all above old tech is more sercure from hackers snoopers crashes viruses etc until digital solves all thse problems im still gonna use dated tech along side digi And yes the writer of the article is a bit up his own there
Al said: Well one of the main reasons that fax machines are still around is that a faxed document is legally binding whereas an email is not
Anthony O'Brien said: You can download almost anything today and stream much of what you cant download says Rob Enderle principal analyst for the Enderle Groupand how would Mr Enderle squeeze High Definition video down a 2Mb tube Come on technology cant be expected to die until there is a widespread cheaper alternativedont you just love the ANALYSTS
YD said: I agree with Nick sorry I meant Simon - you come across as snooty arrogant and I would add a little childish While some of the technologies seem redundant many of your obsolete technologies are still going strong because they have a lower cost and are more reliable - not to mention much more secure - than their digital equivalentsIt always makes me laugh when the first thing that is demoed in a mobile phone store is how to send a text or play music They seem to forget the original use for a phone - to speak to another human beingPS I particularly liked the quotes from the independent sources who had absolutely no vested interest whatsoever - a perfect example of insightful journalism
Robin said: Why are landlines needed 1 they are reliable 2 they are needed to get credit in many cicumstances 3 they are so much cheaper than mobiles 4 they dont crash when you walk past a wall
Hilmi Al-Kindy said: Disk based media will not go away while there are still countries where internet connections are unreliable or just too expensive to use when it comes to downloading big packages Besides Unless I have a really fast connection very big software packages are faster obtainned by driving to the store picking up the program and coming back home There is also the touchy feely issue I like knowing that I own a physical copy of the software just incase the company goes bust and I lost my installationMy topmost reason for supporting discs is that many companies just do not bother to cater for the middle east region online Apple I am looking at you UAE does not represent the entire region The most pirated software in Oman is the software you can not obtain easily off the shelf
Paul said: My Sky box has to be connected to a landline - are you saying Sky is obsolete
Simon said: Wow You come across as just a little snooty and arrogant in this article - I doubt that was your intention though Heres why these some of these dinosaurs wont die Typewriters dont crash out of action which is handy when you have string of criminals to process Landlines dont lose their signal no matter where you live CDs persist because not everyone has the means to download the software from the internetIf something is reliable it will continue to be used Just like my CRT TV - its 12 years old and still going strong
Jim said: Missed the telex - bet there are some still somewhere