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The 1990s were a magical time for technology. It was the decade that brought us the internet as we know it, clunky but lovable gadgets, and some tech trends that still make us nostalgic today. But let’s be real—there were also some technological nightmares that we’re glad to leave in the past.
So, let’s take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the tech from the ’90s that we truly miss—and a few we’re perfectly happy to forget.
Tech We All Miss from the ’90s
1. The Glorious Dial-Up Internet (But Mainly the Internet Itself)
Remember that unmistakable sound of dial-up connecting to the internet? Brrr…shhh…dee-dee-dee! It was a symphony of frustration and excitement. AOL was king, and getting an email was genuinely thrilling. The internet felt like a brand-new frontier, full of endless possibilities (and very slow-loading pages).
Sure, we don’t miss the actual dial-up speed (or your mom yelling at you to get off the internet so she could use the phone), but we do miss the sense of wonder that came with exploring the web for the first time. No social media, no data tracking—just pure, unfiltered internet bliss.
2. Floppy Disks (Even Though They Held Almost Nothing)
Floppy disks were the storage medium of the ’90s, and while they only held 1.44MB of data (that’s about one high-quality photo today), they made us feel like we were carrying around serious digital power.
Remember the thrill of saving your homework on a floppy and praying it wouldn’t get corrupted? Good times. Sure, they were fragile, unreliable, and frustratingly small in storage, but there was something satisfying about inserting a floppy disk into the drive and hearing that click.
3. Windows 95 (Because It Was a Game-Changer)
Windows 95 was the operating system of the decade. It introduced the Start menu, taskbar, and a graphical user interface that felt light-years ahead of its predecessors. Installing it required multiple floppy disks (or later, a CD-ROM), and that startup sound? Iconic.
Using Windows 95 felt like stepping into the future. Sure, it crashed more than we’d like to admit, but we didn’t care—we were just happy to have a functional, colorful desktop with a Recycle Bin that we could proudly empty.
4. The Game Boy (The Brick That Kept Us Entertained for Hours)
Nintendo’s Game Boy might not have had a backlit screen, but that didn’t stop us from playing Tetris under a desk lamp until our batteries died. Released in 1989 but peaking in popularity in the ’90s, this chunky, grey handheld console was every kid’s best friend.
We miss the simplicity of the original Game Boy—no microtransactions, no updates, just pure gaming. And let’s be honest, the Game Boy Color was an even bigger win. Who didn’t love seeing their games in actual color for the first time?
However, trying to play an original Game Boy today can be incredibly frustrating. The screen is tiny, the lack of backlighting makes it nearly impossible to play in dim light, and modern conveniences like rechargeable batteries are sorely missed. Nostalgia is great, but some things are better left in the past.
5. CD Burners (And the Art of the Perfect Mix CD)
Before Spotify playlists, the ultimate sign of affection was making someone a mix CD filled with carefully chosen tracks. Burning CDs was an art form, and choosing the right balance of songs (while praying that your CD burner didn’t fail at the last second) was serious business.
We spent hours making perfect mixes for road trips, breakups, and teenage angst-filled afternoons. And if you were really fancy, you even designed your own cover using Microsoft Paint.
Tech We’re Glad to Leave in the Past
1. Clunky CRT Monitors (Because Our Backs Still Hurt)
If you ever had to move a CRT monitor, you probably still have back pain from it. These massive, 80-pound screens took up half your desk and produced a weird static charge that could make your hair stand up.
Sure, they had their charm, but would we trade today’s slim, 4K monitors for one? Not a chance.
2. Overhead Projectors (A Teacher’s Worst Nightmare)
The overhead projector was the staple of every classroom in the ’90s. Teachers would write on transparent sheets, and the projector would shine the image onto the screen—until it inevitably froze, overheated, or the bulb burned out.
The squeaky markers, the weird transparency sheets, the fact that everything looked slightly crooked—yeah, we don’t miss that.
3. The Mouse with a Ball Inside (And the Never-Ending Cleaning Ritual)
Before optical mice, we had mice with rubber trackballs, and they were awful. They collected dust, got stuck, and needed constant cleaning. The struggle of taking out the ball and scraping off the gunk with a paperclip is something no one should have to relive.
Thank you, optical and laser mice, for making life better.
4. VHS Tapes (And the Horror of a Tape Getting Eaten)
VHS tapes were great for recording shows, but they were notorious for getting tangled in the VCR.
Nothing was more soul-crushing than popping in your favorite Disney movie, only to hear that dreaded crunch as the tape got eaten. Plus, rewinding them? The worst.
While VHS tapes had their charm, we’ll happily take streaming over manually rewinding a movie any day.
5. The Nightmare of Y2K Panic
Remember when the world thought all computers would crash at midnight on January 1, 2000? The Y2K bug had everyone hoarding canned food and fearing the end of civilization.
Spoiler alert: nothing happened. But for a solid year, it was all anyone talked about. Definitely a tech crisis we don’t miss.
Final Thoughts
The ’90s were a golden era for tech. It was a time of innovation, quirky gadgets, and the start of the digital age. Some of it we still miss (Game Boy forever!), and some of it, well, we’re happy to leave behind (goodbye, ball mice).
What’s your favorite piece of ’90s tech? What do you not miss at all? Let’s reminisce in the comments!
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