Latest news with #obsolete
Yahoo
11-08-2025
- Yahoo
Older Adults Are Sharing The Best "Life Hacks" From Their Younger Years That Are Completely Obsolete Nowadays
Every generation comes up with its own ways of making life easier (or simply "hacking" the system)! However, as technology evolves, this once-common knowledge often becomes obsolete... That's why when Redditor u/MittlerPfalz asked, "What was a cool 'life pro tip' or 'life hack' that you used back in the day that is no longer relevant or possible?" hundreds of people over 50 shared "hacks" from their younger years that are irrelevant now. Without further ado, here are 19 of their most surprising responses: If you know of any once-common knowledge that is unusable in today's world, feel free to tell us about it using this anonymous form! 1."Hacking pay phones: To understand this hack, you need to remember analog pay phones, where you would dial the number and then an operator would come on and say something like, 'Please deposit $2.25 for three minutes.'" "The way they knew if you deposited the money was that nickels, dimes, and quarters each made a distinctive sound as they fell down the coin slot. The operator would then use that sound to count how many coins you deposited." The hack only worked if you found two payphones next to each other. You would make the call, you would repeat out loud what the operator said, your buddy would deposit the coins in the other phone, and you would put the two phone hand pieces together so that the operator would hear the coins falling. Your call would be connected, and your buddy would hang up and get a full refund. Free call. As bored teenage boys, we did this at summer camp to call girls at home. These girls would barely talk to us at home, but they were also bored and loved the novelty of getting our call." —u/WillingPublic Related: 2."When shopping, we never picked the item in front but rather reached for the one in back to get a lower price." "Oftentimes, the clerk restocking would be lazy and not re-price the ones already on the shelf. Of course, this was back when price stickers had to be manually put on each item." —u/Penny-Bright 3."When I was transferring from a local community college to a large university, my grades were less than stellar. At that time, college transcripts were written in ink on a paper form that you took with you when you registered." "I discovered I could erase just enough of the ink marks to change a couple of 'Ds' to 'Bs.' It worked like a charm!" —u/skye_commoner 4."Roughly 1980: Maryland and Virginia didn't share driver's license information, so I had one for each state. My auto insurance was tied to one driver's license, and whenever I got pulled over for anything, the points went against the other license." "Eventually, the license with the points expired, and I got rid of my red 1968 Charger and started driving a 1984 Isuzu pickup, which never got pulled over." —u/NC-Tacoma-Guy 5."As a broke college student, I couldn't get a credit card, and I got a monthly check, so things got tight during the month (this was in the early '70s before debit cards)..." "To help me out, my older brother taught me this: Sears would issue a store credit card to college students. I used it to purchase a gift certificate for, say, $40. I would then use the gift certificate to buy a couple of pairs of socks, and then they gave me the rest in change. $30-35 went a long way back then. At the end of the month, I would pay the bill, then rinse and repeat. I kept (and used) my Sears card for many, many years." —u/ez_as_31416 6."I used to place a baby monitor transmitter near the TV and carry the receiver around with me while doing chores and yard work. It was my pre-Bluetooth. I had several of the Fisher Price models, which were purchased frugally at yard sales." "It was good for listening to breaking news, QVC, or shows where I didn't really need the video to follow along and keep my mind occupied during menial tasks. Now I play Sirius or Audible from my phone." —u/Greenhouse774 Related: 7."When I was a kid, I was watching a guy service a vending machine and asked if I could have a free candy bar. He said I couldn't, but that I could have the 'slugs,' which were fake quarters in the coin compartment. As soon as he left, I tried the slugs and sure enough, they worked like quarters and I was able to buy a few bars." "I came back again, and the same thing happened. Now I realize he must have known that I was experiencing food insecurity, but at the time I thought I was getting away with something." —u/CharlesAvlnchGreen 8."It used to be recommended that folks carry a small disposable camera in the glove compartment of the car to take photos in case of an accident." "Nowadays, just about everyone has a camera-equipped phone, so this isn't necessary anymore." —u/North_Artichoke_6721 9."If you went to a government office to apply for something and they handed you a stack of forms to fill out, you could just stand there and tell them you couldn't read or write, then they had to read you the questions and write down your answers. It was way easier than doing it yourself.' —u/Buford12 10."I read Steal This Book, and it said if you just looked like you belonged somewhere, people wouldn't question you, and pre 9/11, this was always true." "I went to cocktail parties on the East side of Manhattan, snuck on planes, etc. (I never had the guts to stay on the planes, but it was so easy to board.) To this day, I still use the 'look like I belong' method when I walk on private roads in estate areas near my home. I wave at the few cars that pass, and I assume they think I am a guest of one of the homes or live there." —u/DrNarf Related: 11."My family kept a large glass water bottle. Every day, my Dad would empty his pockets of loose change and encourage me to toss coins in, too. I was a kid, so I don't remember how long it took to fill up, but one day, he laid an old sheet on the ground and emptied it. We spent the weekend rolling coins." "Fast forward to now, and I can't remember the last time I had change in my pocket." —u/trekbette 12."Unplugging the house phone extension, taking the receiver off the cradle, and then plugging the phone back in was my favorite hack." "The people talking to each other on the phone (like my sister and her boyfriend) didn't hear someone pick up the extension to listen to their phone calls." —u/Big-Ad4382 13."Where I grew up, there was a local phone number you could call to get the correct time. Not a whole lot of people knew what it was, though, so if I were at a club and someone was obnoxiously pestering me for my phone number, I would give them the 'time number.'" "You could also dial zero to be connected to a live operator who would give you the phone number and/or address of a person or business." —u/ExtensionTurnip5395 14."In an old car with a carburetor, it was possible to 'flood' the engine while trying to start it when cold, and it was difficult to get it started after that..." "The 'hack' was to very slowly push the gas pedal all the way down (this was so the accelerator pump in the carburetor would not squirt a shot of raw gas into the engine, making the problem worse) and then count to 10, which allowed the gas in the the manifold to evaporate, then let the gas pedal up maybe half way, then turn the key and try again. It sometimes worked." —u/realityinflux 15."When creating masters for the mimeograph machine, errors could (mostly) be corrected by carefully using a razor blade to scrape off the ink image on the stencil. The tricky part was trying to get the stencil back in your typewriter and return to that spot with the typewriter properly aligned." "Releasing the roller so it was free and carefully, very carefully positioning the master back to where you cleaned off the mistake before locking the roller in place again completed the 'erasing' of the mistake. It was difficult, but still much better than starting over with a new master. Inexpensive copy machines made them all obsolete." —u/MontanaPurpleMtns 16."I used a Rolodex in my job to make notes about clients so that when they called, I could quickly flip to their card and make a small personal comment like 'How was that trip to Italy?' or 'How is your new puppy working out?'" "During conversation, new small talk would always pop up that I could make a note of and bring up in a future contact with them. If they were coming in for a meeting, which was rare, I would review their cards ahead of time. I always got comments from my boss about how much clients liked talking to me." —u/gracyavery Related: 17."Beginners tip: We had to get to the bank early Friday to cash our paychecks and avoid the rush — no ATMs, no Saturday banking, no debit cards." "Payday was every Friday, and we needed to get that money in the bank so we could write a check at the grocery store. Bankers' hours were a real thing; they opened late and closed early. Now for the pro tip: Some grocery stores would cash your paycheck." —u/DrunkBuzzard 18."I would write the combo to a lock on the back with a secret code written on masking tape. If I forget, I checked the back of the lock: I used the word 'QUICKTRADE.'" "Q=1, U=2, I=3, etc. But now it's just as easy to save your combos on your phone or other digital places It still can be useful if you're gonna throw a random lock in a shed, basement, or some other place where it might sit for years, but it's just not as useful as it once was." —u/bassbeatsbanging 19."Columbia House Record Club: You joined and got 10 or 12 albums for free, then had to buy six to ten in the next few years. In the 1970s, they sent you a card each month. If you didn't return the card, you got the featured album in the mail. If you sent the album back, it counted as if you bought it, lowering the number you had to buy." "After doing that accidentally, I repeated 'forgetting' to send the card over and over to finish my obligation, quit, and rejoined a bunch of times. Doing this, I never actually bought another album, and got probably 100 albums free. The loophole closed in the 1980s." —u/reesesbigcup Did any of these "hacks" surprise you? People over 45, what are some other things that used to be considered common knowledge that are now obsolete? Tell us about it in the comments or answer anonymously using the form below! Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity. Also in Internet Finds: Also in Internet Finds: Also in Internet Finds: Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
08-08-2025
- The Sun
Apple dooms popular gadget bought by millions to the dreaded ‘obsolete' pile – see full list of 16 products
ANOTHER popular gadget is destined for the scrapheap after Apple officially designated it "obsolete". It joins hundreds of products already on the list that are beyond repair. 2 Like any tech company, Apple routinely discontinues older devices and continues to offer software and servicing for a limited period after. The firm has two key phases: vintage and obsolete. An Apple gadget is classified as vintage when Apple stopped distributing it for sale more than five and less than seven years ago. You can still get a repair sorted from authorised service providers during this period but there's no guarantee as the parts become limited. But when it steps into the obsolete stage you can't get any repairs sorted at all. A device is considered obsolete when Apple stopped distributing them for sale more than seven years ago. As you would expect, with 49 years in the business, Apple has a lot of discontinued products now. And there are a sizeable number of iPhones on the list dating back to the very first in 2007. Of course, it includes other gizmos too, such as the Apple Watch. And it's a popular Apple Watch model that's been bumped down to obsolete this week. Free upgrade for millions of cars from Apple revealed The second-generation Apple Watch Series 1 models released in 2016 have been added. So if you own one, don't count on any repairs - you'll have to upgrade to a newer Apple Watch. This means the full list of obsolete Apple Watch products is now: Apple Watch (1st generation), 38mm Apple Watch (1st generation), 42mm Apple Watch Edition (1st generation), 38 mm Apple Watch Edition (1st generation), 42 mm Apple Watch Hermes (1st generation), 38 mm Apple Watch Hermes (1st generation), 42 mm Apple Watch Series 1, Aluminium (2nd generation), 38 mm Apple Watch Series 1, Aluminium (2nd generation), 42 mm Apple Watch Series 2, Aluminium (2nd generation), 38 mm Apple Watch Series 2, Aluminium (2nd generation), 42 mm Apple Watch Series 2, Stainless Steel (2nd generation), 38 mm Apple Watch Series 2, Stainless Steel (2nd generation), 42 mm Apple Watch Sport (1st generation), 38 mm Apple Watch Sport (1st generation), 42 mm Apple Watch Stainless Steel (1st generation), 38 mm Apple Watch Stainless Steel (1st generation), 42 mm WHY DO GADGETS GET DISCONTINUED? Analysis by Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun It's never good news to hear that your favourite gadget is no longer repairable and you'll have to buy an expensive new one altogether. But Apple is fairly good for making tech last as long as possible, providing plenty of software updates for years after a product was released. However, there comes a point when they have to stop. For something like a smartwatch it's simply not financially viable to keep producing parts for items that few people now own. Given the second-generation Apple Watch Series 1 models were released nine years ago, a lot has changed since then. If you do still own one, chances are it's probably quite battered and slow now.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Six popular Apple devices are now classed as VINTAGE - and may leave users unable to get repairs if they break
They were some of the hottest gadgets in Apple's recent history. But the tech giant has added another six products to its official 'vintage' list – most of them not even a decade after their release. Unfortunately, 'vintage' doesn't necessarily mean you'll be able to sell them for large amounts online. In fact, if you still own a vintage Apple product, it means you may not be able to get it repaired by Apple if and when it breaks. Meanwhile, three Apple products have gone from the vintage list to the dreaded 'obsolete' list – signifying their days are nearly numbered. All Apple products progress through three categories – current, vintage, and obsolete. Even the new iPhone 16 will become obsolete one day, consigning it to the great technology scrap heap. But Apple and other tech companies have received criticism for giving their devices such a short lifespan as it fuels the problem of electronic waste. As first noticed by MacRumors, the six products Apple has just added to its vintage list include the 2013 Mac Pro, nicknamed 'trash can' due to its appearance. This cylindrical desktop computer, also compared with a rice cooker and R2-D2 from Star Wars, originally cost $2,999 when released over a decade ago. Something of a cult favourite, the 2013 Mac Pro was criticised for an 'unsustainable' design that didn't meet the needs of professional users. The 2013 Mac Pro was discontinued in 2019 when its successor – the $6,000 'cheese grater' – was released, but it is finally officially 'vintage'. A 'vintage' product means Apple stopped selling it more than five years ago and as a result it may or may not be able to receive Apple services. Apple retail stores and Apple Authorised Resellers are still able to offer repairs for 'vintage' devices, but only if the required parts are available. The other five products now 'vintage' are not as old as the 2013 Mac Pro, making their addition to the list rather more surprising. They are the 13-inch MacBook Air (2019), iMac (2019), 11-inch iPad Pro (2018), 12.9-inch iPad Pro (2018) and iPhone 8 with 128GB of storage (2017). At the time of its release in 2016, MailOnline called iPhone 8 'the best handset Apple has ever made' with its all-glass back and wireless charging At the time of its release in 2017, MailOnline called the $699/£699 iPhone 8 'the best handset Apple has ever made' with its all-glass back and wireless charging. But the new update means all three iPhone 8 storage options (64GB, 128GB and 256GB) are now vintage. Meanwhile, the 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, released in 2018, was described by MailOnline as 'the best tablet out there' with a 'stunning screen' and 'blazingly fast' processing speeds. Also, three Apple routers – AirPort Express, 2TB and 3TB AirPort Time Capsules, and 802.11ac AirPort Extreme – have become 'obsolete'. Apple considers a product 'obsolete' when it stopped distributing it for sale more than seven years ago. As Apple explains, an obsolete device has lost support and is no longer eligible for repair at an Apple Store or an authorised third-party service. Essentially it means if the product stops working Apple is not obliged to fix it – rendering it barely more than a relic from the past. Apple explains on its website: 'Apple discontinues all hardware service for obsolete products, and service providers cannot order parts for obsolete products. 'Mac laptops may be eligible for an extended battery-only repair period for up to 10 years from when the product was last distributed for sale, subject to parts availability.' Although Apple releases several devices to feverish fanfare every year, even more are quietly consigned to the technology scrap heap. But environmental campaigners believe a lifetime of less than a decade isn't reasonable for a tech device retailing for several hundreds of pounds. Tech companies including Apple have faced fierce criticism for fuelling an 'e-waste crisis', where piles of electronic waste are building up in landfill. A 2020 report from MPs said companies like Apple and Amazon have been 'dodging their environmental responsibilities' for the products they sell. 'Too many devices have a limited, and sometimes decreasing, lifespan and end up in bins, eventually going to landfill or incineration,' said former Environment Audit Committee chair Philip Dunne. For some dated phones, you might struggle to find a retailer that'll give you much money, or any at all, according to Which? In this instance, your best option is to recycle your phone directly. National recycling campaign Recycle Now can check if you can recycle your mobile phone at home or at a nearby recycling point so its materials can be used again elsewhere. If you enter your postcode, it will give you a list of local recycling facilities where you can take your devices - preventing them from ending up in landfill. After a device is discarded and e-waste is warmed up, toxic chemicals are released into the air, damaging the atmosphere. E-waste in landfills can also seep toxic materials into groundwater, affecting animals and plants.
The Sun
13-07-2025
- The Sun
Five Apple gadgets declared ‘obsolete' including popular iPad model now on ‘kill list' & there's a costly consequence
APPLE has declared several more of its gadgets "vintage" and "obsolete", including a popular iPad model, macs and accessories. The updated status of these electronics could make them more costly for people to keep using. 1 Apple considers a product "vintage" five years after it was last distributed for sale, which then becomes "obsolete" two years later. One addition that finally made it to the vintage list is the 2013 "Trash Can" Mac Pro, 12 years after being sold. This was because the computer was on the market for so long, that it did not discontinue selling until December 2019. Apple was unable to introduce a new Mac Pro to replace the cyclindrical version due to design limitations, the company admitted in 2017. It was much smaller than the previous generation of Mac Pro, and there was not space to upgrade internal components like GPUs. Apple's hardware chief at the time, Craig Federighi, admitted: "I think we designed ourselves into a bit of a thermal corner." Along with the 2013 Mac Pro, several other Apple devices were added to the vintage products list. These include: 2019 13-inch MacBook Air 2019 iMac 2018 11-inch iPad Pro 2018 third-generation 12.9-inch iPad Pro iPhone 8 128GB The 128GB version of the iPhone 8 was sold for longer than its 64GB and 256GB counterparts, however has now joined them on the vintage list. Apples's big announcements from WWDC with a flurry new features for the gadgets you already own A number of devices were also transitioned from Apple's vintage list to "obsolete". These include: Second-generation AirPort Express 2TB and 3TB AirPort Time Capsules 802.11ac AirPort Extreme Apple retail stores and Apple Authorised Service Providers (AASPs) still offer repairs for vintage products if the required parts are availablle. If these parts are not available, repairs are unlikely to be possible. Products that are obsolete are not repaired by Apple stores or AASPs. Apple also no longer provided parts for them. However, some Mac laptops may be eligible for a battery-only repair for a period of up to 10 years from when the product was last distributed for sale. This is subject to the availability of parts.
Bloomberg
06-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Newark Airport's Floppy-Disk Era Needs to End
Save This is Bloomberg Opinion Today, an official badge of Bloomberg Opinion's opinions. Sign up here. Tell me, reader, do you know anyone who still uses floppy disks? I don't. In fact, I haven't seen one of those babies in 20+ years. It seems crazy that anyone would still be reliant on a technology that came of age in 1978 and was phased out in 2010, right? Right.
