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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Laserdisc was the original DVD, except it was about the size of a record. They were amazing for their time, but they were also very delicate and scratched incredibly easy. No wonder they didn't last very long.

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VHS tape
Wiki Commons By Rainer Hällfritzsch - private property
Here's another movie-playing cartridge. What is it?
Laserdisc
Cassette tape
VHS tape
DVD
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The great thing about VHS tapes was that if they broke, you could splice them with a simple screw driver and a piece of tape. The bad thing about them was that you had to rewind them before you could watch them. There was a give and take.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Invented in 1965, the Super 8 was an 8mm home video camera that you could hold in your hand. These days, of course, we have our cellphones to record our home videos, but back then, this was pure magic.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Ham radios were invented to help people communicate over radio waves. They're still around today. As a matter of fact, there is are hobby clubs around the country that play with these fun toys.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

These were very popular radios in the '60s and '70s, but for the most part, they only picked up AM stations ... which was fine back then, but it might be a little boring these days.

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Telegraph
Wiki Commons By Bain - Library of Congress
What is this communication device known as?
Telex machine
Telegraph
Telephone
Fax machine
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This machine used electrical signals to send pulses to different receivers. It was an excellent way to communicate before the invention of the telephone, as long as you knew Morse​ Code, of course.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Apple Newton was designed to be your personal assistant (digital, of course). It was one in a long line of PDAs and the first to attempt handwriting recognition. Of course, these machines have made it a long way, as they are now basically a standard part of every smart phone.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The tiny screen in the original Watchman didn't hinder sales. The fact that you could take television with you wherever there was a signal was fascinating to consumers, and several models were made.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You don't necessarily have to be a salesman of ill repute to own a pager. As a matter of fact, these days, doctors and emergency medical technicians still use pagers in their day-to-day work lives.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Around 30 years before the Apple Watch, came the Seiko TV wristwatch, and man did it impress. Of course, they couldn't keep the prices down, and who would have thought a distraction like a watch with an actual screen would be worth anything one day?

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

​In 1984, the world changed for the better because this beautiful hunk of ... well, computer... could actually fit on your wrist. Sure it doesn't look super comfortable, but Seiko was way ahead of the game when it came to technology wrapping around your wrist.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Who could forget the sounds of the dial-up modem? It was connected to your phone line, so every time your dumb older sister wanted to make a call, you were kicked out of your chat room ... or was that just us?

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Boombox
secret agent mike/Moment/Getty Images
Can you name this "portable" beast?
Boombox
Bigbox
Boxer
Speaker
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Usually requiring around 700 D batteries (or so it seemed), this portable stereo system boasted large speakers and a soundboard to give you the perfect in-concert experience while you were walking to the convenience store.

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Dreamcast
Spawn Wave By Youtube
Which model of the old school Sega is this?
Genesis
Dreamcast
Saturn
32X
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Sega Dreamcast was released in 1998 and took discs instead of cartridges, in the same manner as PlayStation games did. There was nothing cooler (and more Carpel-Tunnel-inducing) than that controller, though.

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Atari 800
Wiki Commons By Bobo11
Can you name this computing and word processing machine?
Macintosh
Typewriter
iPad
Atari 800
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While it may look like an electronic typewriter, it was pretty close to the first home computer. It was a great word processor, for its time, and in its five-year life span, it sold nearly 4 million units.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you didn't know how to use a camera properly, you used 110 film​ because you didn't have to do anything but add a cartridge. However, if you knew a little something, you probably used the more common 35mm film to take your photos. Then you'd have to wait a week to get it developed.

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Rotary phone
Christoph Hetzmannseder/Moment/Getty Images
What would you call this communication device that plugged into the wall?
Computer
Calculator
Typewriter
Rotary phone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You didn't press buttons on this phone; you had to spin a wheel. It usually took a solid minute to dial a number, especially if there were a lot of nines involved, but hey, back then there weren't area codes, so it had that going for it.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There was nothing more depressing for a teenage girl than to get broken up with over the answering machine. Not because it was impersonal, but because your entire family heard the message while it played.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Long ago, on this very soil, there were things called pay phones. Many large businesses in town had them available for public use. However, cellphones put an end to all of that in the early 2000s.

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A Dot Matrix
Wiki Commons By Corvair
What kind of printer is this?
A Dot matrix
A laser printer
Apple Lazeer
iPrinter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Dot matrix was a printer that worked almost like an electronic typewriter. There was nothing more fun for a little kid than pulling off the edges of printed pages for parents to bring to their meeting the next morning.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You didn't plug it in, but this technology allowed for copies to be made in no time at all, as long as you had the carbon paper positioned properly between the original and the copied page. Of course, there was too much room for error with this, as the copied page wouldn't erase.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It is fascinating that the design of the icebox and the design of the refrigerator are so different (the facades, at least). Ice boxes had gorgeous wood exteriors, while refrigerators were stuck with putrid yellows and avocado greens.

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Betamax
Wiki Commons By Beta_Max_Tape
Long before DVDs, how did people watch movies?
VCR
Betamax
Cassette Player
MP3 Player
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Betamax came out a year before the VCR, but the VCR won the home-entertainment wars of the time. A Betamax tape could hold up to five hours of content, while a VHS could only hold around two to three.

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Tamagotchi
Wiki Commons By Tomasz Sienicki
What digital pets constantly needed to be fed?
Tamagotchi
Ferbie
Willow Egg
Gameboy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You may have seen your friends roaming around with these in the mid-1990s, and if you didn't have one, you had your first FOMO experience, for sure. These digital pets were fun, and would actually die if you didn't feed them.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Overhead projectors were pretty interesting feats of technology. They were simple and used tricks of glass and light, but their high-end, modern counterparts (ELMO projectors) took them off the market.

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Talkboy
Wiki Commons By Onetwo1
Kevin McAllister had one, and we all wanted it. What was it?
Changeboy
Recordboy
Walkboy
Talkboy
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It could record your voice, slow it down, order you a pizza, and save your house. Well, at least in the movie, "Home Alone," it could. Actually, the Talkboy wasn't nearly as advanced as the movie would make you think, but it was still pretty cool.

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1998 iMac
iTek By Youtube
What is this bubble-shaped thing?
1998 iMac
Commadore 94
Bleep Machine
HP Instant Computer
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The original iMac was an amazing marketing win for Apple. In the commercial, they took the device out of the box, plugged it into the wall and the phone line and got on the Internet. It was exactly what people wanted, something easy and fast.

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Palm pilot
Wiki Commons By Mfatic
Can you name this ancestor of the tablet?
Palm pilot
Blackberry
iWatch
Walkman
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It could fit in the palm of your hand and was a pocket assistant that was digital. While it wasn't as advanced as the iPhone, it was a necessary piece of technology for those who were constantly on the go.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

These were a 13-year-old girl's dream. They could be password protected, so your little brother couldn't read them, and all of your thoughts and deepest secrets were kept secure.

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Pocket Rockers
Wiki Commons By Fisher Price
Can you name these little jammers?
Walkman
Discman
Car phone
Pocket Rockers
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Walkmans were super cool, but these were designer ways to listen to your favorite singles. They didn't hold many songs, but they were fun and exciting, and smaller than Walkmans, so they were more portable ... if you didn't mind listening to the same song over and over again.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Before the awesome and innovative vacuum cleaners of today, vacuums required you to change bags. It was a silly concept, but before plastic was in such high distribution, they were a little necessary.

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The original microwave
MrClassicAds1970s By Youtube
Can you name the original of this household machine?
The original microwave
Television set
Oven
Toaster
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The original microwave looked very much like a toaster oven. The door pulled down instead of opening from the side, but if it stayed down, you were in trouble. Later models, of course, were built with failsafes to ensure microwaves didn't make it into your kitchen.

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Floppy disk
pbombaert/Moment/Getty Images
What is the name of this predecessor of the cloud?
Hard drive
Zip drive
Floppy disk
Jump drive
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's not a 3-D printed save icon, it's actually what people used to use to save things (which is why it is the image on the save button). They held around 1.44 megabytes (the 3.5-inch models), which is less than the size of one song file.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It was a brick, and these days you might see it as a prop for a decades costume, but this brick actually made phone calls without the use of landlines. They weren't the clearest calls, but they worked for what they were intended to do.

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Pong
Wiki Commons By Wojciech Pedzich
Which of these was considered the original video game?
Hopper
Pac Man
Atari
Pong
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pong was an electronic ping pong game in which a small pixel was bounced between two lines. It was a two-player game that really started the whole home video game trend. Imagine, this is where Anthem originated.

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Printing press
Kim Steele/DigitalVision/Getty Images
What is this machine that revolutionized communication?
Printing press
The Internet
Television set
Telephone
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The printing press is one of the oldest of the old school technologies, and we still use them today, just different models. It was invented around 1440, and gave people the opportunity to mass produce literature.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

They may have the same buttons as the modern models, but their blades didn't do nearly as much. These electric blenders were marketed as ways housewives could get their prep work done quickly so they could produce healthy meals.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Juicers today can cost up to and more than $600 and can juice everything from citrus to limestone. However, this simple design made it easy for American housewives of the 1960s to extract juice from citrus (and only citrus) with ease.

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Toaster
Image Source/Image Source/Getty Images
Can you name this item from the '70s?
Toaster
Juicer
Sifter
Sieve
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Toasters haven't changed much over the years, but they have become safer and easier to clean, that's for sure. The old models of toasters taught people that metal and electricity don't mesh well.

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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
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

They weren't cellphones, but they were great for short-range communication. They were essential in World War II, but later became great toys for children ... much better than two cans and a piece of string.

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