The everyday 1990s objects millennials have never heard of: New poll reveals two-thirds of under 18s don’t know what a floppy disk is (so how many items do YOU remember?)
- YouGov showed 2,011 children photographs of different technologies
- If they thought they knew what it was, they were asked to write down its name
- Eighty-six per cent of children did not know what Ceefax/Teletext was
- Seventy-one per cent of children were unfamiliar with overhead projectors
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For some, it may only seem like yesterday that pagers, cassette tapes and floppy disks were everyday items
But for millenials, these 1990s technologies are completely alien.
So alien, in fact, that a new study has found that two thirds of 6-18-year-olds don’t know what a floppy disk is and nearly half have never heard of a cassette tape.
And although they were widespread in schools in the 1990s, today 71 per cent of children are unfamiliar with overhead projectors.
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It seems a remarkable number of children between the ages of 6 to 18 are already unfamiliar with the retro technology of yesteryear, including video cassettes, Ceefax and overhead projectors
Researchers at YouGov showed 2,011 children photographs of different technologies and asked them to name each one.
If they thought they knew what it was, they were asked to write down its name.
The results showed around two-thirds of children (67 per cent) either did not know what a floppy disk is or incorrectly identified it.
Researchers say that several children identified it as a save icon.
Under 18s found pagers and Ceefax/Teletext hardest to identify – with 86 per cent of children baffled as to what they could be.
Seventy-one per cent of children were unfamiliar with overhead projectors, a former mainstay of classrooms across the country.
However, young people were still able to recognise old-fashioned records and record players with 74 per cent accuracy.
Researchers showed 2,011 children photographs of different technologies and asked them to name each one. If they thought they knew what it was, they were asked to write down its name. Eighty-six per cent of children did not know what a pager is
Children found pagers and Ceefax/Teletext hardest to identify – with 86 per cent of children baffled as to what they could be
Seventy-one per cent of children were unfamiliar with overhead projectors, a former mainstay of classrooms across the country
Researchers have revealed that two thirds of children don’t know what a floppy disk is and almost half have never heard of a ‘music cassette’
They were more memorable than the more recently invented music cassettes, which were wrongly identified by 40 per cent of children.
Video cassettes were almost as unfamiliar and were wrongly identified by 37 per cent of children.
Twenty three per cent did not know what a postcard was when shown a photo.
One of the 27 per cent of children that wrongly identified a typewriter described it as ‘a thing that you write movies on’.
‘Nowadays trends and fashions change faster than ever for all of us, but with children, what’s “hot” can go to “not” in no time at all’, said Lauren Nasiroglu, associate director of YouGov’s Omnibus team.
Despite a lack of knowledge about them by the younger generation, retro technology is making a come back for older consumers.
Earlier this year, Nokia revealed a revamp of its 8110 ‘banana phone’ first seen in 1996 and made famous by ‘The Matrix’ at Mobile World Congress.
WHAT WERE THE RESULTS OF THE YOUGOV RETRO TECHNOLOGY POLL?
A new poll tested millennials on their knowledge of retro technology.
Researchers at YouGov showed 2,011 children photographs of now-defunct gadgets and asked them to name each one.
Each figure below shows the percentage of children who either said they didn’t know what the item was or gave an incorrect answer.
– Pager: 86 per cent
– Ceefax/Teletext: 86 per cent
– Overhead projector: 71 per cent
– Floppy disk: 67 per cent
– Music cassette: 40 per cent
– Video cassette: 37 per cent
– Typewriter: 27 per cent
– Record/record player: 26 per cent
– Postcard: 23 per cent
– Camera: Nine per cent
– Rotary telephone: Five per cent
– Older mobile phone: Four per cent
Record players were more memorable than the more recently invented music cassettes, which were wrongly identified by 40 per cent of children
Video cassettes were almost as unfamiliar as music cassettes and were wrongly identified by 37 per cent of children
One of the 27 per cent of children that wrongly identified a typewriter described it as ‘a thing that you write movies on’
WHAT FEATURES DOES THE NOKIA 8110 HAVE?
– The slider handset now supports VoLTE calls and 4G connectivity
– It runs on Smart Feature OS, and is powered by the Qualcomm 205 dual core processor, 4GB storage, 512MB LPDDR3 RAM and 1500mAh battery
– It has a 2.4-inch QVGA curved display and comes with a 2MP rear camera
– The feature phone will be available from May
– It will cost EUR 79. A UK and US price has yet to be announced, however it expected to be roughly $97, or £70
– Like the original, curved to fit the shape of the face and has a snap cover that is used to unlock the phone or answer calls
– Instead of being black and white, the screen is now colour and it has a 25 day battery life
Nokia’s retro 8110 ‘banana phone’ is back. The firm revealed an updated version of its curved mobile phone first seen in 1996 and made famous by ‘The Matrix’ at Mobile World Congress
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