Remember when tech had character? When did everything become so cookie cutter? Black phones, black laptops, black desktops, black TVs… it’s all black, and it’s all so boring.
When we were on the edge of the digital tech explosion at the turn of the century, the devices we had were full of character. It was an experimental time. Different form factors, whacky names, explosive colors… It was a reflection of the media at the time. The in-your-face extreme era was in full force. Drinks were extreme, snacks, wrestling, etc. It all had attitude! It only made sense that the technology at the time would too. This extreme mindset didn’t stop at commercials or sports; it spilled directly into our hardware, giving birth to the iconic, see-through tech aesthetic that defined the turn of the century.
There’s one tech trend of the time that really sticks out to me, and that’s the translucent tech trend. It was colorful, it was playful, and it had attitude. Here are a few devices from that time that many will remember…
Icons of the Translucent Era
Apple Mac G3
Translucent Phone
Playstation Controller
Game Boy Color
The heavy hitters of the translucent movement were countless. While those were iconic, one console in particular captured the imagination for many of us.
My favorite was the N64 Funtastic console. It came in several shades: Jungle Green, Ice Blue, Grape Purple, Fire Orange, Watermelon Red, and Smoke Black. Each one had such a vibe to it. Personally, my favorite color was Jungle Green.
Why can’t tech these days throw in a little color? Give us some playful options to personalize the vibe of our tech setups. While we might be stuck in a sea of matte black plastic today, we can still look back and dream about the fun devices we had.
What about you? Do you have a favorite translucent device that you wish you still had?
Tamagotchi?
Portable CD Player?
Maybe a blue PS2?
Let me know in the comments!