I avoid my younger self like the plague. Don’t want him growing up to be someone besides me.
My future self, however, I will hunt down and torture for information. Which feeds back to the “avoid my younger self” plan
Well, there was no WiFi or mobile back when I was a youngin’, so some of those things wouldn’t be rather useless. We did have electricity, so at least they could be charged.
@heartny You could download a bunch of stuff before you go back in time from Netflix or whatnot and show that to them. The WiFi might not exist, nor could you make a call without cell towers, but you could show yourself the games, camera, apps, etc. in theory. Just seeing a mini pocket computer/phone/digital camera/gps would’ve blown my younger self’s mind.
A GoPro Hero 8. Makes broadcast HDTV quality video, doesn’t need a gimbal to stabilize movement, works underwater, weighs 4 ounces, and is the size of a pill bottle.
My car, with a USB drive full of both rock and roll, because I would be impressed with storing that much audio on something that fits in your pocket, and of course the cool stereo.
honestly, i can’t really think of anything tech-y that young me would care about because old me doesn’t really care about it. don’t get me wrong, it’s wild and wonderful and all, but just not really my thing. i would much rather visit my partner as a kid - we actually bring up fairly often how cool (and hilarious) it would be to blow his lil mind by showing him a current video game. specifically one of the lifelike shooters.
I think a digital camera with a plug-in charger or one that runs on batteries. … No, definitely the wall-charger one. Young me wouldn’t have enough money for batteries all the time. I’d have to throw in enough storage media to last a long, long time too. Maybe some extra lithium batteries for it too.
I didn’t take enough pictures of special events and friends growing up.
All the tech I like now needs the internet. Unless cars count as tech I could bring back…but I had a lot of cool cars anyway. Well, they were cool to me at least.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@therealjrn I’d go with digital camera too. A really boss SLR digital camera. My younger self (around age 7) started taking pictures with a 110 camera, then I bought my dad’s Pentax K1000 35mm camera from him (around age 12) and used it for actual photography classes up until I graduated from HS. Then I used it throughout college for photography classes. My first digital camera wasn’t available until I was around 20, but they were crap. I didn’t buy my first one until my mid to late 20s. So yea, a boss digital SLR (like the one I own now) would’ve blown my little mind and really fed the blossoming passion for my art.
That’s right, a stone tablet. Look at those carvings! You wouldn’t think we could chisel that good, but it’s the future, boy! Our chisels are effective.
Your smartphone wouldn’t work in 1985 Marty! No internet! So I’d go back with all the star wars prequels on a laptop and ruin my childhood in real time
I’d just bring my StormTrooper armor. A subtle way to say, ‘Everything’s going to be ok’. Oh and also, ‘your future wife is going to volunteer you for the book fair’.
@yakkoTDI Technically I’m exactly as much taller than Mark Hamill than I am shorter than Harrison Ford. I’ll let you do the math. Please show your work.
Nintendo Switch. 10 year old me would die, causing time consequences.
@Bluedragon07 This. Most everything else would need wifi to be really impressive.
I avoid my younger self like the plague. Don’t want him growing up to be someone besides me.
My future self, however, I will hunt down and torture for information. Which feeds back to the “avoid my younger self” plan
Today’s Wall Street Journal
Well, there was no WiFi or mobile back when I was a youngin’, so some of those things wouldn’t be rather useless. We did have electricity, so at least they could be charged.
@heartny did USB exist before wifi and mobile?
@heartny You could download a bunch of stuff before you go back in time from Netflix or whatnot and show that to them. The WiFi might not exist, nor could you make a call without cell towers, but you could show yourself the games, camera, apps, etc. in theory. Just seeing a mini pocket computer/phone/digital camera/gps would’ve blown my younger self’s mind.
@hchavers @heartny
yes
My younger self would be floored to see that you can emulate the SNES on pretty much any modern phone and connect a PS4 controller over Bluetooth
@guyfromhawthorn
Yup, an emulator, like the Retroflag Gpi! It looks looks like the original Game Boy.
fidget spinners
A GoPro Hero 8. Makes broadcast HDTV quality video, doesn’t need a gimbal to stabilize movement, works underwater, weighs 4 ounces, and is the size of a pill bottle.
@CatsAreGods Of course if they could someone get it to play on the RCA Tube television it would probably look like crap.
@CatsAreGods If only they could figure out battery life.
Legal marijuana!
@robson That would still be illegal marijuana to your younger self.
@robson Great answer. Young me would’ve never believed our beloved wacky tobaccy would ever become legal.
Bubble wrap colored red & labeled “tension sheet” and a patent.
None of those gadgets would function back then so not too impressive.
Just a message. Buy AAPL.
@ThatsHeadly And Microsoft, google also. Don’t worry what they are, just do it.
@rawhid True. But under no circumstances would I invest in FB.
A car that can park itself
The robot Sophia.
Naw, I probably wouldn’t get how amazing/scary she is.
A high-end drone.
Probably a ChargeHub X7 - 7 Port with Bonus USB Car charger. And more importantly a list of stocks to buy/sell
I would bring a Nintendo 3DS, so I could show myself what Pokemon will look like in 20 years. Because that’s what 8 year old me would care about.
@cpierce
My car, with a USB drive full of both rock and roll, because I would be impressed with storing that much audio on something that fits in your pocket, and of course the cool stereo.
Buy/get as much bitcoin as you can in 2008-2011. Sell it in mid December 2017.
@kamajo A Raspberry Pi with an old copy of CGMiner (or older as appropriate) and a USB hub full of Block Eruptors or early Antminers.
The morning after pill for Moms of certain notorious individuals.
honestly, i can’t really think of anything tech-y that young me would care about because old me doesn’t really care about it. don’t get me wrong, it’s wild and wonderful and all, but just not really my thing. i would much rather visit my partner as a kid - we actually bring up fairly often how cool (and hilarious) it would be to blow his lil mind by showing him a current video game. specifically one of the lifelike shooters.
I would show myself Gore-Tex. I’m not 60 years old, but I didn’t know about it when I was younger
I think a digital camera with a plug-in charger or one that runs on batteries. … No, definitely the wall-charger one. Young me wouldn’t have enough money for batteries all the time. I’d have to throw in enough storage media to last a long, long time too. Maybe some extra lithium batteries for it too.
I didn’t take enough pictures of special events and friends growing up.
All the tech I like now needs the internet. Unless cars count as tech I could bring back…but I had a lot of cool cars anyway. Well, they were cool to me at least.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@therealjrn I’d go with digital camera too. A really boss SLR digital camera. My younger self (around age 7) started taking pictures with a 110 camera, then I bought my dad’s Pentax K1000 35mm camera from him (around age 12) and used it for actual photography classes up until I graduated from HS. Then I used it throughout college for photography classes. My first digital camera wasn’t available until I was around 20, but they were crap. I didn’t buy my first one until my mid to late 20s. So yea, a boss digital SLR (like the one I own now) would’ve blown my little mind and really fed the blossoming passion for my art.
@therealjrn I agree with all of that!
Sports almanac and stock charts! Smart phone, tablet and laptop would be useless (except locally stored programs)
@Tystix Haha, we know how this turns out.
@Tystix that is what I was going to say! That way you can afford to buy all the gizmos you want in the future!
That’s right, a stone tablet. Look at those carvings! You wouldn’t think we could chisel that good, but it’s the future, boy! Our chisels are effective.
Your smartphone wouldn’t work in 1985 Marty! No internet! So I’d go back with all the star wars prequels on a laptop and ruin my childhood in real time
I’d just bring my StormTrooper armor. A subtle way to say, ‘Everything’s going to be ok’. Oh and also, ‘your future wife is going to volunteer you for the book fair’.
@capnjb Aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper?
@yakkoTDI Technically I’m exactly as much taller than Mark Hamill than I am shorter than Harrison Ford. I’ll let you do the math. Please show your work.
@capnjb @yakkoTDI … hmmm… I don’t remember the red crotch light from the movie though…
@chienfou @yakkoTDI It was a long day at the Cantina. And now this is awkward.
Gorilla Tape. It’s unsurpassed for binding hands and f… but I’ve said too much, never mind.
A Roomba. It does something useful and doesn’t need the internet to function.
Modern solid state drive.
Just showing up in my out of shape middle age body and sun spots on my face etc… so I’d start using sunscreen and big hats and Stop stuffing my face.