7 Obsolete Technologies That People Thought Would Last Forever

We live in an era of accelerating technological change, and with it, accelerated rates of obsolescence. Here are 22 antiquated technologies that are actually quite young — and which people thought would be around for much longer than they were.

1. Cathode Ray Tube Televisions

The introduction of plasma and LED screens finally put an end to these ridiculously deep television sets.

2. Cigarettes

Thanks to e-cigarettes, the conventional cigarette is, for all intents and purposes, obsolete. Because — let's face it — it only ever served as a nicotine delivery device.

"Culturally speaking, I think it'll be the most disruptive technology of the next five years," says Jayar LaFontaine, a Foresight Strategist at Idea Couture. "Traditional tobacco companies, Valley start ups, pharmaceuticals — everyone is looking to vapor technologies. As Frank Underwood once said in House of Cards, 'It's addiction without the consequences.'"

3. Dedicated MP3 Players

Like so many items on this list, it's not so much that these technologies have become obsolete as they've evolved or become integrated within other technologies. The MP3 player, which is now standard on any mobile device, is a prime example.

4. All Sorts of Data Storage Media

Many formats that were once ubiquitous have now gone the way of the dodo, such as floppy disks (including 8-inch, 5 1/4-inch, and 3 1/2-inch), zip disks, and jaz disks. A strong case can be made that CDs and even DVDs are also done. Image: Wikimedia commons.

5. Typewriters

Absolutely, totally dead, dead, dead.

6. Public Pay Phones

Can't find one? I'm sure the person next to you has a mobile phone.

7. Pulse Telephone Networks and Rotary Phones

This telecommunications signalling technology was first made irrelevant in 1963 following Bell's dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) technology, and then later with the introduction of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). Image: BrAt82/Shutterstock.

Culled from:io9.gizmodo