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.
Windows 98: Glory Days
Yes, operating systems were once named for years, not views or spotted animals. Windows 98, the OS that first made Internet Explorer 4.0 part of the operating system, helped Microsoft pump up its attack against strengthening rival Netscape. Those "PC vs. Mac" TV commercials from Apple? Unthinkable in 1998. And oh the memories: For Windows 98, Microsoft advised that your PC needed 16MB to 32MB of RAM. For Vista, Microsoft recommends 512MB to 1GB of RAM.
Image credit: Infoworld
