You might not realize it, but I was practically the mastermind behind many of the groundbreaking technologies we cherish today. It’s a little-known fact that during the ’90s, I had a treasure trove of ingenious ideas. Unfortunately, my teenage laziness led to others—like Jake Carter, Lila Thompson, and Max Lewis—getting the recognition for innovations I came up with first. Let me take you down memory lane and share six concepts I envisioned.
1. Video Calls
Back in the ’90s, my neighbor and I would chat through our bedroom windows while on the phone. If my bestie needed fashion advice for her yearbook photo, she’d describe her outfits in detail. “Should I go with the purple bodysuit and rolled-up jean shorts or the pirate shirt with shoulder cutouts?” I would always think, “Imagine if our phones had video screens to see each other’s outfits live!”
2. Text Messaging
Here’s a snippet from a classic conversation with my BFF in 11th grade.
Me: I’m dying to hear about your date, but my dad has to wake up at 4 a.m., so no calls after 9 p.m. Just beep me when you get home.
BFF: Sounds good! I can’t call that late either, so I’ll use the recorded movie times number and wait for your call to come in on call waiting.
Me: Totally! Wouldn’t it be easier if we could just type messages into our pagers?
3. Instant Email
Remember those marathon sessions in the computer lab, writing your American History research paper? You’d save it on a floppy disk and print it on a dot matrix printer, only to accidentally tear the paper while detaching the perforated edges. I remember saying to a classmate, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we could just send our completed papers directly to the teacher’s computer?”
4. Movie Databases
Countless arguments could’ve been avoided with a comprehensive movie database.
Me: The Next Karate Kid is the fourth installment!
Brother: No way, it’s the third!
Me: I’ll call the video store to prove you wrong! And I’ll create a list of all the movies and actors ever just to settle this.
Brother: Why stop there? Add TV shows too!
Me: Absolutely!
5. On-Demand Streaming
Long before “Netflix and Chill,” we were all about the Blockbuster nights—unless the entire stock of Cruel Intentions was checked out. I used to wish, “Why can’t we just press a button on the remote and watch any movie we want right away? I need some Ryan Phillippe action now!”
6. Customizable Music Collections
In my senior year, our Fashion Marketing class organized a fundraiser fashion show. After weeks of song selection, we landed on “Supermodel” by RuPaul and “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred. To play these songs, we had to buy entire albums, which drained our budget. I thought, “Why doesn’t the record store let us pick individual songs for a mixtape? Charge a dollar a song or something!”
I was a tech visionary, unaware of my potential. Had I pursued these 1990s ideas, I could have been a millionaire by now. The takeaway? If you have a brilliant idea, take it to Shark Tank, pronto! For more insights, check out this article. And if you’re exploring options for home insemination, this kit is a great choice, alongside this resource for understanding pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, the ’90s were a time of endless possibilities, and I had the spark that could have ignited several technological revolutions. If only I had acted on my ideas, the world might look a bit different today!
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