as technology evolves, new innovations are constantly replacing old ones. this cycle is repeated over and
over until old technologies are almost completely forgotten. whether this is good or bad is really in the
eyes of the beholder, but the pace of technological innovation is unavoidable. in the past this technology
turnaround was slow and measured, but it has been steadily increasing to a rapid clip today. so fast in fact,
that many of us have trouble keeping up.

in spite of these hurried times, some of choose to stick with what we know or look back in history.
rather than listening to music on an mp3 player, some choose to listen to lp records and rather than design
a poster using the latest computer software, some choose to use an antique letterpress. this burgeoning
trend of anti-digital activity can perhaps be attributed to a form of technology nostalgia but there is clearly
something more. for starters, many of the people turning to retro-tech weren’t even born when these
original products were around. there is something else at work, perhaps something is missing from the
future-forward disposable technology of today? with each new generation of technology we lose
something from the past, the comforting sound of the needle on vinyl or just getting our hands dirty
instead of messing around with a mouse.

high technology may be the zeitgeist of today, but every trend has its adversary. today this adversary takes
the form of vinyl records, film cameras, typewriters and other relics form the past. perhaps we seek comfort
in the familiar or just need a break from our digital lifestyles. no matter what the reason, there is a clear
movement at work that can be seen throughout contemporary culture. looking into the future, the products
and tools we use today may soon be added to this list of antiquated technology, awaiting a resurgence of
there own.

records

one of the most obvious examples of looking to the past is music. for many years records were the de facto
medium for recorded music. then came the cassette tape, the 8-track player and eventually the CD.
while these new mediums each offered advantages to the LP, a devoted few continued listening to music
on the classic vinyl format. then came the mp3, which almost knocked out the entire physical music
industry. however in spite of this, records grew in popularity. contemporary artists began releasing more
material on records and a whole new vinyl culture emerged. so while CD sales slowly dwindle, the record
seems to be here to stay.

cassette tapes

like records, cassette tapes have made their own resurgence. while it is no longer used for new releases,
the popularity of the classic mixtape remains. designboom featured an depth look at the cassette tape
resurgence in our article, ‘cassette tape culture’.



model one radio by tivoli audio

radio

while radio has never gone away completely, there has been a resurgence in recent years thanks in part to
new product designs which blend the warm nostalgia of the past with contemporary style. one of the best
examples is the tivoli series which makes high-end radios and stereos that uses real wood and large knobs,
like the equipment of the past.



mini retro synths by dan mcpharlin

instruments

the above examples represents the music mediums that have come back into use, but music making is also
looking to the past. a number of musicians are avoiding the synthetic sounds of digital instruments and
computer editing software, and choosing to use vintage audio equipment in its place. old amplifiers and
instruments like keyboards and guitars are among the more popular choices in low-fi equipment.



a collection of vintage cameras

film photography

now that most people have a camera on their mobile phone and a digital camera on top of that, the world
of film photography has been in a solid decline. however a few avid users covet cameras using the classic
film. developing their own film in a dark room, rolling the film in their camera and experimenting with
different techniques, make taking photos with film a completely unique experience. today there is a large
culture of photographers who choose to use film in old cameras, instead of the latest digital camera.
despite the size of this niche, film is hard to find since most manufacturers stopped making it after the
digital photography boom.

polaroid

the film photography movement is quite large and one of its most unique products is the polaroid camera.
this camera grew to immense popularity because of its integrated printer, which developed a photo only
seconds after it was taken. however, the digital photography trend impacted polaroid as well and in 2008
production of the special film stopped. however dutch artist florian kaps is trying to bring back the film by
2010 with a team of people in ‘the impossible project’. kaps hopes the iconic polaroid camera may soon
return to its glory days, in spite of the digital revolution.



posters designed by the small stakes

screen-printing

in an era where its seems that everyone has a copy of photoshop and a colour printer, screen printing has
made an unlikely resurgence. this production method never truly went away, as it is a common process in
manufacturing, but a new generation of printers and designers are using it more and more. from t-shirts to
posters and flyers, the simplicity and reproducibility of screen-printing is find a niche in today’s design
toolbox.



letterpress election posters by yeehaw industries

letterpress

much like-screen printing, graphic designers are turning away from the latest designer fonts and choosing
instead to use the letterpress technique. before there were millions of fonts and digital design programs,
typesetters slaved away, aligning letters one by one. this intensive process is finding it way back into
design, much like screen-printing. the classic look of letterpressed type is undeniable and the process itself
richer and more satisfying than sitting and clicking a mouse.



example of the hipster PDA

hipster PDA

organization gadgets promise to help you manage your busy schedule and make you productive, but they
never seems to live up to expectations. so instead of running out to buy the latest calendar software or
digital assistant, small groups of people are turning to old-fashioned index cards. using a simple clip and
a couple of cards, proponents of this technique have dubbed their creation the hipster PDA. the low-fi
system doesn’t need charging or synching and can be purchased for a few bucks at your local shop.

letter writing & postcards

sending a letter used to require sitting down and taking the time to write down a message and waiting for
it to arrive at its destination. now email allows anyone to send a message in seconds. however because of
emails speed, a message no longer carries the same significance as a handwritten letter. to combat this,
a growing number of people are choosing to write letters to their family and friends the old fashioned way.
sending a personal postcard to friends from a vacation connotes care and time was taken, enhancing the
message’s value to its recipient.



the classic valentine typewriter by ettore sottsass

typewriters

if hand written isn’t your speed, than you may want to give the typewriter a shot. once as common as the
computer, the typewriter is now an antiquated technology of the past. but while most now use a keyboard
and mouse, typewriters still remain a popular choice for many. the tactile feel of typing letters and watching
them printed on the page, is incomparable to writing on a computer. in addition to the experience of using
a typewriter, many of today’s users are drawn to the product because of the unique designs.



vintage rotary phone and hulger handset

old-fashioned telephones

the mobile phone has changed the way we communicate, allowing everyone to be available wherever they
go. despite the devices’ functionality many consumers earn for a simpler time. for starters, many users opt
for an old-rotary phone that requires slowly dialing the numbers one by one. these classic phones also come
in a variety of unusual shapes and colours. these products possess a heft and weight that is incomparable to
today’s razor thin mobiles. unfortunately you can’t take these phones everywhere you go. but you can plug
your mobile into a design like the hulger phone headsets made from vintage phones. this simple design
bundles the portability of a mobile with the classic form and solidity you can only get with an old phone.



original atari 2600 gaming system and nintendo entertainment system

video games

the latest xbox and playstation are ubiquitous around the world, so it only makes sense that gamers craving
something different are turning to classic consoles like atari and nintendo. while graphics in video games
near perfect realism, the simple white on black aesthetic of classic games like pong is making a comeback.
many gamers who weren’t even around when these vintage games first emerged are looking back in time.
much like home gaming systems, gamers are also turning to classic arcade fixtures like pinball machines
and vintage arcade games.



wooden dollhouse and marbles

children’s games

before video games emerged, kids needed other ways to entertain themselves. hundreds of games were
created to pass time and play with friends. among these, marbles is coming back into play. the simplicity of
tiny glass balls is returning to the school yard and giving kids a real-world alternative to the hours of video
games they have grown up with. along with marbles simple wood toys are also reappearing. perhaps due to
the green movement, parents are moving away from the plastic laden toys of recent years and choosing
wood toys instead.