Monday 13 July 2015

10 Things That Are No Longer Worth the Paper They are Printed on

And the reason is your smartphone!

It’s a machine life, this present one. Sometimes, we are more dependent on our phone than on anything else. Technology has got the better of us regardless of our age, sex, ethnicity or financial status. Here’s a little picture of how more and more people are drooling over smartphones today:

Mobile phone penetration, 2015
Source: Brian Barela
Of course, these devices have made life a lot easier. But, because humankind has become, sort of, addicted to the device, there are a lot of things that are on the brink of getting wiped out for good. As of now, we’ll focus on the things that are paper related, like:

#1. A World Atlas Book:

There was a time when buying a big, fat Atlas book was a fun thing. But, today, it’s a reluctant venture. Maps are obsolete. There’s GPS in our phones to compensate. Does anybody buy this item now? Guess none.

World Atlas
Source: Ocean
#2. Newspaper:

The idiot box has marred its glory somewhat. But, with the advent of this smaller idiot box, newspapers have lost their charm altogether. Today, people hunt for news online. And, why waste time reading text when everything is available in video platforms? Take a look at this:

People buying newspaper online
Source: Changing Journalism
#3. A Dictionary:

Is the fat book eating up space in your residence? Throw it away, for you don’t need it anymore. ‘Your phone. The Internet. Google. Define.’ Need I say more?

Who buys a dictionary today?
Source: Tommie Media
#4. An Encyclopedia:

Encyclopedia Britannica has been already included in the list of obsolete things now. It’s sad. But then, there’s no other way out either. These once faithful partners of our study have been replaced by websites like Wikipedia. You can blame all the mobile devices that help you access any information, anytime, for anywhere.

Who buys an encyclopedia today?
Source: wanni.wordpres.com
#5. Diaries:

It’s getting wiped out partly because people don’t have time, and partly because there are now available free diary apps. Okay, it’s a ridiculous thing to sit down for long hours and burn your phone’s battery just for the sake of jotting down your day. But then, it’s happening.

Source: PICP Project
#6. Notebooks and writing pads:

There are the Microsoft Office apps to compensate. Create, save and edit documents digitally. Who needs to carry notebooks and writing pads, anyway?

Who buys notebooks and writing pads today?
Source: Pigje
#7. Sticky notes:

There’s a feature in your smartphone called ‘to-do.’ It works exactly like the sticky notes, and even better. You can edit it whenever necessary and save it eternally. There’s no wasting paper and there’s no ruining the stickiness with time.

Sticky notes
Source: Marc's Blog
#8. Yellow pages:

Do you really need an offline telephone or business directory when you have a heap of online ones? Yellow pages are absolutely obsolete. There’s no denying this fact.

Yellow Pages
Source: The Telegraph
#9. Photo albums:

Once upon a time, having a photo album was a family pride. But, your smartphone lets you capture moments, store them digitally, and even share them on the social media platforms. It’s amazing. But then, photo albums are brutally out of the scene.

Photo albums
Source: Photo HorCrux
#10. Postcards:

Okay, smartphone or no smartphone, nobody buys postcards these days. E-mails, Instant Messages, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and what not! No, there’s no way postcards are reviving. Period.

Postcards are obsolete
Source: Wikipedia
So, that was about the digital explosion overwhelmingly defeating some ancient paper-related products. Indeed, these ten things are no longer worth the paper they are printed on. Can you suggest more of such items?