While some upgrades I embrace readily, others I just can't bring myself to abandon. If I had my way, we'd still be seeing new Atari 2600s and Nintendo Entertainment Systems rolling off the production line, with all the classic games readily available. Imagine a world where portable cassette players, CD players (remember those?), and even advanced minidisc players were still thriving, untouched by the rise of smartphones and streaming services. A few years ago, I pulled out my old Philips Touchscreen CD player and earbuds from my messenger bag, and a teenager looked at me with an expression of pure bewilderment, like I'd just unearthed an 8-track player. Have we really moved so fast that even an MP3-capable CD player is considered an archaeological artifact? It certainly felt that way in that moment!
It's tempting to jump on the latest bandwagon, like those who eagerly queue up for a brand-new iPhone and I certainly wouldn't say no if one magically appeared in my hands. But I get used to something, and it takes a bit for me to switch over to a new device. I held onto my LG phone for a couple of years after they stopped updating it, simply because Samsung was the only game in the Android world that had the features I expected and had grown accustomed to. Many years ago, I remember visiting my family, and my young nephew, looking at my old Creative Zen Touch MP3 player in wonder, asked why it was "so thick." My answer? "Because it has a 40GB hard drive, just like a mini-computer!" Perhaps the fact that I love retro and nostalgic things is one of the reasons that I don’t always feel the urge to upgrade to the latest and greatest. There's a comfort in the familiar, a charm in the slightly outdated.
My gaming journey also speaks to this sentiment. I only upgraded my purple Game Boy Color to a pink Game Boy Advance to finally play the classic NES Castlevania, a game I'd always wanted to conquer. Then, thanks to a break-in years ago, my beloved pink GBA, which was one of my absolute favorite Christmas presents from Terry, was stolen, forcing an "upgrade" to a blue Game Boy Advance SP. And honestly, at this point in time, I don’t really care for it because the original GBA fit my hands perfectly. Why did I not switch to a Nintendo DS Lite? Because my cherished Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and GBA games are my favorites, and the DS primarily focused on its own library and GBA titles. I watched the PSP and Nintendo Switch come out, and as much as they seemed tempting, especially since the PSP has an incredible Pinball game (Pinball Arcade) on it, I just couldn’t justify buying another handheld console that I would play mostly Tetris on, which I could easily do on my GBA. Recently, I did buy an amazing handheld featuring emulated ROMs from consoles like Atari 2600, NES, GBA, GB, GBC, Super Nintendo, a few PSP, and a ton of other consoles I’ve never really played. It’s the best of both worlds, a true testament to the enduring appeal of classic games.
This brings me to my central question for 2025: Is it truly necessary to have something slightly larger than the size of a bar of soap to manage your entire life and keep you entertained? Or do you, like me, sometimes feel a little awkward using what's considered "outdated" tech in public? I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments below. What tech do you stubbornly hold onto? What’s your most cherished retro gadget? Let’s keep the conversation going, and if you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane, consider supporting my passion for sharing these stories. Every little bit helps keep the retro tech dreams alive!
