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Tech we thought was the future
It’s Friday, and I’m feeling a little nostalgic. Let’s take a fun walk down memory lane back when our gadgets were clunky, slow and somehow magical.
Remember when flipping your phone shut made you feel like a movie star? Or hearing the sound of a modem? Good times. Take a look at this list and see if there are any you miss.
AOL Instant Messenger
AIM was where friendships, gossip and teenage drama lived. Setting the perfect away message was an art form. “Out grabbing pizza. BRB.” Bonus points if you threw in a moody song lyric.
T9 texting
Before touch screens, texting meant using a numeric keypad where each button represented three or four letters. You had to tap multiple times to get the right one. Sending a simple “Hi” could feel like typing a novel. Mastering T9 predictive text was a real skill, and if you could do it without looking, you were a wizard.
Car phones
Not Bluetooth, not speakerphones, actual phones bolted into your car. If you had one, you were big-time. Even if the service cut out every time you left the city limits.
Floppy disks
Saving a school or work project onto a floppy felt like high-tech magic. Too bad you could only fit about one blurry photo on it. 1.44 MB sounded like a lot back then.
Digital cameras
Before smartphones ruled the world, you carried a chunky digital camera everywhere. You snapped 40 photos, crossed your fingers and hoped one wasn’t blurry when you uploaded them hours later.
BlackBerrys
If you had a BlackBerry, you meant business. That tiny keyboard gave you the power to email, text and survive boring meetings long before iPhones took over. You were never in a jam. Fun fact: I never owned one.
The original iPod
A thousand songs in your pocket sounded like pure science fiction. That click wheel was addictive, and you felt unstoppable with your whole music library at your fingertips.
It’s crazy how fast tech moves. What once felt like the future now feels prehistoric. Makes you wonder what we’ll be laughing about 10 years from now. I bet carrying a phone will seem ridiculous.
🥳 For fun: If you could bring back one old-school gadget just for the memories, what would it be? Hit reply or let me know when you rate this newsletter at the end. I read every note.
Outside’s calling
☀️ The weather’s heating up. Here’s how to make the most of it.
- Keep your cool with a portable fan (23% off) that hangs around your neck.
- These outdoor string lights (37% off) give your patio space a glow-up.
- Bring the bass to the pool or beach with a waterproof speaker (25% off).
- Old seat cushions? Freshen up with comfy new chair pads (20% off).
- This dog doormat (26% off) catches dirt before it hits your floors.
- Stick on a mosquito repellent patch (28% off) instead of a messy spray.
👩💻 “Kim, what tech do you use?” Glad you asked, check out my page for gear I love and rely on daily.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Grandma got played, but not by bingo
Let me tell you a true story that’ll shake you and hopefully protect someone you love from heartbreak or a well-rehearsed scam call.
It happened to a 90-year-old grandmother in Nashville. She picked up the phone because that’s what she’s always done. On the other end was a young woman, her voice trembling, the connection staticky. “Grandma, help! I was in a car accident. I need you to talk to a lawyer right now.”
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Keep a spare charging cable in your carry-on. They’re the #1 most forgotten item. Here’s a three-pack ($12).
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Your brain got doxxed: Warning for you. Neurotech sleep and wellness gadgets are quietly collecting, and selling, your brain waves. These supposed brain-computer interface (BCI) technologies aren’t covered under medical privacy laws. Your mood, thoughts or mental health patterns are on the market to the highest bidder. It never stops.
Never lose your phone with this trick
A hidden setting lets someone call you from your locked phone. Set it up now.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
👨🏻⚖️ When dead men speak: In Arizona, a family used AI to recreate a murder victim’s voice and face in a video to deliver his own impact statement in court. The judge gave a harsher sentence after hearing the victim’s synthesized testimony, marking a surreal, and possibly cathartic, first in American legal history. Nothing says “closure” like a ghost dropping the mic in court.
Up to $1.4 million
How much MrBeast made from YouTube revenue in the past week, according to Viewstats. He launched the app himself to track creators’ estimated earnings, views and subscribers. And yep, you can look them up, too! It also shows what’s going viral, so if you’ve got a channel, steal some inspo.
GTA 6 surprise trailer
It dropped out of nowhere and yeah, it looks pretty realistic. We’re talking Miami vibes, chaos everywhere and so many butts it might as well be a beach club. ICYMI: The game’s been delayed another six months to May 2026, so this trailer is Rockstar’s way of keeping the hype alive. You have to see it.
What’s that smell?
🤧 Don’t worry, you might need a few of these.
- Filter out dust, dander and smells with an air purifier (38% off).
- This handy multi-surface cleaner (22% off) steams away gross stuff.
- Keep your fridge fresh with a deodorizer (11% off) that can last 10 years.
- Sweaty shoes? These odor absorbers ($11) soak up that stink.
- Wash up to 64 loads with scent-free laundry sheets ($15.29).
- Breathe and grab a six-pack of shower steamers (15% off).
💐 Shop my Mother’s Day Ultimate Gift List now. You’ll find the perfect gift for the special person in your life.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Apple owes you money: Owned an iPhone or iPad between Sept. 17, 2014, and Dec. 31, 2024? You might be eligible for part of a $95 million settlement. Why? A lawsuit says Siri recorded private convos by accident. Oopsie. If you got an email or think it happened to you, submit your claim by July 2. You can file for up to five devices and get up to $20 each.
Phone down, eyes up
At the pool with your kids? If you’re on your phone, you’re not really watching them.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
⛪️ Open to work: After Pope Francis’ passing, the Vatican updated its LinkedIn with a description for the next pope. Mandatory: be baptized, male, Catholic. Preferred: good singing voice, multilingual, wisdom, prudence and even “Joy in serving with almost no holidays.” Not a remote position. Sorry.
Targeted beauty: This is nuts. Facebook allegedly tracked teen girls deleting selfies and waited like an algorithmic vulture to serve them beauty ads at their weakest moment. “This is what puts money in all our pockets,” one exec reportedly said. Emotional damage, now with 20% more ROI.
Katy Perry’s Met Gala pics? Totally fake. Photos of her “attending” the fashion event are going viral, but they’re AI-generated. Katy posted them herself, saying she couldn’t make it because of her tour. This is the second year it’s happened to her, and even her mom got tricked last time.
Ever own a Tesla?
Your name could end up on a hit list. A shady site is doxxing people it thinks are Tesla owners, even if they sold the car years ago.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
$20,000
What some folks are dropping on hand-painted portraits. In an age where AI can remix your face in 0.5 seconds, more Americans are actually paying real humans to immortalize them the analog way. It’s slower, pricier and way more intimate. Also, no filters, just your raw, regal essence (and maybe your dog).
14,900MB/s
How fast Western Digital’s new SSD claims it can read data. It’s basically a caffeine-fueled cheetah on a PCIe 5.0 racetrack. A listing on Amazon leaked the SN8100 ahead of launch. At nearly 15 GB/sec, it could be the fastest consumer SSD on the market.
Minority Report tech is here
The MTA is testing AI cameras that analyze body language to spot danger before it unfolds. Is this a sci-fi premonition come true?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices