Thesis- Technology
- Damian
- Oct 14, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 20, 2020
What is Retro Tech?
Retro technology is anything that was created in the tech industry that by today's standard would be "outdated" or "obsolete". With new phones coming out every year, and the use of online music streaming services, we are living in a world where technology has reached new heights. Some would see this as a good thing, however not everyone can accept this new digital world. Today we see that polaroid cameras have made a comeback, and Vinyls are now sold in a lot of retail stores such as Urban Outfitters. But why are they coming back? As I researched with the topic of nostalgia, the idea of attaching happy feelings to objects does play a part. I remember my first time playing a Super Nintendo Entertainment System. My dad had it tucked away for years and when he found it again his natural instinct was to show me. He felt good to show me how he grew up, and how "cool" the games were. Though today we have 4k graphics and systems like the PS5 coming out, I was so interesting seeing something so simple but so new in a sense. I want to research more into this phenomenon and see what other retro tech is making a return into the 21st century.
Why it Coming Back?
One thing we all have in common is that we all have a smart phone. Smart phones these days just keep seeming to get smarter and smarter with new updates and neat features that make it so appealing to a wide range of people. This "everything Device" as I will call it is the main reason Millenials and Get Z are so attracted to it. As stated in the Texas Standard, "People are yearning for a more standalone technology, things that are easier to use. That is why you are seeing the comeback of the Nintendo NES classic, and polaroid cameras". People want that feeling of having tech that can do its thing and nothing else. Cameras and Vinyls are some of the biggest names of tech that have made a return in a world where they should not exist. I have many polaroids that I collect and use frequently and have also invested in vinyl records to play and hang on my wall. I love the idea of having something more physical. To me having a photo printed instantly and having music that sounds grainy and raw has a better appeal to me even though I did not grow up with this tech. Texas Standard also talks about the effect of Nostalgia and how parents feel nostalgic about these pieces of their childhood. They want to share it with their children so they can experience it as well. This creates a cycle just like fashion where a new generation gets exposed to something that is "new" to them and fall in love with it. These are not isolated events. According to CNN, as of 2018 Vinyl record sales hit 400 million, and millions of households still have camcorders laying around. CNN also states, "Older gadgets have a lot of staying power because they allow people to unplug from the constant ping of smartphones and tablets". This supports the idea that people feel that technology can do too much, and want to look back at something that was more simple. But what are the main pieces of tech returning for Gen Z and Millenials to enjoy again?
What is Coming Back?
Polaroid Cameras
Instant film cameras have been around for a very long time. During the turn of the 90s, their popularity started to fall. As stated by Costa Rica News, "When digital cameras reached the market in the 1990s, they further transformed the industry, but this time
at the expense of the iconic Polaroid. Digital cameras could take multiple photos in seconds and allowed you to easily duplicate and share them countless times over. By the turn of the 21st century, Polaroid cameras had nearly been forgotten and the company was on the edge of bankruptcy". With the digital age came too, polaroids were instantly obsolete. However, today Polaroid has been revived by increases in sales of both film and cameras themselves. Today a new rebranded company, Polaroid Originals dominates the market and has currently been making new polaroids for a new generation to enjoy.
Vinyl Players/Records
Just like the story with the polaroid, Vinyls were seemingly wiped out with the digital age. With streaming like Apple Music and Spotify, we are able to listen to millions of
songs at the end of our finger tips. However, there are still those who appreciate having a physical disk in their hand. Justin Pomerleau, the owner of 3 vintage stores, believes that vinyl “fosters a connection between the listener and music that is difficult to achieve with digital”. There seems to be a connection with having something that is physically in hand and having an experience rather than just clicking a play button on your phone. According to an interview by CNN, Ramy Zabarah, an avid Vinyl collector feels as though " You open it up, and you get some cool images, something you don't get when you listen to music on streaming platforms. I think the main reason to invest in vinyl records is for the audio quality. Listening to music on a vinyl record is the closest thing you will get to being in the studio and hearing what is being recorded".
Old Gaming Systems
Many people in my generation have played at least one retro gaming system in their lifetime. For me it was from my father who had it in a storage tub for 15 years and
decided one day he wanted me to experience some of the game he grew up with. To me this old tech was something new and broke me away from the systems I grew up with which were technologically advanced for the time. It felt "cool" in a sense to experience what the generation before me got to use. This essentially opened the door for me to fall in love with retro tech, such as polaroids, 35 mm film cameras, and vinyls to name a few. This idea of passing down a feeling of nostalgia to a new generation is very rooted when it comes to the growing markets of retro tech.
Physical Vs Digital
One of the biggest reasons retro tech such as polaroids and vinyls are resurfacing is due in part the ideal of physical vs digital. As stated in CNN, "Polaroids often look blurry, vinyl sound quality is nowhere near an MP3 or stream — but it makes them feel more vibrant, more real-life". This idea that physical equals to real is something that is driving people to fall in love with this old tech. We live in a world where everything is digital, so being able to have an experience would seem more appealing to today's generation. This in part with nostalgia, from those who grew up with it and show it to later generations, are the leading factors of retro tech even being a thing in the first place. This is why companies such as Nintendo recreating older systems such as the NES for today's market. Director of Graduate Studies of Studio Practice Elin Slavick said it best when talking about the revival of Polaroid; "I think it’s because we’re sick of the screens — scanning and sliding and scrolling through everything from fake news and images to our lives and personal information,” Slavick said. “We want something tangible, and we want to slow down and make real images. I think it’s a much bigger phenomenon than just a fad of the Polaroid”.
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