It's fun getting caught up in the hype of cutting-edge gadgets and the excitement of new releases, but don't you sometimes feel like demanding that the good old days of analog and Lo-fi come back around? Sure, there is always some killjoy reminding you of what a hassle LPs and rotary phones actually were, but sometimes nostalgia breeds quirky and unexpected improvements, a la what Hipstamatic did for everyone's Facebook photos.
Fortunately, despite countless modern updates and upgrades, certain elements of old school technology refuse to go away. Welcome to Back by Popular DEWmand, a new series in which we take a look at some nifty modern innovations that bring back the best features of outmoded gadgets—inspired by Mountain Dew.
Leica on the Outside, DSLR on the Inside
Ever long for the days when a man could get a room for $5 a week, a sandwich for a dime, and all it took to find himself on an adventure was a keen ear to the ground, and a press card wedged firmly in his hat brim? The Fujifilmfilm FinePix X100 won't take you back in time, or necessarily turn you into a hardboiled foreign correspondent-type, but with the 1950s-inspired, Leica-like, DSLR around your neck, you can certainly pretend.(The Fujifilm FinePix X100 is available from Fujifilm—$1,199)
Make Your iPad Look Like a—Gasp!—Book
There is no need to long for the days of print when you can just make your tablet look like a literary masterpiece. BOOK is a handmade, customizable, hardcover case for your iPad—so you can look like you're deep in Dostoyevsky when you're actually killing your Angry Birds score. (BOOK for iPad is available from Nedrelow—starting at $99)
Breaking: Calculator Watches Are Back
There were three things that differentiated the cool kids in the 80's: how many hours a day they could loiter at the mall without buying anything, their cassette collection and accompanying Walk-man, and whether or not they owned a Casio watch. Good thing the company has brought back their classic LDF40-1 calculator watch, now you can figure out exactly how old your and Alyssa Milano's children would be—if only she had answered your letters. (The LDF40-1 is available from Casio—$29.95)
Check back soon when we look at some more old tech turned new, and head here for more info on MOUNTAIN DEW PITCH BALCK® and MOUNTAIN DEW SUPERNOVA®, the legendary flavors that Mountain Dew has finally brought back due to popular DEWmand!