Poll | 10/28/2008 12:00 am

What traditional technology do you still use?

Read more about: Communication, Science, Technology, Tradition

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I voted non of the above. I love all of the new technology. But funny that you asked, my son was here today, on his way back to Brooklyn, and he went looking for my old Minolta 35 mm camera that he used to play with when he was in High School. He took some wonderful B&W pictures back then and just decided to get back into it. I told him to get “film” now because it is getting hard to find. He also loves vinyl records, especially old 78 jazz recordings. My iPod is my favorite thing I have ever owned … he just sold his because he didn’t like what it was doing to his music listening. Interesting !

By EKA - on 10/28/2008 12:15 am

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I use my 35mm camera Canon RebelX every so often. I know how to get certain effects so when I want those I use it. Like EKA, my son likes to use it now and then, and she is right, having trouble finding film, or finding any variety of film. Love my iPod

By Frannie Em on 10/28/2008 12:24 am

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EKA, it’s very interesting. We now have a whole generation of kids who have no idea what the “quality” of good music is all about. Listening to a 2” speaker just doesn’t cut it for me. I wouldn’t even consider it. Don’t care if it’s jammed into my ear. That’s not quality. It’s not even good for the ears.

By Patrice Baldwin on 10/28/2008 4:18 pm

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OMG, I’ve become a devotee of 21st century technology in my middle age! I had to vote none of the above. CU L8R ;- )

By Maurine H on 10/28/2008 12:26 am

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I use a fax machine (to send only) for business, and cassettes (I have about 300 rock/pop cassettes). I also have compact discs, but cassettes have their uses: they’re less fragile than CD’s, you can quickly record/dub onto cassettes from different sources, they’re smaller. One piece of throwback technology I’ve considered purchasing - if I ever can make headway on my debt - is a great TV antenna. I know that TV stations, by law, will all be transmitting digital signals by February in the U.S. But the thing about a truly great TV antenna is it can pick up some far-away stations that you might not otherwise be able to receive via cable or satellite dish. I’d have to research it, but I know that, back in the day, a power TV antenna could pick up a TV tower more than 120 miles away.

By James the Game on 10/28/2008 12:27 am

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james, in addition to detroit, i get windsor, toledo, lima, jackson, flint and sometimes even lansing with rabbit ears. but i now eschew flagging down the signals with long strips of aluminum foil.

By mary lou s on 10/28/2008 2:15 am

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Right. You’ll need to get a converter box soon, though, to pick up over-the-air signals. I don’t know how powerful the outdoor antennaes are nowadays. I live in the same house I was a baby in, and we used to have a two-story-tall metal pole. Sometimes, TV-13 in Grand Rapids would be really fuzzy, and my Dad would have to go outside and turn it with his hands; it wasn’t easy. I could never figure out why TV-13 was fuzzy from Grand Rapids - 10 miles away - while TV-3 in Kalamazoo (45 miles away) was crystal clear. Later, I found out: TV-13’s transmitting tower is actually way north of GR, in Newaygo County.

By James the Game on 10/28/2008 7:36 am

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We have an on the roof antenna and old tv’s (no HDTV). I bought the converter boxes with the discount cards. I CANNOT figure out how to make the stupid converter box remotes work with the different tv’s, vcr player, and dvd players. I think I have to buy 5 extra connection cables, and NO IDEA how to make the remote talk to the machines. I refuse to call a person and pay them to show me how stupid I already feel. Hopefully, by February, I will have figured out how they all work together. Feeling dumb and dumber in Scottsdale. CA

By C A Rose on 10/29/2008 1:25 am

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C A, I’d suggest you call your local electronics store, and ask them if they know of someone who is good with that stuff who could come over and help you out. It’s nothing to be ashamed about. I used to wire stereos and all that stuff, and I still can confused with TV setups. The reason is, there are too many manufacturers using too many different types of systems and technology. You’ll probably need to retain your old remote controls. I have no faith whatsoever in so-called “universal” remotes. They work in some cases on some stuff, but others they do not. Some clown on this website lashed out at me a month ago when I said that, as in, paraphrasing, “Duh! It’s universal, James, if you can’t figure that out, stop having an authoritarian tone about technology.” I could tell that person didn’t understand anything about technology herself. I know how to wire stuff, no problem. But sometimes the digital circuitry is not compatible between different product brands. That’s why I say there should be an international conference scheduled between leading technology manufacturers worldwide, to get them all on the same page. After all, if the average person can’t figure this stuff out, what good is it? One trick I use, C A, is to operate the VCR’s, etc., the old-fashioned way. I walk over to them and hit the “play” or “stop” buttons, rather than fiddle around with the remotes. Saves a lot of frustration.

By James the Game on 10/29/2008 5:59 am