Source: Lei Technology

Editor:kkknei

When you think of electronic products that were once popular but have disappeared, what do you think of?

Not long ago, Xiaolei shared with you some electronic products worthy of " reminiscing ", which have left an indelible mark on our youthful years. In the comment area of ​​this article, netizens also shared some of their stories with electronic products, allowing more friends to feel the touching moments that "technology" brings to us.

These electronic products that have " disappeared " in our lives are still talked about today and must have their own unique charm. Maybe you are curious, looking at these electronic products from today's perspective, what else is worth mentioning?

For those born in the 1990s, a small MP3 player carries too many memories of youth.

An MP3 player is essentially a small computer with specific functions. In its initial version, this type of player could only play audio and did not even have a display screen, so its function was relatively single. In 1997, the world's first MP3 player was born in South Korea, produced by Saehan Company, model MPMan F10.

The reason why MP3 has become the most unforgettable portable player in the minds of countless people is that the biggest advantage of MP3 is that it is portable enough. As long as you connect a wired headset, you can enjoy music while commuting, studying or in your spare time. In an era when people generally have few entertainment options, MP3 plays an important enough role.

Image source: pexels

When I was a student, since I couldn’t bring any mobile devices into school, MP3 players became a “ fishing tool ” for sharing happiness among classmates. MP3 players can always be seen when running on the playground, doing homework, or eating. Of course, because the function of MP3 players is too simple, within a few years, it has evolved from a simple "portable player" to a multimedia entertainment device. With a larger display screen and rich entertainment functions, it has become more popular. MP4 players, MP5 multimedia entertainment equipment.

When it comes to portable players, Apple's efforts in this category cannot be ignored.

In 2001, Apple launched its first MP3 player, named " iPod ". In the following decades, the iPod has always been Apple's most influential consumer electronics product. In 2007, even after the first iPhone had been released, global sales of iPods still reached 54.13 million units, far from Super iPhone.

Image source: pexels

The development trend of consumer digital products is often based on " integration ". Therefore, from the moment the smartphone was born, all portable multimedia devices have begun a long journey of " chronic death ". To this day, smart phones have completely replaced multimedia devices such as MP3 and MP4.

However, for many friends, the compactness and exquisiteness of portable players cannot be replaced by any multimedia device. Also irreplaceable are the wonderful memories of those years.

In 2007, after the release of the original iPhone, an iPod also appeared with a 3.5-inch display, iOS operating system and rich multimedia functions. Apple named it "iPod Touch".

The biggest difference between iPod Touch and iPhone is that the former does not have a built-in baseband and cannot support calls, text messaging, and mobile networks. As a result, even though the two devices are surprisingly similar, the iPod Touch has never been able to become a competent " mobile device ." However, this is not a problem for smart “fruit fans”.

Image source: pexels

In order to make the more affordable iPod Touch have " communication " capabilities, " Apple fans " invented a smartphone case equipped with a baseband, commonly known as " Apple Peel ". The initial version of " Apple Peel " was developed and produced by Kunming Technology. The first generation only supported EDGE networks. Subsequently, communication giants such as Sprint and ZTE also joined the market in this category and launched " Apple Peel " products that support 3G networks. Around 2010, such products reached the peak of market demand.

The decline of “ Apple Peel ” is not unrelated to the fact that smartphones have entered a period of rapid development. The reason why products such as iPhone and iPod Touch are so popular is actually related to their advanced UI design aesthetics and rich application ecosystem. Android smartphones of the same period were far inferior to iOS systems in terms of design and application ecosystem.

After 2014, with the vigorous development of domestic customized UI, smooth and beautiful Android systems such as MIUI and EMUI became popular, and consumers naturally had greater choice. Instead of spending thousands to buy an iPod Touch + " Apple Skin ", it is better to buy a cost-effective Android phone.

Image source: MacRumors

In 2022, the entire range of iPod products will be officially discontinued, and the " Apple Skin " specially designed for iPod Touch will naturally have no room for survival. It has to be said that the design idea of ​​"Apple Peel" is still very good. Through accessories, a device that does not support calling, sending and receiving text messages, and surfing the Internet can obtain these functions. Even from today's perspective, it is Electronic products that are sufficiently advanced. Of course, such an excellent design has not been abandoned. soyeAlink launched a 5G communication case for the Huawei P50 series in 2022, using black technology to obtain the characteristics of the 5G network for devices that do not originally support the 5G network.

It can be seen that excellent products may become " obsolete ", but excellent ideas can be passed down from generation to generation.

About 15 years ago, a mobile phone " trinket " became popular all over the country. This "little trinket" requires no batteries or installation. It just needs to be attached to the back of the phone and it will emit colorful light when the phone rings. The song accompanying Phoenix Legend is quite touching.

That’s right, it’s the “ Incoming Call Flash Sticker ”.

Source: Taobao

In fact, the principle of the " incoming call flash sticker " is not complicated. It is somewhat similar to today's wireless chargers. The built-in spiral coil, after receiving the electromagnetic waves emitted by the mobile phone antenna or base station, converts it into current to provide power for the LED lamp beads, thereby emitting colorful and dazzling light.

In addition to flashing for incoming calls, text messages and QQ can also make it glow brightly. In order to meet the individual needs of consumers, these " call flash stickers " not only have various designs, but also have different flash modes. They can even be customized to initiate different flash modes according to different messages/incoming calls. It sounds pretty cool. Of course, "call flash stickers" come in many different forms. In addition to common stickers, there are also pendants, mobile phone cases, etc.

Unlike most disappearing electronic products, the reason for the decline of " call flash stickers " is its huge market demand. After the product became popular, many mobile phone manufacturers began to build similar functions into their mobile phone products. It is what we commonly call " marquee ". In this way, users no longer need to purchase such accessories separately to achieve the same function.

On the other hand, at that time, owning a mobile phone was still something worth showing off. A small mobile phone accessory could further amplify the user's " vanity " and satisfy consumers' need to show their personality. Nowadays, mobile phones are ordinary digital products, so there is no need to display them in an exaggerated way. It can also be said that the era of flamboyant personality is gone forever, and being low-key is more in line with the mainstream of today's society.

In an era when online video platforms are so developed, you can click on the website/APP anytime and anywhere to watch the programs and variety shows broadcast at any time. But 20 years ago, this kind of on-demand operation only existed in fantasy. However, the emergence of "TV recorders" has perfectly solved the long-standing problem of drama fans and fans missing the live broadcast.

In the 1980s, home video recorders began to enter the Chinese market from overseas. The main function of this product is to be installed on a TV to record and play back programs. The use of " Video Recorder " is also very simple. You only need to set the startup time, insert a tape with enough space reserved, start recording, and wait for the recording to complete.

Source: wikipedia

Generally speaking, " video recorders " are generally used to record live content, such as news programs and evening parties, and many users use " video recorders " to record football games, such as the World Cup, which is held every four years. With the advancement of technology, video tape recorders (VCR) are gradually being replaced by hard disk video recorders (DVR). Compared with previous generation products, hard disk video recorders have digitized video and audio for easy transmission and storage. At the same time, the usage logic is clearer and is deeply loved by consumers.

Of course, with the development of the Internet, any form of video recorder is no longer popular. After all, in terms of convenience, it is easier to watch any content with just a few clicks than to set the time, record and play back. many. In addition, most digital set-top boxes now have integrated this function. Although there are differences in principle, the user experience is relatively similar. In any case, the " video recorder " did bring a lot of help to users in the early stages of the development of the television industry, but it has lagged behind in the mainstream of technological development.

These electronic products that were once very popular but have disappeared, perhaps from today's perspective, these products have no existing value, and many of them have found substitutes with stronger performance and better user experience. But the memories and touches they once brought us are all real.

Of course, some people may say that products such as " Apple Peel " and " Caller Flash Sticker " have very low technical content. Even at the time, they could not be called very useful electronic products. But in fact, it is these interesting ideas that make technological life more vivid and lively, and allow digital technology to enter the world of consumers. Just like the " incoming call flash sticker ", it created the emergence of " marquee " and " breathing light ". With continuous improvement, various notification methods such as " screen off display " were born.

As mentioned above, although not all electronic products can stay at the moment of glowing and heating forever, the ideas and ideas they create can provide power for the development of science and technology. Remembering the past is sometimes a "little trick" to help grow.

This article is reproduced from "Lei Technology" by Global Internet of Things Observation. The content is the independent opinion of the author and does not represent the position of Global Internet of Things Observation. It is for communication and learning purposes only . If you have any questions, please contact us at info@gsi24.com.

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