From Typewriter to Boombox: Can You Identify These Old-School Technologies?

By: Lauren Lubas
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
From Typewriter to Boombox: Can You Identify These Old-School Technologies?
Image: secret agent mike/Moment/Getty Images

About This Quiz

We don't really page people anymore ... well, at least not with pagers (beepers). Text messaging took care of that. But before text messages, before cellphones, before tablets ... before 1995, the world communicated completely differently than it does today. As a matter of fact, there were times we didn't communicate at all because it was impossible, or difficult, or people just didn't have time. However, the changes in technology didn't just happen with communications. 

From taking pictures to watching a movie, technology has changed quite a bit over the years. It has changed so much, in fact, that many people don't even know how to approach the technology that was considered innovative just 25 years ago. The exponential growth and evolution of technology has made things obsolete so quickly that we don't even recognize what people once called "phones" back in the day. We now look at those "ancient" technologies with a sense of nostalgia (as well as a sign of our real ages). 

While some of these technologies aren't far off from their modern counterparts, others have been changed completely in both design and function. If you think you remember these old school technologies, take a look at the pictures in this quiz and try to identify them.

Laserdisc
Wiki Commons By Kevin586
You may be able to identify the later version of this, but can you name this home video cartridge?
Laserdisc
CD
Bigdisc
VHS
VHS tape
Wiki Commons By Rainer Hällfritzsch - private property
Here's another movie-playing cartridge. What is it?
Laserdisc
Cassette tape
VHS tape
DVD
Super 8
Wiki Commons By Christos Vittoratos
This was the first home video recorder. Do you know what it's called?
Super 10
Super 6
Super 8
Super 32

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HAM radio
Wiki Commons By OS
What is the name of this shortwave radio?
HAM radio
Pork radio
AM/FM radio
Transistor radio
Transistor radio
Wiki Commons By Joe Haupt
Here's another radio that was popular before the digital era. Can you name it?
HAM radio
Pork radio
AM/FM radio
Transistor radio
Telegraph
Wiki Commons By Bain - Library of Congress
What is this communication device known as?
Telex machine
Telegraph
Telephone
Fax machine

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The Apple Newton
Wiki Commons By Christopher W.
Taking a step toward the digital era, what is this ancestor of the iPhone?
Blackberry
Blueberry
The Apple Newton
The Apple iNewt
Sony Watchman
Wiki Commons By Austin Calhoon
What is this piece that was way ahead of its time?
Sony Walkman
Sony Watchman
Sony Discman
Sony Voiceman
Pager
dlewis33/E+/Getty Images
Certain groups still use these today, but can you name these communication devices that were all the rage in the '70s, '80s and '90s?
Digimon
Gameboy
Pager
Texting machine

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Seiko TV wrist watch
Erik Siivel & Whatsit By Youtube
Can you identify this masterpiece that came out in 1983, years ahead of the Apple Watch?
Apple TV wristwatch
Seiko TV wristwatch
Sanyo TV wristwatch
Sony TV wristwatch
Wrist computer
Bryan Lunduke By Youtube
Also by Seiko, what is the name of this device that actually existed?
Wrist computer
Wrist calculator
Calculator watch
Wrist processor
Dial-up modem
Nostalgia Nerd By Youtube
What is this device that was necessary during the golden age of web surfing.
Fax machine
Dial-up modem
Pager
Intercom system

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Boombox
secret agent mike/Moment/Getty Images
Can you name this "portable" beast?
Boombox
Bigbox
Boxer
Speaker
Dreamcast
Spawn Wave By Youtube
Which model of the old school Sega is this?
Genesis
Dreamcast
Saturn
32X
Atari 800
Wiki Commons By Bobo11
Can you name this computing and word processing machine?
Macintosh
Typewriter
iPad
Atari 800

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Photo film
Sean Gladwell/Moment/Getty Images
What is this pre-Instagram tool that was necessary to take pictures back in the day?
Photo film
Instant camera
Jump drive
Floppy disk
Rotary phone
Christoph Hetzmannseder/Moment/Getty Images
What would you call this communication device that plugged into the wall?
Computer
Calculator
Typewriter
Rotary phone
Answering machine
Angelika/E+/Getty Images
What is the name of this machine that was used with phones and cassette tapes?
Google assistant
Amazon Echo
Answering machine
Television

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Pay phone
Wiki commons
Seeing one of these is rare. Seeing one that actually works is unheard of. What is it?
Answering machine
Uber beacon
Pay phone
Rolodex
A Dot Matrix
Wiki Commons By Corvair
What kind of printer is this?
A Dot matrix
A laser printer
Apple Lazeer
iPrinter
Carbon copy paper
Wiki Commons By Emilian Robert Vicol
It wasn't mechanical, but what was the name of this old school copying system?
Fax paper
Bold blue paper
Carbon copy paper
Credit slide paper

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Icebox
OFF GRID with DOUG & STACY By Youtube
What is the name of this grandfather of the refrigerator?
Unfrigerator
Nufrigerator
Icebox
Coldcasket
Betamax
Wiki Commons By Beta_Max_Tape
Long before DVDs, how did people watch movies?
VCR
Betamax
Cassette Player
MP3 Player
Tamagotchi
Wiki Commons By Tomasz Sienicki
What digital pets constantly needed to be fed?
Tamagotchi
Ferbie
Willow Egg
Gameboy

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Overhead projector
Wiki Commons By mailer_diablo
Can you identify this tool that schools used for lectures?
Tape recorder
Overhead projector
Video recorder
Portable cassette player
Talkboy
Wiki Commons By Onetwo1
Kevin McAllister had one, and we all wanted it. What was it?
Changeboy
Recordboy
Walkboy
Talkboy
1998 iMac
iTek By Youtube
What is this bubble-shaped thing?
1998 iMac
Commadore 94
Bleep Machine
HP Instant Computer

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Palm pilot
Wiki Commons By Mfatic
Can you name this ancestor of the tablet?
Palm pilot
Blackberry
iWatch
Walkman
Electronic Diary
Mark Iverson By Youtube
Even though it looks like it was used for texting, it wasn't. Can you name this writing device?
Beeper
Pager
Electronic Diary
Tamogotchi
Pocket Rockers
Wiki Commons By Fisher Price
Can you name these little jammers?
Walkman
Discman
Car phone
Pocket Rockers

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Vacuum cleaner
pbombaert/Moment/Getty Images
Every home has one, but can you name it?
Vacuum cleaner
House robot
Electronic duster
Television
The original microwave
MrClassicAds1970s By Youtube
Can you name the original of this household machine?
The original microwave
Television set
Oven
Toaster
Floppy disk
pbombaert/Moment/Getty Images
What is the name of this predecessor of the cloud?
Hard drive
Zip drive
Floppy disk
Jump drive

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Motorola DynaTAC
Wiki Commons By Rico Shen
Believe it or not, this is an ancestor of the iPhone. Can you name it?
Sprint PCS
Samsung Galactic
Motorola DynaTAC
Mission Controller
Pong
Wiki Commons By Wojciech Pedzich
Which of these was considered the original video game?
Hopper
Pac Man
Atari
Pong
Printing press
Kim Steele/DigitalVision/Getty Images
What is this machine that revolutionized communication?
Printing press
The Internet
Television set
Telephone

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Blender
Jacobs Stock Photography Ltd/DigitalVision/Getty Images
Can you name this item from the '60s that looks a little different than the ones of today.
Popcorn maker
Snowcone maker
Blender
Stir fryer
1960s electric juicer
Luis Diaz Devasa/Moment/Getty Images
This little guy was ahead of its time. What is it?
1970s electric sifter
1980s electric peeler
1960s electric juicer
1970s stand mixer
Toaster
Image Source/Image Source/Getty Images
Can you name this item from the '70s?
Toaster
Juicer
Sifter
Sieve

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Walkie-Talkies
Teresa Short/Moment/Getty Images
Maybe you could call these the original cellphones. What are they?
Intercom systems
Walkie-Talkies
Cell phones
Pagers