A friend recently asked me if I knew where she could buy a “vintage” Sony Walkman for her 14-year-old daughter’s birthday. That’s all she wants, he said. It’s not an iPhone. It’s not a PlayStation. There aren’t even any ponies. She wants the same equipment I carried around when I was 14 years old, nearly 40 years ago.
Retrotech is having a big moment. The transparent see-through gadget is back. Cassette tape sales have increased nearly 490% since 2015. Sales of analog alarm clocks are also rapidly increasing.
Everyone from Gen Smartphone burnout and nostalgia have people going back to their favorite gadgets for comfort and curiosity.
“In an increasingly digital world, the magic of analog is really fascinating,” Adam Furst said by phone.
With his wife, Cori, Furst founded and currently operates a company called Retrospect, based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. There, a team of engineers is refurbishing an array of old technology equipment. This includes cassette players, game consoles, alarm clocks, and a variety of other fun gadgets from the past. Their mission is to “deliver years-old products that work as if they were made yesterday,” Fuerst said.
“We call ourselves ‘old-fashioned guardians,'” Fuerst added with a laugh. “I use my cell phone all day, [using old-fashioned technology] It’s a way to step back and have a more tactile and intentional experience. It’s comforting to be able to disconnect from your smartphone, return to your human nature, and use all your senses to truly be present in whatever you’re interacting with. I think that’s special and I think it’s healthy.”
Apparently, many people agree. The business, which the Fursts started as a side job while completing graduate school in 2010, has grown into a thriving business with 45 employees and is on track to “soon reach the 10 million mark.” added Furst.
Retro technology that I’m obsessed with right now
As a Gen Well, maybe it’s not the big hair or the jelly shoes, but the electronic whirligigs and Thing Mabob and all that stuff takes me back to the wildest days gone by.
Here are some retro gadgets and trends that I’m obsessed with. It was performed on the “Today Show”.
Turn it over and turn it over well.
Partly due to smartphone burnout, flip phones are all the rage these days. I’ve written quite a bit about what I use on nights and weekends to take my life back from being constantly connected, and here are some new collaborations worth noting.
HMD, the company that released the $130 Barbie Flip Phone earlier this year, recently announced The Bowling Phone. They teamed up with Heineken and Boston creative company Bodega to channel nostalgia with a catchy hook: “There’s so much information in our social lives that we don’t have much information on our phones.”
Features include “no maps, no high-quality cameras, and no social media.” Just a good old fashioned retro vibe to help you connect with friends even on cold days.
According to the Boring Phone website, these are only available as a giveaway or for a limited time. If you’re lucky, you can make calls and text messages over 2G, 3G, and 4G networks in the United States. Oh, let’s play Snake too.
90’s clear gear
Translucent technology is also returning to demand. See-through gadgets are a throwback to the ’90s, when transparency, openness, and “looking inside” were important to gadget shoppers.
Nothing, a London-based technology company, has a line of transparent phones and earbuds that aim to “remove the barriers between people and technology,” according to the CEO.
Retrospekt makes the CP-81 Portable Cassette Player ($100), a Walkman-like cassette player with a see-through housing.
Gaming gadgets are also becoming translucent. Xbox has a special edition Sky Cipher wireless controller ($70). Players can see through the transparent blue design to a silver interior with flashy metal parts. You can also purchase a refurbished DualShock 4 Wireless Controller for PS4 for about $50 on Amazon.
You can’t talk about retro technology without mentioning Nintendo’s Game Boy ($150). There’s a version that hid in the shadows and sold out faster than I can remember, saying, “Just play Tetris for five more minutes, Mom, Gauche!”
let’s play music
I got rid of the leg warmers a long time ago, but I still have my old yellow sports Sony Walkman from the 80s. But I’m a little scared to use it because I’m afraid I’ll end up eating the last of it. flashdance A cassette like a grumpy gremlin at an all-you-can-eat buffet after midnight.
It’s a good thing that this product happens to be one of Retrospect’s most popular gear rewinds. The site has a large selection of original and refurbished cassette players of almost every shape and color, including the Sony Walkman, with prices ranging from $150 to $1,200. All cassette players come with batteries and bright orange on-ear headphones to complete the atmosphere. Cassette tapes can also be purchased on the site.
Boomboxes are also making a comeback. Several companies including JBL, Anker, Sony, and Bumpboxx have created a new Bluetooth version of an old classic that makes it rattle.
But they feel new. If you want a real blast from the past, check out products like Riptunes Boombox ($80) on Amazon. It’s also new, but it has all the best features from 1982, including an AM/FM radio, built-in cassette player, and recorder. It also has modern features such as Bluetooth connectivity and direct recording to Micro SD/USB. The sound is “classic” stereo and requires a power connection or the addition of 4 AA batteries.
Ah, the instant camera is back!
Like the classic vinyl record player, instant cameras that print photos from your smartphone have been around for a while. However, actual vintage instant cameras are becoming hotter by the day.
The Polaroid 600 Supercolor 635 CL ($160) rainbow-stripe instant camera is one of Retrospekt’s most popular refurbished gadgets, updated by engineers to handle a new generation of selfies. All you need is a pack of Polaroid 600 film (sold separately) to experience the best in grainy, soft-focus instant photography.
I also found another “new” old camera on Amazon. The Kodak Reusable 35mm Film Camera ($50) is similar to the iconic Instamatic of the ’60s and ’70s, but with features like a pop-up flash that requires batteries, it feels new and old. It is made. 35mm film must also be loaded. Old, developed film is still available at Walgreens, CVS, and other common drug stores, just as it was “back in the day.”
Sound the alarm!
Retro alarm clocks are becoming popular as more and more people banish their smartphones from their bedrooms for a better night’s sleep. One of my favorites is the 1968 Twemco Analog Flip Alarm Clock ($95). I love the “click” sound it makes when the card number is turned over. These are physical cards, not digital representations. It is battery operated and also displays the date.
The alarm was quieter than I remembered, its sweet little beeping sound transporting me back to high school and playing snooze roulette until the last moment.
back to the future
If you could go back to the future with McFly, what old gadget would you take with you?
Retrospekt’s Fuerst says VHS, DVD and Blu-ray could be next to make a comeback. “No interruptions, no commercials, no ads, no endless streaming. [old media formats] Having a clear beginning, middle, and end. It’s nice to have moments of control and restraint. ”
Despite all the modern conveniences that new technology offers, going back in time through more “purposeful” and idiosyncratic experiences can help many of us “feel a little more human again,” Furst says. .
JenniferJolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer technology columnist and on-air contributor to “The Today Show.” The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. Please contact JJ@Techish.com.
