11 Technology Phases We Thought Would Last Forever

It's a lot easier to let go of things and move on than you think. Take, for example, all these things we thought would last forever...

1. Using tape players to record songs off the radio.

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You'd sit there and wait for the radio to play your fave tune just so you could hit record. Then you'd have to deal with hearing the radio DJ talk over the ending of the song. All the time.

2. Carrying CD players around hoping not to scratch your CDs.

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"Portable" as if. You'd also have to decide what CD you wanted to play or carry them all, wherever you went. Heavy.

3. Video players and having to rewind things.

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Having to tighten the tape with a pencil or pen when it stopped working or got fuzzy too. An adventure.

4. Giant Cabinet TVs.

Brendan Riley (CC BY-SA 2.0) / Via Flickr: digitalsextant

You'd need a giant living room just to keep one of these because they pretty much took up the whole living room. Not to mention the fact the original ones didn't have remote controls. So no channel-surfing from the couch with these.

5. Having a virtual pet and trying to keep it alive.

Joi Ito (CC BY 2.0) / Via Flickr: joi

You thought you'd keep this little fella alive forever. You even used it as a key chain so you'd always remember it. Until it fell down the couch one day never to be seen again.

6. Keeping a map book in the car...

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Whoever was riding shotgun had to actually help navigate as there was no way of knowing how to get there without using a road map and there was no smartphone to keep you occupied anyway.

7. ...or printing out maps from the early days of the internet.

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8. Phone books.

James Cape (CC BY-SA 2.0) / Via Flickr: jcape

Let's not even talk about this one.

9. Having to wait to get your photos back from a developer.

Leo Hidalgo (CC BY 2.0) / Via Flickr: ileohidalgo

There was no "Delete this one, I look rubbish in it." you just didn't know how your pics would turn out until you got them back. But the good ones would make it onto your bedroom wall.

10. Having to keep or play video games all through the night because there was no way to save your progress.

Nelo Hotsuma (CC BY 2.0) / Via Flickr: 63122283@N06

Video-gaming was like working the night shift. You'd get the first few hours to watch, then when you were sleepy your brother would step in to take over. You'd both make sure to be awake for the ending though.

11. Rotary dial phones and phones with cords.

Tim G. Photography (CC BY 2.0) / Via Flickr: 93095839@N08

The fear of getting your fingers stuck in those little holes. And cords! Not being able to pace back and forth or end up upside down while talking to your bestie. No thank you.

Now it's easier than ever to let go of old things, like your old compatible phone. Switch to a new Samsung Galaxy S6 edge and S6 edge+ with Samsung Smart Switch, making it easy to transfer the things you love*.

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*Limitations apply. See www.samsung.com/smartswitch first for details. Samsung takes copyright seriously. Only transfer content that you own or have the right to transfer.