Imagine asking someone in 1985 if he’d believe that someday he would have something in his pocket that would take photos, display movies, and order pizza all at once. He’d have laughed in your face and told you to put down whatever you’d smoked.
But here we are, living in a world with all these gadgets and luxuries straight from that were pure sci-fi back then. Some of these did not even exist in the imagination. And now? You’d be sweating without them. Prepare to feel both old and wildly dependent.
Smartphones: AKA, Our Pocket Brain
Let’s be real: you’d forget your friends’ birthdays and get lost three blocks from home without your smartphone. In 2007? No apps, no front cameras, no doomscrolling. Just… flip phones and payphones. It’s unbelievable how forty years ago, all of this technology had already appeared in science fiction.
Wireless Earbuds: What’s Become of the Cords?
40 years ago, everyone was literally tangled in Walkman wires like a tech spaghetti nightmare. Today? Pop in your AirPods and have fun. They are so important that one loss is as bad as an amputated limb. Wireless music? Wireless calls? Wireless life?? The ’80s would have lost their mind over this.
Wi-Fi: The Invisible Lifeline
Without Wi-Fi, there is no streaming, online purchasing, or social media. It is the invisible energy that drives our online lives to make all kinds of things happen, like remote work, video calls with family, etc. Wi-Fi is as much a part of our lives as electricity is.
Google Maps: Because Paper Maps Were Such a Literal Nightmare
Getting lost was something in the old days. Like, you’d actually have to pull over and stop to solicit help from locals. Maps used to be huge, cluttered worry sheets. Nowadays? Google Maps reroutes you in mid-swerve and whispers soothing commands in hushed tones like an in-built copilot. And we still somehow get lost. Classic.
E-Readers: A Library in Your Pocket
E-readers such as the Kindle have changed reading, enabling us to carry thousands of books in one device. Whether you are traveling to work or at home, your library is with you, so reading is more accessible than it has ever been before.
Streaming Services: Bye Cable, Hi Couch Potato
In those days gone by, if you missed an episode… too bad. Nowadays, we binge an entire season in one night, in pajamas, with subtitles and absolutely no judgments. Netflix, Hulu, Prime – they did not even exist. Not even in concept. You had like 5 channels and a tape-eating VCR.
Portable Chargers: Lifesavers in Brick Form
Nobody in 1985 had to worry about their phone dying… because they didn’t have one. Nowadays, running out is an actual emergency. Enter: portable chargers. They’ve saved dates, GPS coordinates, and panic text dumps. Bless these tiny power bricks.
Online Shopping: The Pants-Free Alternative to Shopping Therapy
Previously, before the rise of the internet, you’d have to travel to the mall. With other people. And in lines. And dressing rooms. Now we scroll in our bedroom, compare prices in tabs, and buy things that we absolutely don’t need at 3 AM. Yeah, that’s capitalism, but in pajamas.
Fitness Trackers: The Judge in Your Wrist
You used to have to simply run with no idea of your heart rate, your steps, or even whether your watch liked you. Your Fitbit now shames you in silence if day after day, all day long, you’ve spent being a couch gremlin. It is essentially a little passive-aggressive coach you sport. And you adore.
Digital Cameras: Instant Image Capture
Long gone are those days of film rolls and waiting in anticipation of photo development. Photography is instant and at our fingertips with digital cameras, enabling us to capture and hold in the moment. A family reunion or a glimpse of an ocean view at a beautiful sunset is immediately present in memories.
Reusable Water Bottles (That Are Essentially a Personality)
Hydration wasn’t a flex in 1985. Nowadays? If you don’t have in your handbag a 40oz pastel-colored Stanley or stickered Hydro Flask, are you breathing at all? Water bottles turn into identification badges. BPA-free, earth-friendly, ice-retention wonders that trail behind us wherever we are as emotional support drinks.
Bluetooth Technology: Wireless Marvels
Bluetooth frees us from wires and cables, allowing devices to be connected without wires. From headphones to keyboards, this technology helped us digitally interact, from advancing our devices’ functionality to organizing our lives in turn.
Ride-Sharing Apps: The End of Awkward Taxi Chats
In the ’80s, you would call for a taxi, hope you would get one, and probably pay cash. Enter Uber, where you have your new drivers in their Toyotas who happen to be strangers. Nowadays, we rate drivers on their aux cord skills. Peak evolution.
Noise-Canceling Headphones: To Shut Out Life Itself
In the ’80s, you just had to put up with noisy babies and chatty co-workers. Nowadays? Press a button and the world vanishes. Not only are these headphones noise-blockers, but they block nonsense. They are indeed acoustic therapy with bass.
Electric Vehicles: The Future of Driving
Electric cars have gone from being novelties to mainstream vehicles. With more development of batteries and greater awareness of eco-friendliness, car models such as Tesla are leaders in cleaner, greener transportation.
Smart Home Devices: “Alexa, Fix My Life”
Lights off, sounds on, ambiance in place just by yelling at your tiny AI cube. In 1985, yelling at a device meant it was broken. But these days, we softly say “Hey Siri” in hushed tones. They dictate your home, and your schedule, and probably know more about your sleep than you do.
Online Banking: Managing Money Digitally
Banking is also online now where online platforms are utilized to send money, pay bills, and manage money without having to venture into one of their offices. It’s something that’s altered how money is being used, with power in our hands.
19 Things People Did in the ’90s That Kids Today Can’t Even Imagine
So, go ahead and get your slap bracelets and gel pens ready as we look at 19 totally insane things we did in the ’90s that would blow the minds of Gen Z.
19 Things People Did in the ’90s That Kids Today Can’t Even Imagine
15 Vanished Jobs That Should Make a Comeback
With our nostalgia-obsessed culture, AI fatigue, and cottagecore daydreams, those 15 forgotten careers might be waiting in hiding for their reboot. So get ready—some of these jobs are history’s weirdos, although they might be your grandkid’s next dream gig.
15 Vanished Jobs That Should Make a Comeback