“I’m Having A Blast”: 50 People Are Not Ashamed To Admit They Still Use These Obsolete Things
Interview With Expert
Technology is changing at an incredibly rapid pace. Innovations in tech and new products are seemingly everywhere. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence, it’s unclear what the future will look like. Though many are happily embracing this uncertainty, others are sticking to what they know best—tried and tested products.
Reddit user u/blankblank sparked an interesting debate after asking everyone to share the outdated or obsolete tech that they still happily use to this very day. Check out their responses below, Pandas. You might find that you have quite a bit in common with these internet users. Personally, we're still pretty big fans of buttons and paper...
We reached out to consumer psychology specialist Matt Johnson, Ph.D., to get his thoughts on why some people still cling to 'outdated' technology and products. You'll find Bored Panda's full interview with him below. Johnson is the host of the marketing psychology blog and the author of 'Blindsight' and ‘Branding that Means Business.'
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Wired earphones.
Cheap, don't have to charge, don't need to worry about losing them.
Bring 3.5 back for phones dam it
A *light switch.*
I just moved into a new house, which has “smart switches,” which I swear to god are the dumbest f*****g light switches anyone’s ever thought up.
On. Off. That’s what I want in a light switch. Maybe a little miniature fader bar on the side if you’re into romantic mood lighting. (I’m not.)
*These* f*****g switches: Tap up to turn the lights on. Tap and hold to fade them up. Double tap up to turn them on maximum (This is different than turn them on, because reasons). Tap down to turn them off. Tap and hold to fade them down. Double tap down to turn them on minimum (a function nobody, in the world, has ever used deliberately, ever).
And just to make sure you deeply despise whoever thought these things up, the sensitivity SUUUUUUCKS. So as often as not, you tap down to turn them off, and the light switch reads that as “tap and hold to dim,” and your light just decreases by 20%. So then you have to turn around and go back into the hallway (because you’ve already passed it - because you should not have to *PAUSE* at a light switch to f*****g operate it), go back, double tap up to turn the lights back up to maximum (otherwise next time you turn it on, it will helpfully remember that you “wanted” it at 80%), and then tap down to turn them off again.
**ON.** F*****g **OFF.** That’s what a light switch should do. **It cannot be improved upon.** My light switch should not be trying to *interpret* my *intentions.*
Meanwhile, these light switches all flash a little orange LED under them. I looked up in the manual that this means they are not connected to wifi. I have no intention of changing that, because I am never… *EVER*… going to be driving home in my car and say “Hey Siri, dim the lights to 40% and put on some romantic mood music. Daddy’s going to slip into the tub with a glass of *wine* for a little *Me Time.*” 🤢 🤮
But there is one light switch in my house that does not flash orange; It shows a solid blue. Which means it *IS* connected to wifi. *Whose* f*****g wifi? Not mine. I never gave it my password. So which of my neighbors is hosting the online profile of my f*****g **light switch?**
I’m going to spend hundreds of dollars this winter to replace every “smart” light switch in the house with a real, functional light switch, designed by and for actual human beings, and it will be the happiest money I’ve ever spent.
Physical buttons. Not everything needs to be touchscreen for goodness sake.
Seconded, I really don’t want my first car to be a giant smartphone you sit in
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I don't know if anyone else has this problem but touch screens don't "see" me. None of those things work for me. The auto water faucet in the bathroom, nope. I am invisible to sensors apparently
Touchscreens in the car are bloody dangerous, I need to be able to operate by feel!
I loved the episode of Star Trek Voyager where Tom Paris desigend the "Delta Flyer" - with mechanical levers and wheels, modeled after an old sci-fi series he was fond of. He even defended this design choice quite viciously: "a touchscreen simply isn't the same!"
Yes, please. I want my old fashioned timer back.
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I grieve the demise of Blackberry and other phones with QWERTY keypads
You and me, both. The QWERTY keypad is one of the many reasons that I loved my old Crackberry, as we jokingly used to call it. I still have it, but obviously haven't used it since.
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SO true! It’s definitely one reason why PlayStation/Nintendo games tend to be more fun than apps downloaded on iPad, but I guess it depends on the game. Without a doubt, though, it’s especially fun to play games where you mash the buttons to progress; & whoever invented the game controller in the first place is an absolute legend! 😊💖🎮
*pounces Kitten's bellybutton*
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The buttons pictured are the best ever made. They srand up to decades of use and exposure to the elements.
The stupid dishwasher touchscreen turns on everytime I accidentally brush against it, and there is no way to lock it unless it is on.
Where are you located? The original or one of those ones with a dual screen(touch and buttons)?
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On everything ! Why does one have to go into a menu to perform a function ? In days gone by, each function had a button .... easy.
Touchscreens hate me. Plus, something so satisfying pounding real buttons like a raging hairless ape. I remember payphones. You almost couldn't break them. I literally witnessed someone get super mad while on a payphone, then beat the phone with the receiver until they felt better, then made another call lol.
I have essential tremors AND a skin condition on my fingertips that makes touchscreens almost like a lottery. Will it work today or not? It is a gamble I hate passionately.
I'd never buy a laptop with a touchscreen. Breathe on them and whatever you're trying to look at disappears, and you have to figure out how to get it back. Ugh!
And volume controls. I do not want digital volume control, I want potentiometer with a k**b on it that I twist.
I think Hyundai (or one of the major car companies) is going back to tactile knobs for safety. I hope by the time i need another car they are all back to knobs
I have hyperhidrosis and I hate everything that's touchscreen. I love physical buttons, especially menus I can hold without having to scan a QR code. Living with hyperhidrosis in this touchsceeen era is impossible.
I was never a huge blackberry fan but I definitely miss the keyboard
Johnson, a consumer psychology specialist and the host of the marketing psychology blog, explained to Bored Panda that there are several reasons why people often cling to seemingly outdated technology.
"First, familiarity and comfort play a role, as people may be resistant to change and prefer tools they're accustomed to. Second, cost can be a massive factor as well, as upgrading to newer technology can be expensive. It's the classic line: 'No one has ever been fired for going with IBM,'" he said.
"Many business leaders are excessively loss averse, and so if an old technology is working (even sub-optimally), there is little incentive to change. An upgrade is seen as all downside, and little upside," Johnson noted.
A good cast-iron pan is still superior to anything that has been invented since.
I own my music. I have 100s of CDs so I still use my CD player and MP3 player. And, to be honest, I still have about 150 vinyl albums I play on occasion.
Physical media will always be better than digital. I don't mind digital, but when the cash runs out or the internet/power fails (could be short or long term), what's going to entertain you? Your phone won't live forever. Board games fall into this category too!
"In some cases, older technology may also be more reliable or durable, making it a practical choice for certain tasks."
On top of that, Johnson said that in the case of fax machines still being widely used in Japan, "cultural factors and industry-specific standards can further perpetuate the use of older technology."
We also asked the consumer psychology specialist about why people feel pressured to update to the latest gadgets. For one, you have social pressure and the desire to fit in with your peers to consider.
"Advertisements and marketing create a sense of FOMO (fear of missing out) and a perception that the latest technology is essential for staying connected and efficient. Additionally, software updates and app compatibility can incentivize upgrades as older devices may become obsolete," the specialist shared with Bored Panda.
Some things don't need to be smart when the regular push button or k**b version works fine. Simpler and less things that could go wrong.
Like kitchen appliances. A kitchen faucet doesn't need voice commands. My air fryer doesn't need wifi connection so I can control it from an app.
Watches that only tell the time. Maybe the date, too :)
I don’t really understand the purpose of watches with screens anyway, it’s basically just an even smaller phone
Textbooks bro. Not even technology. Why is everything online now. I need the ability to highlight something
As someone who went through high school and college with notebooks and physical text books (late Gen-Xer), I am actually grateful for the technology we have today. I am quite comfortable with and enjoy my Kindle, I love my iPad, and I had to learn OneNote for work. I don't think I would go back to school without having a notebook and pen with me, but the idea of not having to pay $500+ for a 65 pounds of textbooks that I have to lug around everywhere and panic when I can't find them is truly a dream for me.
"The pursuit of new features, improved performance, and enhanced user experiences also drives this pressure for constant technological advancement. This is exacerbated by the fact that many products are deliberately designed and marketed to be desired, enjoyed briefly, and then replaced. This is especially the case with mobile devices, where we constantly seek out the newest, 'most advanced' version, despite modest changes from model to model."
Johnson also drew attention to a set of studies from Columbia Business School that he also discussed in his book 'Blindsight.' "Researchers found that you’re much more likely to be careless with your phone if there’s a newer, better version of the product on the horizon," he noted.
"Examining a dataset of over 3,000 lost iPhones, the research team found there was a curious spike in losses before a new model was released. Over 600 self-reports of iPhone neglect and damage followed similar timing. Even our physical dexterity becomes unconsciously attuned to this need to upgrade."
Does EVERYTHING have to be powered by sensors? I swear that everything I own breaks only because of a sensor gone bad. My car's A/C, my washing machine's cycle sensors, even the coffee warmer I received as a gift.
Maybe I'm old but I would just like to turn something on, it do its job, then turn it back off. It doesn't also need to blow me.
Physical media in general (DVDs, CDs, video games, books, etc.). Yeah, it adds to clutter but most digital services have it in their terms of service that they can remove content (even paid for) at any time with no refund to you. You're basically paying a float rate to rent it until they can no longer rent it.
Come try to remove the physical stuff, it's a felony in most states and you can have my Buckaroo Banzai BluRay when you pry it from my cold and dead fingers.
Agree there is only so much streaming services can have available and if they decide to remove it from rotation then you can’t see it. Or some entertainment company decides they want to get into streaming and take all the content they own from other platforms. Then you have to pick and choose which ones to subscribe too or wether to add another subscription. I’d rather pay a one time fee for a copy I can watch at almost any time.
Pen and paper for notes and lists. Calendar and address books. For that matter, books in general. I've tried reading a digital book and I just don't get the appeal.
The appeal is you can bring 40 books on vacation without filling your luggage up.
The viral Reddit thread is proof of a few things. First, folks have a tough time letting go of the things they already own and have grown to love. Nostalgia and money that’s already been invested in the tech are both key factors here.
Secondly, it shows that some people are perfectly fine using products that work adequately, while they’re still functional. They don’t see a need to upgrade to the ‘latest mode’ just to be fashionable or chase trends. This might be out of ecological concerns, the desire to save money, or the simple realization that simple functionality is better than an overabundance of options.
I store my passwords in a physical pen-and-paper notebook. I am not impressed at the notion of storing passwords in some sort of cloud-based solution.
Printers that could print without a subscription....
Who sell them with a subscription? I work in the primer copier field never seen a company that requires a subscription to print.
Third—and many of us have witnessed this firsthand—products made in the past seem to stand the test of time far better than new ones. They’re more resilient. Newer tech, on the other hand, seems to become outdated far more quickly. Thanks, planned obsolescence!
You’d genuinely be surprised by how abundant old tech still is in this day and age. For example, the Tokyo Weekender points out that in 2020, a jaw-dropping 34% of all Japanese households still had a fax machine. It’s quite a contrast with public perception when you consider that Japan is one of the most technologically advanced countries on Planet Earth.
What I would give to have back the headphone jack in my phone...
my dial phone. I love it and will never ever get rid of it. It's in my kitchen, it's yellow and my grandpa built a little wooden picket fence around it, with fake flowers in tiny clay flower pots.
It’s not just fax machines that Japan has a tough time letting go of! Cash is still prevalent in the country. According to data from 2022, merely 32% of all payments in Japan were cashless. Compare that to a whopping 93% of payments in neighboring South Korea, another extremely technologically advanced nation.
CDs, business cards, and websites that overwhelm you with information are also a part of daily life there. Many of these things look like they belong in the latter half of the last century, but there you have it—nothing’s obsolete or outdated while it’s still in use! And changing habits, traditions, and social mores is harder than you think, even with all the fancy new tech up for grabs…
manual transmission
It gives you so much more control than an automatic one! Although... the automatic one is nice for long traffic jams.
I'd rather use my mp3 player with wired earbuds than play music through itunes on my phone.
My new MP3 player, also plays FLAC files and uses wired earbuds. IMG_202310...90-png.jpg 
A plastic freaking card! I just called Sam's Club and got into a fight with them. I am NOT using a freaking app on my phone!!! I want a damn card!!!
I have an offgrid cabin in the woods, I have a small pc responsible for recording/saving images from security cameras, and also serves as a data logger for my weather sensors - it all runs on Windows XP and it’s rock solid.
DVDs. Sadly, most modern computers have no drives, so external is the only option.
I got a floppy to usb too, friends and families borrow it to check their old floppies before discarding them, think i gave 15/20 eur well worth the price for me,
On the farm we still use some old equipment like a 1952 Ford tractor and a ride-on sickle mower for cutting down tall weeds. I plant a couple rows of sweet corn next to the regular corn so when I plant that corn I use an old 2 row planter thats probably 100 years old. Still works great for planting 600 feet of corn.
Both pieces of equipment were meant to be pulled by horses or tractors. We just use a garden tractor.
I'm a Xennial and I still pay my bills via mailed check. That means I have checkbooks, envelopes, and stamps in my home.
I hate all this modern technology s**t but, paying online is the best thing that ever happened. Checks are expensive, cuts way down on stamps. Not to mention the tedious writing of checks and you don't have to worry about the PO losing it.
I have a hand crank can opener. I also have a lawn mower without an engine.
Edit: I also drive a stick shift.
Hand crank can opener is a life saver when the power goes out in the house, and you will be cooking on the barbecue or fireplace/fire pit.
A radio.
That's a rad tech actually. Back in old days radio could even work without any power source by just self powering from long AM radiowaves
my film cameras
Oh look at that Yashica! Wonderfully lightweight durable camera that took Carl Zeiss T-lenses.
Wired internet connection. I love wires, so much more reliable.
Ethernet and display wires are the only wires i'll never get rid of. Everywhere i've lived for the past 20 years, i've run ethernet wires through the wall to every room.
Manual toothbrush
Keep them electric shits away from me
Nothing wrong with an electric toothbrush. Some have a feature of vibrating after about 30 seconds on each quarter of your mouth, many can do a better job brushing and encourage people to not apply quite so much pressure when taking care of their teeth.
I use a double edge razor to shave and I've just finished polishing my shoes with wax and a stiff brush. In both cases it takes a little longer than using an electric razor or those shoe polishing pens, but I enjoy the ritual and I don't mind it taking a bit of extra time.
I still download music. I don’t trust streaming sites to always have what I want to listen to. Plus, I have some very obscure stuff that most don’t have anyway.
Yeah streaming sites are limited then they tend to repeat within an hour of streaming.
Anything that still comes wired. Mice, keyboard, controllers, whatever, I'll still want the wired option.
I'd argue typing is almost obsolete, but I'll still type over using speech to text.
I also have a 30 year old vacuum that still works like a dream! Weights a shitload but it has an auto-drive system and you can still buy the original bags and parts. Tried using a modern vacuum and it didn't come close in cleaning ability compared to my old one.
I ordered a charger for my old DS lite (came out 2006) last week and damn did I miss it. The DS age of empires, old Pokémon games I’m having a blast
I have a retro gaming system with the original Nintendo, Gameboy, Gameboy Color, Sega, Atari, Arcade games.... Enough of them work well enough that I'm very happy with it. I'm a Dragon Warrior extraordinaire.
the Atari Asteroids machine in my basement. I try to play it often as possible.
Wood burner for home heating.
I am still transferring mp3s i downloaded from the internet to my phone. I tried Spotify premium for a year, was not satisfied and many old songs i like are not available. But by manually downloading flac, mp3, or so, i can get many unusual things like: my country's flag carrier playlist, remastered bass boosted, remixes, covers, etc.
The other night I found that I was the only one in my group of friends (12), that has music stored in the phone, everyone else's using Spotify or YouTube...
My sega genesis and PlayStation 2 slim are still pluggin along fine and still are fun
iPod classic, CDs, and DVDs.
What can I say? I like owning things.
Adobe CS4. Screw the monthly subscriptions.
Affinity (they offer photo, design, and publisher software) is fantastic and very affordable, no subscription.
I’ve a 12 year old pc that I use often. It had 16gb installed about a day after I got it, and about a year ago I replaced the HDDs with SSDs. It runs very well for use as a file server and word processing, WWW, etc. I’m not a gamer anyway, so it’s fine.
Mp3 players
I have a 17+ yr old Samsung mp3 player that I love. Have to use corded headphones with it but it's worth it.
I typed this comment on a non-electric typewriter and mailed it to Bored Panda. I hope they post it.
Many people don't realise that many pieces of smart technology can make a massive difference to a disabled persons life. Making the difference between being able to live independently and having to rely on someone/ struggling to do it the none smart way. My smart watch helps me massively as a deaf person and also one who uses a wheelchair so can text for help if I fall. My curtains can be opened/ closed with an app as shutting them isn't easy with furniture in the way of them to get close enough to pull them across. My smart watch made me realise there was an issue with heart rate being too slow or fast at times and data from it allowed my doctor to see and order tests to diagnose with a condition I'd likely have not realised for some time. No one is forcing you to have or use smart technology, but just remember that it could make a massive difference to a disabled persons life, before you go writing it off as unneeded.
That's what they're intended for. Kudos for being the one person out of a thousand that understands that.
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The title is wrong. None of these items is obsolete. They still perform the function they were designed for and exactly as well as the day they were manufactured. The fact that alternatives have been developed doesn't make earlier items obsolete. It doesn't even mean that those alternatives work better.
Things I wish I still had Cable-had Direct TV for a while. Lost the signal every time it rained or the wind blew too hard. Currently have Roku. First have to turn it on, then select the user, select your channel and search for the show you want. A real time clock at work-One company I worked for switched to biometric. Never worked properly. Then there was Kronos. HR hacked it so it would shave a few minutes each day off your time. Now its Workday. Have to have an app on your phone for it to work.
I have a Remington Rolling-block rifle in 11mm Egyptian calibre that I found was made in 1876. Found a machinist who could make a chamber-insert to let me use 45 Auto-Rim cartridges. Fun to take to the range.
One of the finest single shot actions ever developed. If I didn't shoot front stuffers I'd get a rolling block.
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What's important to remember is that there are two types of obsolescence: technological obsolescence and functional obsolescence. The first one simply means there's something newer on the market. The second is more important in practical terms, because it means the object won't do what you need for it to do. My carpenter's brace and bit are technologically obsolete, but it's not functionally obsolete because it still does exactly what I need it to do: drill large holes in wood.
Books is a for sure for me. I'll use my kindle to read samples and if I like it I order the physical book...I prefer to collect hard covers but I do have several complete series in paperback.
Many things on that list are for from obsolete. Just because they don't need an internet connection or a computer, doesn't mean obsolete, more of the opposite.
Some people do not realize that you don't need all this technology to live a comfortable life, and a lot of it actually makes life harder.
Some smart things are super helpful. My husband is vision impaired and being able to tell the thermostat to turn up or down is wonderful. However, on the flip side, no actual buttons makes his life more difficult. He can’t tell where to ours on the microwave, dishwasher, etc without bump dots.
Yes, that is how I see it. There have been some real good improvements to the quality of life, but also in some cases the implementations have been lacking. It seems to me that the people in bored panda can only see one side of any given subject.
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Handwriting!!!! It's becoming a secret code!! Daughter is a teacher and when I asked if she put the alphabet with scripted letters on the walls, she laughed at me!!!
Honestly at 61 I even forgot "cursive" writing. I got use to writing in all caps in the 7th grade. Mr Pigot would write like that on the chalkboard. That was like 1975-76. To this day I still write in all Caps. My signature thats it. Just a couple of weeks ago I tried to copy a paragraph online and tried to write in cursive/scripted writing. I forgot how to do the lower case f, q, j etc., I stalled in my writing...hmmm how did that q and j work again. Script is on its way to being Egyption hieroglyphs
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obsolete my a*s, a lot of analog or first digital tecnology are best. than things nowdays
I typed this comment on a non-electric typewriter and mailed it to Bored Panda. I hope they post it.
Many people don't realise that many pieces of smart technology can make a massive difference to a disabled persons life. Making the difference between being able to live independently and having to rely on someone/ struggling to do it the none smart way. My smart watch helps me massively as a deaf person and also one who uses a wheelchair so can text for help if I fall. My curtains can be opened/ closed with an app as shutting them isn't easy with furniture in the way of them to get close enough to pull them across. My smart watch made me realise there was an issue with heart rate being too slow or fast at times and data from it allowed my doctor to see and order tests to diagnose with a condition I'd likely have not realised for some time. No one is forcing you to have or use smart technology, but just remember that it could make a massive difference to a disabled persons life, before you go writing it off as unneeded.
That's what they're intended for. Kudos for being the one person out of a thousand that understands that.
Load More Replies... The title is wrong. None of these items is obsolete. They still perform the function they were designed for and exactly as well as the day they were manufactured. The fact that alternatives have been developed doesn't make earlier items obsolete. It doesn't even mean that those alternatives work better.
Things I wish I still had Cable-had Direct TV for a while. Lost the signal every time it rained or the wind blew too hard. Currently have Roku. First have to turn it on, then select the user, select your channel and search for the show you want. A real time clock at work-One company I worked for switched to biometric. Never worked properly. Then there was Kronos. HR hacked it so it would shave a few minutes each day off your time. Now its Workday. Have to have an app on your phone for it to work.
I have a Remington Rolling-block rifle in 11mm Egyptian calibre that I found was made in 1876. Found a machinist who could make a chamber-insert to let me use 45 Auto-Rim cartridges. Fun to take to the range.
One of the finest single shot actions ever developed. If I didn't shoot front stuffers I'd get a rolling block.
Load More Replies... What's important to remember is that there are two types of obsolescence: technological obsolescence and functional obsolescence. The first one simply means there's something newer on the market. The second is more important in practical terms, because it means the object won't do what you need for it to do. My carpenter's brace and bit are technologically obsolete, but it's not functionally obsolete because it still does exactly what I need it to do: drill large holes in wood.
Books is a for sure for me. I'll use my kindle to read samples and if I like it I order the physical book...I prefer to collect hard covers but I do have several complete series in paperback.
Many things on that list are for from obsolete. Just because they don't need an internet connection or a computer, doesn't mean obsolete, more of the opposite.
Some people do not realize that you don't need all this technology to live a comfortable life, and a lot of it actually makes life harder.
Some smart things are super helpful. My husband is vision impaired and being able to tell the thermostat to turn up or down is wonderful. However, on the flip side, no actual buttons makes his life more difficult. He can’t tell where to ours on the microwave, dishwasher, etc without bump dots.
Yes, that is how I see it. There have been some real good improvements to the quality of life, but also in some cases the implementations have been lacking. It seems to me that the people in bored panda can only see one side of any given subject.
Load More Replies... Handwriting!!!! It's becoming a secret code!! Daughter is a teacher and when I asked if she put the alphabet with scripted letters on the walls, she laughed at me!!!
Honestly at 61 I even forgot "cursive" writing. I got use to writing in all caps in the 7th grade. Mr Pigot would write like that on the chalkboard. That was like 1975-76. To this day I still write in all Caps. My signature thats it. Just a couple of weeks ago I tried to copy a paragraph online and tried to write in cursive/scripted writing. I forgot how to do the lower case f, q, j etc., I stalled in my writing...hmmm how did that q and j work again. Script is on its way to being Egyption hieroglyphs
Load More Replies... obsolete my a*s, a lot of analog or first digital tecnology are best. than things nowdays
