Video killed the radio star — and then there was Netflix. It is hard to imagine life before streaming services, even though it seems like only a few short years ago. Just like it was once impossible to imagine what life was like before DVDs, cassettes and dozens of other items that no longer feature in our everyday lives.
Yet, as technology progresses, more and more items are becoming obsolete. It is only a matter of time before there is no need for things like hotel room keys and even shopping malls, as Money Talks pointed out in a recent report that looked at some of the things in our lives that will soon be obsolete.
Here are 9 things that will become obsolete:
- Fax machines. Do people still send faxes? With technology making it now possible to receive, sign and send documents all via computer, the fax-machine is close to being another obsolete thing in the office.
- Car keys. Drivers can now lock and unlock their cars with a push of a button. With modern cars increasingly using key fobs and mini-remotes, car keys will soon be a thing of the past.
- College textbooks. More and more schools are phasing out hard copies of books and bringing in digital textbooks. Gone are the days of heavy backpacks and exorbitant textbook fees.
- Classroom chalkboards. While on the topic of school, the all-too-famous chalkboards (or blackboards) that were popular for generations of students are being made obsolete by the whiteboard — but it will not be long before this is replaced by emerging smartboards.
- Plastic shopping bags. In an effort to be more environmentally conscious, states and cities across the U.S. are moving toward banning single-use plastic shopping bags, forcing consumers to bring their own reusable bags.
- Business cards. Once a marker of success, the business card is fast on its way out as companies and professionals turn to the digital world to make their information publicly available.
- Paper maps. When was the last time you unfolded a paper map? Thanks to smartphones and Google maps, there is really very little use for paper maps these days.
- Portable music players. It seems as if smartphones are replacing most single-use devices these days, including portable music players. There is not much point in carrying these gadgets around when you could just listen to your music and podcasts from your phone.
- Print magazines. While diehards will always argue the perks of physically reading a book or magazine, the truth is that print media is also on its way out. Many publications have ceased to exist while others are switching to digital subscriptions.