Everything from 1991 Radio Shack ad I now do with my phone (2014)

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Device Consolidation vs. Imperfect Replacements

  • Many commenters agree smartphones replace most catalog items functionally (CD players, tape recorders, calculators, answering machines, speed‑dial phones, pagers, GPS, game consoles, etc.).
  • Several argue the replacement is often “good enough but worse”: weaker speakers, no physical PTT for CB, worse ergonomics for long calls, and less capable for “real” word processing than a PC.
  • Others note areas of clear improvement: cameras, voice memos, music libraries, calculators, voicemail, and cell service quality.
  • Some feel that while 1991 them would want the all‑in‑one phone, 2025 them prefers dedicated devices again.

CB, Scanners, and Radios

  • Strong pushback that CB radio and police scanners are not truly replaced: phone apps usually just stream from someone else’s physical scanner, and CB’s open, local, infrastructure‑free nature isn’t matched by phones.
  • Meshtastic/LORA and ham-radio apps (e.g., EchoLink) are cited as modern analogs, but still not one‑to‑one.
  • Technical reasons for missing “walkie‑talkie phone” capability are discussed: power levels, antennas, and unsuitable GHz bands. LTE/5G direct modes exist but never became consumer features.
  • Debate over encrypting public-safety channels: privacy and operational complexity vs. public accountability.

Radar Detectors, Waze, and Road Design

  • Some say Waze and similar apps now largely replace radar detectors; others keep detectors for rural or under‑mapped areas.
  • A long subthread argues over “just obey the speed limit” vs. dysfunctional road design, revenue‑driven enforcement, and hidden speed drops.
  • View that apps (Waze, RadarBot) crowd‑source enforcement locations, partially substituting hardware.

Economics and Value

  • Thread revisits the inflation math: the 1991 bundle is far more expensive (inflation‑adjusted) than a modern smartphone; one estimate puts an iPhone 16 equivalent at about $340 in 1991 dollars.
  • Disagreement over whether we “pay three times more” is corrected; many argue we now pay a small fraction for vastly more capability.

Loss of Tinkering, Diversity, and Freedom

  • Multiple comments mourn the death of the “cool gadget market” and Radio Shack’s parts bins, plus the shift from hackable PCs to locked‑down phones and app stores.
  • Concerns include increased surveillance, centralized kill‑switch power by large platforms, and phones becoming more stagnant and less user‑friendly (no SD, removable batteries, headphone jacks, FM, or IR).
  • Others counter that phones have expanded creative possibilities (photo, video, audio) even as they’ve constrained low‑level tinkering.