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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.”
🔒 Lock your Word doc: Need to keep sensitive info private? Microsoft Word lets you lock it down with a password. Just go to File > Info > Protect Document > Encrypt with Password. Enter your password, confirm it and click OK. FYI: Don’t forget the password! Microsoft can’t recover it for you.
🖥️ Windows is getting AI agents: This is great. Microsoft just announced a new feature that lets you change computer settings just by asking. In Settings, you can type stuff like “my text is too small” or “control my PC with voice,” and the AI will handle it. No more digging through menus. It’s coming to Copilot+ PCs first, with more devices to follow.
Scanning your eyeballs
Would you trade a scan of your eye for free crypto? That’s what OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wants to do. Here’s why.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Sick of your cloud bill eating your budget alive? I negotiated with Oracle to bring you a limited-time offer to slash your cloud costs. We’re talking 50% off or more. Why keep overpaying when you can run faster, leaner and smarter? This is your shot to take control and keep more cash in your pocket. Don’t miss it.
3 years straight
How long Utah’s been crowned Best State in America by U.S. News. From Footloose punch line to economic powerhouse, Utah’s glow-up is the stuff of chamber-of-commerce dreams. It’s got a booming tech sector, top-tier math scores and a 6% smoking rate; Utah is basically a straight-A student in a startup hoodie.
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.
🤔 Did Siri’s voice change? You’re not imagining it. Something’s off. Folks say it sounds flat and robotic. The reason? Apple tweaked Siri to sound more natural, but it’s the opposite. Good news: You can get the old voice back. Just turn off Apple Intelligence in Settings > Apple Intelligence & Siri. That Apple Intelligence doesn’t work anyway.
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
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.
👨🏻⚖️ 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.
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.
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
$138 billion
How much profit Berkshire Hathaway made on Apple. Berkshire’s $35B Apple buy ballooned to $173B by 2023, then, plot twist, Warren Buffett dumped 67% of it in 2024. Turns out, Tim Cook might be the most profitable “employee” Buffett ever had. Buffet even called him better for Berkshire than himself.
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.
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