‘Can you tape that?’ Phrases tech has killed off

January 19, 2025

By Kim Komando

I’m sure you remember this: “You hang up first.” “No, you hang up first.” Not quite as romantic when you fumble for the “End call” button on your iPhone, eh? As times change and our tech changes, so, too, do the phrases we use.

Let’s take a little trip down memory lane this Sunday with something different in our quest for the ultimate tech know-how. It’s gonna be fun, I promise. See how many of these phrases you’ve said at least a few times in your life:

• “Roll down the window.” Cars have had automatic windows for ages, making the manual rolling down of windows a thing of the past. I still say this, though, in my 1964 Mustang.
• “Check the answering machine.” Voicemail on cellphones has obliterated the need for a physical answering machine.
• “Dial 411.” My mother designed the 411 directory system for Bell Labs. Now, just look up someone online and you’ll have their digits.
• “Page me.” Pagers were all the rage once upon a time. Today, they’re used almost exclusively in health care or other specific industries.
• “I’ll tape it.” You no longer tape shows with DVR and streaming services. You just hit “Record” on your device or catch it later on demand.
• “Boot up the computer.” That’s when computers took several (annoying) minutes to start.
• “Drop it in the mail.” This refers to snail mail, which has been largely replaced by email or instant messaging for everyday communication.
• “Don’t touch that dial.” TVs and radios used to rely on analog dials. Modern devices no longer have physical dials.
• “Rewind” or “fast-forward.” These phrases made perfect sense for cassettes and VHS tapes. While we still use them metaphorically, you’re not winding anything.
• “I need to find a payphone.” My dad used to make me carry a quarter in case I needed to make a call. With a cellphone in nearly everyone’s pocket, payphones have become an urban relic.
• “Get the film developed” or “Don’t waste the film.” Oh, the good old days of waiting to see a picture you looked horrible in. Digital cameras and smartphones have done away with this.
• “Look it up in the White (or Yellow) Pages.” Online directories have replaced those hefty books.
• “Burn a CD.” Once a standard way to share music or files, burning CDs is mostly obsolete with streaming and cloud storage.
• “Check the TV Guide.” Printed TV schedules have given way to on-screen program guides or streaming menus.
• “I’ll fax it to you.” Fax machines are nearly extinct. Warren Buffett once told me that’s the only way he’ll do contracts. Why? No one can hack a fax machine, unlike email. Good point, Warren.

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