Developed countries like the United States, Great Britain, and others boast many nations that are technologically far ahead of the rest of the world. Their scientific inventions are astounding and help make life easier for society as a whole. However, despite this high level of scientific advancement, ordinary people in these countries still cling to certain outdated things. This is primarily because people have become so accustomed to these things that they are reluctant to adopt anything new and innovative. We've compiled a list of 10 such outdated things that should have long since disappeared, but remain popular, primarily due to their ease of use.
1. Writing checks remains a common practice in the era of online banking. This is because banks initially resisted creating a universal way to transfer money from one person's bank account to another person's account at another bank.
According to the Federal Reserve, 18.3 billion checks were written worldwide in 2012. That year, checks accounted for 151,000,000 of all financial transactions. Small businesses accept both cash and checks, so using credit cards for this purpose makes little sense. One of the main advantages of using checks is that they are post-dated, allowing for delayed withdrawals. Checks can be cancelled, while online money transfers and debit/credit card transactions are irreversible. Checks can also be used to pay people without bank accounts. Thus, checks remain popular, but people around the world are rapidly switching to online banking due to the time savings.
Checks remain widespread in the US for an entirely different reason. According to the Bank for International Settlements, the average American makes 38 check transactions, compared to 18 in Canada and just 8 in the UK. Check writing in the US is a necessity due to the hostile and uncooperative attitude of banks. Most banks refuse to cooperate with each other by providing information about their clients' accounts, as almost all of them are competitors. (1,2,3)
2. Fax machines, as they are HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) compliant. Companies believe these devices provide more secure data privacy than email. This means fax machines are exempt from encryption requirements for temporary data, unlike email.
According to a 2017 study by International Data Group, approximately 821,000 respondents agreed that fax usage has increased in recent years. Organizations use fax machines because most of their customers and suppliers do. In fact, the number of companies using fax for their services is growing by approximately 271,000 per year. Statistics published by IDC show that in the manufacturing sector, fax usage has grown by 191,000, followed by healthcare (91,000), finance (71,000), and the public sector (31,000). In addition to ease of use, fax usage will soon shift to cloud services, making it more accessible and faster.
The widespread belief that fax machines are more secure and resistant to virus attacks has further fueled their use. Since most governments are slow to adopt and adapt to new technologies, the good old fax machine will remain with us for a long time. (1,2)
3. Texas Instruments (TI), a pioneer in educational technology with world-class products like calculators, has literally dominated the American education market since 2004. That's because teachers and students have become accustomed to it.
Texas Instruments (TI), headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is one of the world's ten largest semiconductor companies. It holds more than 43,000 patents worldwide. The graphing calculator is one of its diverse electronic products. Introduced in 2004, the T-84 graphing calculator still holds a 93.% share of the US educational market. Another company, Casio, lags significantly behind with a 9% share of this market. Calculators are one of TI's most profitable products, enjoying high demand despite the emergence of numerous other calculators from companies using advanced technologies.
TI's customer support is truly excellent. Services like 1-800-TI-CARES delight students and teachers. Furthermore, since 1986, over 100,000 teachers have taken online courses on how to effectively use TI calculators in the classroom. Thus, TI has gradually become the standard for schools as they strive to definitively select a single design. (1,2)
4. Reality TV, once considered a passing fad by many, remains popular after all these years. It exists primarily due to its "family-friendly" content.
The idea of reality television is as old as television itself. It centers on depicting unsuspecting ordinary people in unusual, humorous situations using hidden cameras. In fact, "Candid Camera" was one of the first reality shows to attract a wide audience. In the 1990s and 2000s, "Survivor," "Idol," and "Big Brother" became popular. Some scientists believe people watch them because they experience emotions like empathy and compassion for certain contestants, while others believe the popularity of reality shows stems from viewers' voyeuristic desire to intrude into others' most private and awkward moments. (1,2)
5. Neon signs, which have become much more common in the US these days, should have become obsolete long ago. However, most new neon signs are nothing more than LEDs.
Neon signs are electric signs illuminated by long glowing tubes of gas discharge, such as rarefied neon and other gases. Neon signs were invented in 1910, and the industry flourished in the United States until 1960. Despite the lengthy production process, these signs are still considered durable and inexpensive, especially for small businesses. The installations in Times Square in New York City are a prime example of the neon sign industry. Many artists and architects also used neon lighting in their works. Currently, the neon sign industry is in decline, especially since the advent of LEDs. However, most can still be seen in cheap motels along highways and in seedy bars. These signs are now in vogue, as many cities are trying to preserve them for their nostalgic and historical value. (1,2,3)
6. World of Warcraft, a 2004 game featuring characters old enough to have children of their own, remains wildly popular to this day.
World of Warcraft is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) released in 2004 by Blizzard Entertainment. In October 2015, the company's final report stated that the game currently has 5.5 million subscribers, making it the most popular MMORPG in the world by subscription. Over the course of its life, the game has generated over 100 million accounts and generated $9.23 billion in revenue. The game is designed to be addictive, despite requiring a paid subscription. (1,2)
7. Regular DVDs, which are still extremely popular due to their affordability compared to Blu-ray discs, are also popular among older generations due to their ease of use.
In terms of cost, DVDs are quite affordable. This is why DVDs still generate billions of dollars in revenue each year. Despite the mass closure of DVD stores, Australians bought nearly 44 million DVDs in 2016, although 421,333 of them were given as gifts. It's also said that due to the difficulty of learning streaming services, older generations prefer DVDs. Not only older generations, but also young parents buy family DVDs to entertain their children. DVDs are also popular among those who proudly display a physical copy of their favorite movie or TV series. (1,2,3)
8. Landline telephone service in homes is another outdated option, but it's still popular in rural areas of the United States because the connection is always good. Furthermore, the quality of a landline phone connection is a hundred times better than a cell phone.
A typical landline phone uses a fiber-optic line to transmit data, while cellular phones use radio waves for the same purpose. Despite the rise of wireless phone usage, landlines remain popular, with 1.16 billion subscribers worldwide in 2013. China ranks first with 350 million landline subscriptions, followed by the United States with 268 million, and the United Kingdom with 23.7 million residential landline subscriptions. Low landline service costs, simplified features, and better accessibility in emergency situations are some of the advantages that make landlines more attractive. In fact, according to a Pew Research Center study, affluent families have more landline subscriptions than low-income groups, who primarily rely on wireless satellite service. (1,2,3)
9. M2 Browning Heavy Machine Guns and Pistols (1933–present). The US Army still favors the M2 because it is easy to use and train, highly effective against common targets, and economical.
Browning firearms are considered among the finest designs in the world. They were developed nearly 100 years ago by John Moses Browning, who is credited with creating some of the most enduring and influential firearms in history. He held over 100 patents. There are eight premier Browning firearms: the Winchester Model 1885, Winchester Model 1894, Browning Automatic-5, Browning Hi-Power, Winchester Model 1897, M1919 Browning, M1911, M2 Browning, and the Colt Model 1903/1908 Pocket Hammerless.
The US Army used Browning machine guns in both World Wars I and II. They remain the standard heavy machine gun in the US military. Furthermore, Browning machine guns are also used by the armies of other countries. (1,2)
10. Cable TV is in high demand despite the high cost to the subscriber because people find it difficult to watch live sports on Netflix, Amazon, or anywhere else.
With the advent of streaming services, cable television is indeed rapidly losing its appeal. However, this doesn't mean cable television is dying, at least not yet. According to a Nielsen survey, people spend approximately 141 hours watching traditional television, compared to 10 and 1 hour watching online video on computers and smartphones, respectively. Netflix, Amazon, and other similar services can't immediately offer new content; they need to update their libraries more frequently to retain viewers' attention. Another negative factor keeping viewers glued to their televisions is that most streaming services deliver content based on users' location. (1,2,3,4)