These 3 Popular Office Technologies are Officially Obsolete [VIDEO]

Today’s modern office is full of technology. Although, just because a workplace has wall-to-wall technology, doesn’t make it modern. It’s possible for an office to be outfitted with outdated technology. There’s a good word that describes a setup like this: Obsolete. Is your office using obsolete technology? To find out, let’s look at a few pieces from the Museum of Obsolete Objects.

The Pocket Calculator

According to the museum, the pocket calculator has been obsolete since 1998, when cell phones equipped with a calculator application became widely used. The pocket calculator had a good run. Released in 1970, it was a much more convenient way of doing arithmetic than using the abacus, which didn’t even come close to fitting in one’s pocket. Be sure to confess in the comments if you had to Google what an abacus is.

Despite the superiority of today’s smartphone math applications, you may still come across the occasional pocket calculator in use. Why would someone use such an impractical and obsolete item? Nostalgia, pure and simple. In the same way that almost every office has that one guy that still thinks it’s cool to wear a fedora, so too are modern pocket calculator users making a fashion statement with their tech--harkening back to the days when pocket calculators were all the rage and everybody on the dance floor was “doing the math.” 

The Floppy Disk

It’s rare, but every once in a while we’ll service a computer with a floppy disk drive. On even rarer occasions, we’ll encounter someone still using the sturdy 3.5” floppy disk. In situations like this, we wholeheartedly attempt to point them in the direction of the 2000s by recommending a cloud storage solution, a USB flash drive, or even a rewritable CD. Any of these options are better than using a floppy drive in 2015.

As far as we’re concerned, floppy drives of today are good for only one purpose; making music!

The Computer Mouse

One of the most recent additions to the Museum of Obsolete Objects is the computer mouse. You may find this hard to believe, and you may even be using a computer mouse at this very moment, but thanks to the soaring popularity of mobile devices and touchscreen technology, it’s only a matter of time before your computer mouse becomes an office oddity.

“Daddy, why’s the man keep clicking the button?”

“That’s a computer mouse son. Some people still think it’s the best way to use a computer. Let’s leave the nice man alone. He’s not hurting anybody with his computer mouse and fedora. Now, who wants Dippin’ Dots future ice cream!”

When it comes down to it, you don’t want your company to end up in the Museum of Obsolete Businesses. One sure for your company to become obsolete and irrelevant is to use obsolete and outdated technology. In addition to just plain looking bad, using old technology means that you’ll miss out on cutting edge solutions designed to increase sales. Plus, if you’re not taking advantage of the latest technologies, then your competition will.

Give your business the technology upgrade it needs by calling Ferrum Technology Services at (847) 697-3282 for a free IT assessment. If there’s a better technology out there to meet your needs, we’ll find it and provide it for you.