I’m sure you remember this: “You hang up first.” “No, you hang up first.” Not quite as romantic when you fumble for the end call button on your iPhone, eh? As times change and our tech changes, so do the phrases we use.
Let’s take a little trip down nostalgia lane, something different in our quest for the ultimate tech know-how. It’s gonna be fun, I promise. See how many you’ve said at least a few times in your life:
- Roll down the window: Cars have had automatic windows for ages, making the manual “rolling down” a thing of the past. I still say this, though, in my 1964 Mustang.
- Check the answering machine: Voicemail on cellphones has obliterated the need for a physical answering machine. I think it’s super interesting that Apple’s iOS 17 lets you listen while someone leaves a voicemail so you can decide to pick up. New? Hardly.
- Dial 411: My mother designed the 411 directory system for Bell Labs. Now, just look someone up online and you have their digits.
- Beep me: Pagers were all the rage once upon a time. Now, they’re almost exclusively used in healthcare or other specific industries.
- I’ll tape it: You no longer “tape” shows with DVR and streaming services. You just hit record on your device or catch it later on-demand.
- Rewind/Fast-forward: Made perfect sense for cassettes and VHS tapes. Sure, we still use them metaphorically, but you’re not actually winding anything.
- I need to find a payphone: My Dad used to make me carry a quarter just in case I needed to make a call. With a cellphone in nearly every pocket, payphones have become an urban relic.
- Get the film developed or Don’t waste the film: Oh, the good old days of waiting for days to see a picture you looked horrible in. Digital cameras and smartphones have done away with this.
- Look it up in the White or Yellow Pages: Online directories have replaced those hefty books.
- I’ll fax it to you: Fax machines are just about dead. Warren Buffett once told me that’s the only way he will do contracts. Why? No one can hack a fax machine like his email. Good point, Warren.
I bet there are kids and even 20-somethings in your life who would be totally stumped by these phrases. That makes me think about what phrases we use now that will someday be a thing of the past. “Google it” and “swipe your card” come to mind.