My Technology Timeline

VHS

1993

VHS was how we watched films, recorded TV, and watched home videos. You had to rewind the VHS before each viewing from the beginning.

Home Phone

1993

Growing up, we had one phone line and only one person could be using the phone at once.

Books on Tapes

1994

I used to listen to books on tape when learning to read in school, or for sing-alongs at home, or even in the car on a small tape walkman!

Desktop Computer

1997

We had a desktop computer that looked similar to this one. My siblings and I would crowd around the small screen to watch each other use the 'paint' app that came on the desktop or play CD-ROM games.

Home Internet

1999

I'm positive that anyone who lived with dial-up internet can replicate the dial-up tone that played when connecting to the internet. I remember ours took about 5 minutes to connect.

Disposable Camera

2000

I loved that I was able to take my own photos with these cameras while my mom had a larger, nicer camera. It seemed like AGES to have the film be developed within a week! Then, when you'd get the prints back there was a 50/50 chance they even turned out!

Keyboarding in School

2002

I loved learning keyboarding in school. My teacher would yell out letters to have us type. We didn't use a learning program or anything other than Microsoft word.

Personal Email

2003

I remember my mom helping me create my very first email address. We were careful not to include ANY personal information but still make it memorable. My address was [e-mail]

MSN Messenger

2003

I would coordinate with friends at school when to log on to MSN messenger and chat online. There were some times that I would log on and see a friend online and get so excited that it was spontaneous!

Personal Cellphone

2006

When my parents got divorced, my dad bought my siblings a cellphone to share. We didn't have texting and we had limited minutes to call just him or my mom.

Digital Camera

2008

Digital cameras were a game changer. When you had photos developed, you already knew if they turned out or not. (I chose this photo because that's NOT me, but it sure looks like my style at the time! LOL)

Myspace Account

2009

I remember everyone in school and around town talking about myspace and this seemed like the first experience with social media in my life. It was such a new, cool idea to be able to have a profile all about you and communicate with people long distance.

iPod

2010

I have always loved music and when I traded in my CD Walkman for an iPod my whole world changed. I loved the compact convenience of having all of my favorite tunes in one place!

My First Laptop

2012

When I graduated high school my mom helped me buy my very first laptop. I felt like a real college student! (even though I mostly wanted the camera and internet access.)

My First iPhone

2013

I saved up and bought my very first iPhone and was SO excited because they had been out for a while and things started becoming exclusive to iPhones. (Like Instagram was only available on iPhones when it first came out!)

Go Pro

2017

My husband and I bought a GoPro for our honeymoon and LOVED having such an amazing camera with photo and recording abilities that could be used anywhere, anytime! (Even underwater!!)