Smartphones Haven’t Replaced Everything–Just Check Out These Gadgets

Do you long for the days when you had dedicated devices such as brick phones, PDAs, CD players and hand-held game consoles? Smartphones that have taken over the role of all these devices? I have good news: the world of fun little gadgets is alive and well.

Death of a gadget?

I recently listened to the Nerd Podcast episode of The Death of Gadgets: In Praise of the Gizmos. Homeowners bemoan the fact that smartphones and their mobile apps have eaten away at the functionality of the cool gadgets we had in the 90s and 2000s. They missed the tactile experience of having a device in your pocket or bag that did one thing and did it well. Even the (by modern standards) limited functionality of things like MP3 players with 2GB of storage have a nostalgic appeal.

Honestly, I agree with them. I remember how much fun it was to carry around a portable cassette player and later an MP3 player with all the albums loaded onto its tiny low-resolution display.

Where I disagree is the idea that smartphones have truly replaced gadgets and gizmos entirely. Yes, your smartphone performs many essential functions. I have one and it's hard to imagine functioning without it. But I also know that there are a lot of neat things that my phone can't replace.

Smartphones haven't really absorbed everything

While the smartphone may indeed have absorbed many individual gadgets, some of their features aren't really present, at least. For example, most flagship phones don't come with FM transmitters, so you can't listen to the radio except through web streams. If you want to actually tune into local airwaves, you'll have to invest in a boombox or other device with tuning capabilities. I have several radios made in the 80's that I found in thrift stores that still work just fine.

Few modern smartphones include built-in IR blasters these daysthat is, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connected apps are your only method of using your smartphone as a TV. If you have a dumb TV and want to control it on your couch, you need to get a physical TV again.

New cool things have gone underground

Of course, technology like FM/AM radio and dumb TVs have so much appeal. You may ask: “Where new Gadgets? “

My answer is that you just need to know where to look. They are usually found in small, niche communities that gather for a specific purpose or special interest. For example, I recently got into the world of meshtastic and other Laura mesh network protocols, where there are countless unique and quirky mesh radiosThey range from the cheap but popular Heltec V3 to the undeniably cool Liligo T-decksField Just look at this keyboard. Some people even do their own thing.

Dimensions (exterior)

4.5×1.3x.1.1 inches

Compatibility

Priest

Battery life

1100 mAh

Connection

Lora, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB-C

These two LORA radios are mesh ready so you can get to the ground working in creating a mesh network that you can send messages over long distances. They have OLED displays, 915 MHz antennas, USB-C connectivity, and Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support.

Speaking of DIY, there is also 3D printing, a hobby where devices are becoming smaller and more efficient, and through which People print incredible and useful thingsField Some classic iconic gadgets that you may have forgotten about are actually still in production, like Casio F-91Wand modding communities were built around them. Easy recording is Ollee Watch One Diy Setwhich allows you to convert your Casio into a smartwatch without any soldering skills.

Sometimes entering a gadget niche requires a lot of initial investment. Panic playFor example, it's an expensive little handheld console, but you can download the PlayDate SDK to create your own games for it, and there's an online community of developers who do the same.

7/10

Permission

400 x 240 at 173ppi

Built-in games

24

Power

USB-C

RAM

16 MB

Panic Playdate is a tiny handheld gaming system with a reflective screen, new games and a hand grip.

I'm just scratching the surface here. Take a look at Newest Items Listed on Tindieand I guarantee that you will discover a hobby gadget you didn't know about.

Compare all of these things to your phone, which probably looks and feels like the same slab of glass and plastic you had a few years ago. It's no surprise that high-quality corporations with sworn investors hungry for profit don't do anything legitimately cool. The interesting stuff comes from people who value curiosity and income people, and who really understand the technology they're working with.

Dark forest theory of gadgets

When I think about the state of gadgets today, I remember Yancy Strickler's blog post “Dark Forest Theory on the Internet”Field He describes the modern internet as a dark forest, devoid of life on the surface, but with underground niche communities that gather in ungrammed spaces around specific media, hobbies and special subjects.

Technology in popular culture, like your iPhone and your sketchy laptop, has become repetitive, boring and, unfortunately, sometimes user-friendly. You can think of this technology as existing in a “Dark Forest” where there is nothing to see but corporate beasts that lure you in with modern conveniences, only to eat your personal data and otherwise exploit you.

But just below the surface of the modern technological world lies an underground system of roots and tunnels where you can find cozy communities built around unique, custom-made devices. They have satisfyingly limited functionality compared to a smartphone, but they also have a quirky charm that you won't find in the latest iPhone or Pixel device.

These underground networks are difficult to find and enter, though. You won't see any ads for T-Deck while watching the Super Bowl; You need a friend to show you where to find him. Technologies like this are also usually not easy for newbies to just pick up and start using. It can be difficult to understand the purpose of Laura mesh networks from the very beginning; They weren't optimized for mass appeal, and no marketing department created a tagline for them. Moreover, using them well requires a little basic education on radio antennas. There's a barrier to entry that makes it no surprise that some people think gadgets are dead.

However, the reward for this work in breaking through this barrier. The feeling of getting a new tiny thingTell you how much glue to put on pizzaField