Contact us today!
866-348-2602

Total Tech Care Blog

Total Tech Care has been serving Florida since 2001, providing IT Support such as technical helpdesk support, computer support, and consulting to small and medium-sized businesses.

Tip of the Week: 5 Tips From the 90s That You’ve Completely Forgot

b2ap3_thumbnail_dial_up_and_other_90s_tech_400.jpgThe 1990s were dominated by all sorts of great technology: VHS, floppy disks, and grossly oversized computer hardware. Learning new technology shortcuts was once all the rage, but when looked at now, these tech tips are rendered obsolete. However, that doesn’t stop them from hitting us right in the nostalgia. Here are some of our favorite tech tips from the 1990s.

Keep the Phone Line Open
Do you remember the good old days of only having one phone line per household? Only one person could use the phone at a given time. This meant that people had to use their imagination to keep the phone available for an important call. For example, one way to do this was to call an automated phone service, like a local movie theater for showtimes, which would repeat itself over and over again. The idea was to wait until the phone would notify you that your call was coming in. If someone were to pick up another phone, they wouldn’t hear the dial tone, keeping your plot a secret.

Use Collect Calls for Quick Messages
In the ‘90s, collect phone calls were popularized with dozens of collect call services, like 1-800-COLLECT. These calls worked by providing a brief moment to relay your name so that the person you were calling could accept the charges. Rather than actually pay for these calls, people would simply record short messages during this brief window and hang up before the charges could be accepted. Think of it like a primitive version of text-messaging. While it may not have been the most ethical practice, it sure was convenient.

Blow On Video Game Cartridges to Make Them Work
Classic gaming consoles that used cartridges, like the Nintendo Entertainment System or the Super Nintendo, were always subject to occasional hiccups. Somehow, blowing on the game’s innards seemed like a good idea to resolve the issue. Oddly enough, most of the time it worked, even though science has proven that doing so can actually corrode the cartridge’s connectors. It’s more likely that the success wasn’t a result of blowing on the cartridge, and instead it was simply from plugging in the game a second time.

Store a Disposable Camera in Your Car’s Glove Compartment
Having a camera phone today is considered commonplace rather than a luxury. The people of the ‘90s weren’t nearly as privileged, and instead had to rely on disposable cameras in their times of need. By keeping one in your car’s glove compartment, you always had a way to record events, particularly in case of a car accident. Well… after you wait several hours for the photos to develop at the drugstore, that is.

Keep Extra AA Batteries for Your Portable CD Player
Pretty much any modern portable music device runs with a rechargeable battery. Before this innovation, however, portable CD players were all the rage, and they required that you lug around your CD collection, just to have some variety in your playlist. If you wanted to go all-in with your music-listening, you had to bring extra batteries with you, just in case your CD player ran out of battery life. How’s that for inconvenience?

While these tips might not seem so special now, for many, they are remembered fondly, and are a cause to celebrate just how far technology has come in recent times. What are some of your favorite technology tips for long-obsolete devices? Let us know in the comments.

 

Comments

No comments made yet. Be the first to submit a comment
Already Registered? Login Here
Guest
Thursday, 24 April 2025
If you'd like to register, please fill in the username, password and name fields.

Blog Archive

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

  • First Name *
  • Last Name *

      Free Consultation

      Sign up today for a
      FREE Network Consultation

      How secure is your IT infrastructure?
      Let us evaluate it for free!

      Sign up Now!

      Free Consultation
       

      Tag Cloud

      Security Tip of the Week Technology Best Practices Business Computing Cloud Privacy Hackers Productivity Hosted Solutions Efficiency Software Google Business Network Security Internet Microsoft Email Malware Backup Workplace Tips Innovation User Tips Data Computer Mobile Devices Hardware IT Services Android VoIP Disaster Recovery communications Smartphones Communication Business Continuity IT Support Miscellaneous Smartphone Mobile Device Browser Small Business Network Collaboration Productivity Quick Tips Cybersecurity Users Business Management Phishing Windows Upgrade Managed IT Services Data Backup Outsourced IT Ransomware Windows 10 Server Save Money Data Recovery Cloud Computing Office Windows 10 Passwords Tech Term Chrome Gadgets Virtualization Social Media Saving Money Holiday Managed IT Services Microsoft Office Automation Managed Service Operating System Artificial Intelligence Facebook Computers Cybercrime Internet of Things Hacking Wi-Fi BYOD Health Mobile Device Management Networking IT Support Spam Managed Service Provider Office 365 Alert Telephone Systems Remote Information Technology Covid-19 Information BDR Social Engineering Mobility Recovery Employer-Employee Relationship Bandwidth Router Data Breach Law Enforcement Remote Monitoring Big Data App History Password Money Mobile Computing Encryption Application Applications Human Resources Mobile Office Private Cloud Managed IT Office Tips How To Training Apps Blockchain VPN Paperless Office Data Storage Patch Management Remote Computing Government HaaS Avoiding Downtime Servers Data Security Flexibility Bring Your Own Device Wireless Data Management Work/Life Balance Marketing WiFi Gmail IT solutions Entertainment Website Settings Budget Google Drive Vulnerability Two-factor Authentication Windows 7 Infrastructure Word Voice over Internet Protocol Mouse User Error Vendor Management Meetings Data Protection Save Time Risk Management Hacker Cleaning The Internet of Things Lithium-ion battery Vendor Managed Services End of Support Display Telephone System Staff Software as a Service Education USB Physical Security Machine Learning Firewall Safety Remote Work Connectivity Conferencing HIPAA Sports Redundancy Virtual Reality Employee/Employer Relationship Apple Scam Keyboard RMM Social YouTube Botnet Black Market Augmented Reality IT Plan Fraud Digital Signage Remote Worker Unsupported Software Document Management Wearable Technology Cryptocurrency Charger Solid State Drive Retail Wireless Technology Hard Drives Downtime Instant Messaging How to Compliance Robot Excel Virus OneNote Computer Care Procurement Data storage Biometrics Net Neutrality Current Events Workplace Strategy Comparison Automobile Virtual Desktop Unified Threat Management Telephony Computer Accessories Help Desk CES Samsung Printing DDoS Computing Infrastructure Business Technology Content Management Value Going Green SharePoint Access Control Spam Blocking Electronic Medical Records Managed Services Provider Printer Virtual Assistant Battery Bluetooth Database Authentication Hiring/Firing Customer Service Shadow IT Environment Legal Remote Workers Fax Server Processor Internet Exlporer Update IT Consultant SaaS PDF Hard Drive Business Intelligence Google Docs Identity Theft Humor Audit Worker Proactive IT Computing IT Management Network Congestion eWaste Best Practice Password Management Computer Fan Password Manager Experience Rootkit PCI DSS Consultant Virtual Machine Tablets Fiber Optics Entrepreneur Analytics Employee 2FA Multi-Factor Security Scalability Business Owner Benefits Messaging Cabling Search Engine Twitter Workers NIST FENG Business Mangement Policy Shortcut Best Available Hypervisor NarrowBand Trend Micro Cost Management Smart Tech IBM Dark mode Trending Search WIndows 7 Amazon Smart Technology SMS iPhone Social Networking Default App Flash Addiction Recycling Procedure Saving Time Shopping Google Search Wiring Software Tips Practices Supercomputer dark theme Emails Amazon Web Services Running Cable AI Files IT Infrastructure Sync Cache Bing Safe Mode Criminal FinTech Chromecast Memory User Social Network PowerPoint GDPR Windows Media Player Hosted Computing Netflix Online Shopping Two Factor Authentication Colocation Investment Uninterrupted Power Supply Wireless Internet File Sharing Root Cause Analysis Employees Employee/Employer Relationships Music Managing Stress Monitor ISP Camera HBO Inventory Knowledge Windows 365 Specifications Evernote Video Conferencing ROI Science Skype Wire Cameras Shortcuts Data loss Sales Travel Bitcoin Troubleshooting Personal Reputation Cryptomining Streaming Media Printers Outlook Leadership Point of Sale Millennials Wireless Charging Content Distributed Denial of Service Supply Chain Management Customer Relationship Management Tech Support Start Menu Smart Office Analyitcs Screen Mirroring Loyalty Monitoring Techology Batteries Laptop Books Digitize Customers Programming Virtual Private Network Frequently Asked Questions Windows 8.1 Workforce Windows 10s Cables Audiobook Windows Server 2008 R2 Mobile Touchpad Printer Server Cast Customer relationships Telecommuting Antivirus Emergency IT Assessment Manufacturing Project Management Tip of the week Nanotechnology webinar Email Best Practices Public Cloud Cortana Politics Employer Employee Relationship Advertising Windows 8 Professional Services Security Cameras Digital Signature Assessment Computer Tips IT service Managed IT Service OneDrive Biometric Security Notifications Warranty Windows Server 2008 Virtual CIO HVAC Google Apps Peripheral Tablet Tools Analysis Television Digital Security Cameras Domains Using Data Copiers Relocation 5G Administrator Devices Enterprise Content Management IaaS Quick Tip Maintenance Bloatware Smartwatch MSP Accountants Public Computer Ergonomics Video Games Credit Cards Worker Commute Transportation Development OLED Microchip Regulations Thought Leadership

      Top Blog

      The reasoning for this is simple: you want to make sure that operations are proceeding as intended, even if you’re not there. If you completely check out from the workplace every time you leave, you could return from your vacation to a complete and total disaster that may have been prevented with y...
      QR-Code