Hot Tech Toys from the Past: Geek Chic from the '90s

By Diann Daniel

What a difference a decade makes: Can you believe you used this technology just 10 years ago, then unwound with a game of Doom? Join our look back at your first PDA love, not-so-portable music and the day long before Mac could ridicule PC.

Whether you're 23 or 53, you might remember that life was a bit different in 1998. Every man, woman and child had yet to be outfitted with a cell phone and a high-bandwidth Internet connection, and bulky tech was the norm. VC-backed startups were flush with cash and dotcom workers dreamed of big-time dollar signs at the end of their long work days. Newspapers hadn't yet been overthrown by online news sites, and their headlines shouted about a different Clinton (and his trysts with an intern). And yes, we checked: Gas really cost less than $1.25 a gallon.

A decade later, you can't imagine life without your BlackBerry. And some tech toys of the '90s seem almost primitive.

Have you got 10-year nostalgia? Take a look at our time trip, then click here to add your own thoughts on the biggest technology differences between the decades.

Your PDA First Love

In 1998, e-mail in your pocket was reserved for a precious few tech elite. All-in-one smart phones and the CrackBerry epidemic were yet to come. But the Palm Pilot, the coolest electronic address book and calendar we'd ever seen, was in the pocket or purse of every self-respecting geek. In 1996, 3Com's 5.7-ounce Palm Pilot 1000 boasted 128KB of storage and could hold 500 names and addresses. Later editions added e-mail and Internet connections. Today, RIM's popular BlackBerry Curve model packs 64MB and holds more than 2,000 contacts.

Image credit: Computerworld

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