A dozen gadgets that were killed by the Cellphone

[Iason Ouabache]

Wired had a pair of good articles about different tech gadgets that have been rendered obsolete by fast-moving cellphone industry:

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/11/five-gadget-whi.html?npu=1&mbid=yhp
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/11/seven-more-gadg.html

If you are lazy and don't want to click, here's the list:

1. PDA
2. Camera
3. Ultra Mobile PC
4. Landline telephones
5. MP3 player
6. Pager
7. Wristwatch
8. Pocket Calculator
9. Alarm clock
10. SatNav
11. book
12. Handheld Console

I disagree with the inclusion of the MP3 players, books, and handheld consoles. The rest of the list is pretty dead on though.  I don't know anyone under the age of 40 that still has a landline. Pagers died a very swift death about 10 years ago. Wristwatches are used only as jewelry anymore.  It's much easier to just take your phone out of your pocket or just look at the time on your computer.  I still have an old digital alarm clock, but I always use the cellphone when I'm not at home.

It's looking more and more like that people will be completely useless without their cell phones in the future.

[Kai]

My phone doesn't have most of those things.

Also, camera? Cell phone cameras are so shitty they are worthless.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What is a "handheld console"?

[Kai]

What is a "handheld console"?

Gameboy?

[Payne]

When I was a kid, I only got a rock on a string.

[Vene]

When I was a kid, I only got a rock on a string.

Damn you were spoiled, I got a rock.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What is a "handheld console"?

Gameboy?

Oh, that would make sense.

Except that the ongoing insane popularity of Gameboys plus the crap games you can play on a phone would tend to argue that they are nowhere near being made obsolete by cell phones.

[Kai]

What is a "handheld console"?

Gameboy?

Oh, that would make sense.

Except that the ongoing insane popularity of Gameboys plus the crap games you can play on a phone would tend to argue that they are nowhere near being made obsolete by cell phones.

*shrug* Thats true for most of the items on that list. A watch is still far easier and less annoying than a cellphone, MP3 players on their own are still far better than the capabilities of a iPhone, etc. You get a whole bunch of options on these newer cellphones but they are each of lower quality than the option would be on its own.

Or something.

[Vene]

I still wear a watch.  A lot of the time at work I'm asked what time it is by people who bring their phones.

Also, my phone is a cheap fucking thing.  But it makes calls and that's all I care about.

[Iason Ouabache]

My phone doesn't have most of those things.

Also, camera? Cell phone cameras are so shitty they are worthless.

My cell phone (LG env2) has a 2 megapixel camera built in.  Yes, there is no flash and no way to zoom but it is portable and always ready.

What is a "handheld console"?

Gameboy?

Oh, that would make sense.

Except that the ongoing insane popularity of Gameboys plus the crap games you can play on a phone would tend to argue that they are nowhere near being made obsolete by cell phones.

That's why I disagreed with their inclusion of handheld consoles on the list.  Cell phones are good for playing shitty little puzzle games but are nowhere close to handling bigger, more complex games. That will probably change in the future though.

[BADGE OF HONOR]

I think they're grasping at straws just to make the list long.

Also, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKiIroiCvZ0

[Rumckle]

Yeah, if you actually want a phone that can do all those things with a decent proficiency, specifically camera, book and gameboy, you have to increase the size of the phone somewhat, and I wouldn't want a kindle sized cell phone.

As for mp3 player, I got my cell phone 4 years ago, and I use it as an mp3 player, which it does an alright job, it's out dated now, but 4 Gig of music is alright for me.

[Ludwig]

the other day on the bus somebody was making a noise with their cellular phone, and i said, "Are you using your telephone to make that noise?" and he started to show me how he was using it to compose music.  And then I said "Oh wow that's neat they found a way to make cellular phones even more annoying" and then he did not say anything else.

When I see cellular phones, I want to smash them.  It's totally unreasonable.

[Ludwig]

Also I get mad when I see paved roads.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

YES

I get mad when natural park areas are "improved" with pavement and electricity. What the fuck.