14 Devices Everyone Owned Before Smartphones Took Over
Here's a nostalgic roundup of the gadgets we relied on before phones did everything.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Before smartphones replaced almost every tool in our lives, we depended on a mix of gadgets daily. These devices defined a generation of tech. Let’s revisit 14 devices everyone owned before one phone took over it all.
1. Flip Phones
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Compact, durable, and satisfying to snap shut, flip phones ruled the early 2000s. They were simple: calls, texts, maybe a grainy photo.
2. iPods
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Apple’s iPod was the ultimate way to carry your entire music library. Scrolling through playlists with the iconic click wheel felt smooth and cool.
3. Walkmans
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Before MP3s, cassettes were king, and Walkmans gave music mobility. They made bus rides and workouts more fun, headphones dangling everywhere.
4. CD Players
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Portable CD players, often called Discmans, offered crisp audio but skipped with every bump. Carrying around a stack of CDs was part of the deal.
5. Game Boy
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Nintendo’s Game Boy brought gaming on the go. Whether it was Tetris or Pokémon, kids and teens couldn’t leave home without it.
6. Digital Cameras
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Owning a digital camera meant no waiting for film to develop. Memory cards let you take hundreds of shots, though most were blurry.
7. Camcorders
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Family memories were captured on camcorders, often with shaky footage and awkward zooms. Every holiday or birthday seemed to be filmed.
8. Alarm Clocks
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Before phones had alarms, dedicated alarm clocks ruled the nightstand. Some glowed neon red numbers, others blasted static radio to wake you up.
9. PalmPilots
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These early PDAs were like a glimpse of smartphones before smartphones. Stylus in hand, people used them for notes, calendars, and contacts.
10. Portable DVD Players
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Long road trips were saved by portable DVD players. Kids watched the same movies on repeat, headphones plugged in.
11. Pagers
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Doctors, businesspeople, and teens all had pagers at one point. A simple beep meant someone needed you, and you had to find a phone fast.
12. Landline Phones
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The house phone with a long spiral cord was a household staple. Families argued over who was hogging the line. Cordless models felt like luxury upgrades.
13. Portable Radios
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Before streaming, portable radios kept you connected to music and news. Pocket-sized versions were popular at ballgames and beaches.
14. GPS Units
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Before apps like Google Maps, standalone GPS units guided drivers. They often mispronounced street names but got the job done.