80s Tech!

How the 1980s Saw the Future

Nothing looks as dated as cutting edge technology - seen several decades on. And that is probably doubly the case for cutting edge technology from the 1980s. All sorts of new technologies were becoming available to consumers and enthusiasts, but many of them became dead ends almost immediately, while others have been superceded so many times since that these first steps look primitive by comparison. And with a reassuringly 1980s chunkiness to boot.

From the CB radio craze to the doomed Sinclair C5 electric pedal bike, some of these technologies quickly disappeared from view. And yet, in many ways, they predicted the world we live in now - communication revolutions and green personal transport.

One other technological breathrough of the era was the demand for home viewing of movies, both old and new, alongside classic television shows on video cassettes. Were you a VHS or Betamax advocate? Or were to you more outside the box by investing in V2000 instead? Video rental shops sprang up everywhere and with them came a wave of moral panic about the corrupting influence of "video nasties". These issues, as well as features on the technology of the VCR machines, is covered in this collection.

Once upon a time, this was the future!