It was 20 years ago in 2002, and the 2000s were the starting point for many inventions that seemed cutting edge. But today, with hindsight we realize that in fact, it was not so great. A little magnifying glass on this dark past.
1. The mp3 with a screen
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At the time, we thought it was incredible to finally have a music player with a small screen where the name of the song that was playing scrolled slowly but surely. Right after there was the first iPod, which was really a killer with its 550 kilos.
2. The Segway
When it was released in 2001, the segway, also called Segway, promised to revolutionize the game at a higher level than the PC. Twenty years later, you can see how the segway accompanies our daily lives. Good luck guys.
3. Slider Phones
Finished writing in T9 or in sms, with these sliding keyboard telephones, finally we found the joy of writing on a real Azerty keyboard. Could we do better than combine the computer with the telephone, all in style? We thought not. In fact yes.
4. Phones with a stylus
These phones, like the famous Qtek100 then the HTC, heralded the beginnings of smartphones. Except that at the time, it was only with a stylus. And already it seemed like another world than clicking directly on a screen. Who would have thought that today, we don’t even use a keyboard anymore? WHO ?!
5. Sony’s Eye Toy
In 2003, when Sony released this small camera capable of recognizing movements, we believed in the PS2 gaming revolution. It was amazing, you could move in front of your television, and your actions had repercussions in the game. In the end, only a few games were released with this technology, and everything disappeared in 2007. It was only a first step in the virtual reality. But what a step it was.
6. The selfie stick
Created in 2005, selfie sticks became the arm extension we dreamed of since childhood. Finally, you could take your picture without having to perform any social interaction. But very quickly, we came back to simpler basics, because constantly carrying around a blunt weapon when you’re on vacation, it’s still boring.
7. 3D movies
Well ok the technology is more 15 years old than 20 but it still counts. And frankly, the first time we tested the process, we were overwhelmed, like the world changed completely because we saw the Haribo sweets in the advertisement closer than expected. Today, a normal film is more than enough for us.
8. Futuroscope
In the 2000s, Futuroscope was a place of pilgrimage for anyone wishing to live in the future. Between 3D attractions and 4D seats on dynamic Vienna, the park was one step ahead of the world.
9. Aibo the robot dog
Born in 1999 and fathered by Sony, Aibo announced the end of real dogs and the beginning of the era of intelligent, clean and affectionate robot dogs. In 2022, who owns a robot dog at home? Nobody, because we all prefer the PS5.
10. Little bonus: Google Glass
I put it as a bonus because it dates from 2015. But when they came out, they promised a new way of life where people were walking in the street with their glasses, and mixing their virtual life with their real life. We could not reach a better pinnacle for humanity. Today, we all wear glasses to rest our eyes in front of the screens.