"Old" technology that still blows you away ?

[AmandaJR]

Ok so perhaps not old old but something you've had for a while and are still impressed by it and wonder how you managed without it ?!

There I was on my turbo this morning looking for something to pass the time on the TV and as ever Sky+ came to the rescue. I still LOVE being able to pause live TV and especially rewind it! Drives HID mad though as (shocking news here) I have control of the remote :mmm:

Watching golf takes some time though as I rewind a shot "why did you do that?" - "well it's just the chip shot I've been working on"...then another rewind (this one for him) "I swear he just shanked that" - love it !!

So what is your gadget or technology that you still admire??

 

[bobmac]

My 9 year old ipod

 

[StrangelyBrown]

A few which impress me still...

The Avro Vulcan

The Forth Rail Bridge

The 4 stroke internal combustion engine

My Les Paul

My Marshall JCM800

 

[SatchFan]

Knife and fork still does it for me.

 

[SS2]

FM radio (sounds better than DAB)
My 22 year old Mordaunt-Short speakers + 15 year old Pioneer amp still sound great.

Op is right about pausing and rewinding TV though, so much better than using video tapes.

The fact that the US put a man on the moon in 1969 still rates as an astonishing achievement given the technology/computing power available at the time

 

[Evesdad]

Got to agree with the sky + thing it really is a life saver!! Also the iPod I got rid of all my CDs last year.

The Internet, still baffles me how we all use it for everything!

 

[One Planer]

The internet gets my vote.

Infinate source of information on and infinate number of topics (admittedly some $hite on there too), easy long distance communication (Skype Webcam, email etc).

Billions of people connect by computer code. In the words of Peter Alliss "Remarkable"

 

[Basher]

Mobile phone. How on earth did we manage without them?

Also, going along with Strangely Browns post. The Supermarine Spitfire gets my vote. Possibly saved this country from the scourge of the Nazis. The sound of that Rolls Royce engine sends shivers down my spine.:mmm:

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Sky +, internet and mobiles are all good calls. Lancaster bomber does it for me

 

[Iaing]

Central heating !!

 

[rickg]

A few which impress me still...

The Avro Vulcan

Gorgeous!!! I worked on those for 3 years at RAF Waddington on 101 Squadron 1979-1982. got a flight in one out to Canada, Goose Bay on exercise ....pretty amazing

 

[mc73]

Internet, airplanes, cars, sky+, iPhone, microwave oven

 

[MizunoGreyhound]

Aeroplanes. Who decided in the first instance it might be a good idea to try and get something that size and weight into the air and keep it there? Surely back in the day that was certifiable lunacy?

Impresses the hell out of me every time I go to the airport or just see one up in the air.

 

[Imurg]

Milk

Now who's idea was that and what the hell was he thinking...?

 

[Captainron]

the fax machine. how do they get someone in the machine that wrietes exactly how I do? Will wonders ever cease?

 

[CliveW]

Aeroplanes. Who decided in the first instance it might be a good idea to try and get something that size and weight into the air and keep it there? Surely back in the day that was certifiable lunacy?

Impresses the hell out of me every time I go to the airport or just see one up in the air.

And to think that was just over 100 years ago when the World's first powered flight was made at Errol, Perthshire.

http://www.leopardmag.co.uk/feats/5/those-magnificent-scots-and-their-flying-machines

 

[upsidedown]

Or here

http://www.ctie.monash.edu.au/hargrave/pearse1.html

Computers for me

 

[bozza]

Mobile phone and the Internet for me and also sky+ but I still tend to forget about having it and sit there dying for the loo or a drink waiting for the ad break when all I have to do is pause it! Duh!

 

[StrangelyBrown]

Gorgeous!!! I worked on those for 3 years at RAF Waddington on 101 Squadron 1979-1982. got a flight in one out to Canada, Goose Bay on exercise ....pretty amazing

That would have been amazing, I believe the current colloquialism is "well jel".

 

[Smiffy]

Digital cameras. How the hell can you fit 2,000 photo's or an hours video on one of those tiny little cards???? And I've never worked out how the radio works. Or telly. Or text messages. Why don't we keep bumping into text messages as we walk down the road????