Must have NOW

Cleaver

Saw this article on the BBC website and thought it was interesting.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-12058944



It's all about must have gadgets and when people started buying them. And I know on this forum there's often quote such as "all youngsters have to have a mobile, whereas I was happy with a stick and a puddle until I were 28" etc. etc.

So what year did you all first get stuff? For some reason I have a good memory of this type of thing.

First video recorder: 1990. I remember my Dad coming home with one as he wanted to record the afternoon games of World Cup Italia 90. I was in heaven. This isn't listed above, but it's a nice memory and I wanted to share.

First mobile: 1999. My first year at Uni. I remember that at the start of the year I was one of the only few with a mobile but by the end of 2000 most people had one. I also remember that my contract was £15 a month.

First DVD player: 2002. I think. I'm not really in to films and I'm sure it only cost me £50. Still have the same one.

First Home PC: 1995. We were quite lucky and one of the first people that I knew of to have one of these. It cost a f*cking bomb and was quite sh*t. But seemed amazing at the time.

Broadband Internet: 2004. Fairly sure 2004 was the first year I got broadband internet.

Sky TV: 2006. Mainly for the football. Don't have it anymore.

Cleaver

By the way, half of me has posted this because I am secretly looking forward to all the comments such as:

"I don't have any of these things. All I have is a carrot and a lump of coal and, to be honest, that's all I need. I nearly bought a sock in 1972 but decided against it."

Loanranger

Mobile phone: 1996
Home PC: 1990

Can't recall the dates of the others but I think I might have bought a sock once. It was off my bro; he'd had to burn his wooden leg to keep warm in t'winter of '63.

vivatifosi

Interesting thread Cleaver.

First video recorder (Pioneer): 1986
First CD player: 1989
First mobile (NEC): 1992
First laptop: c1993/4 - it had 40Mb and a mono screen!
First net access (AOL may have been as Compuserve): 1997
Broadband: 2004
Sky: 2000
Sky+: 2006?

lostinrates

So what year did you all first get stuff? For some reason I have a good memory of this type of thing.

First video recorder: 2007ish. My parents have still never owned one. we bought one to film evidence for our housing issue court case in Italy. DH's parents had loads. There is Beta max fil from when DH was tiny. Its very precious to me. In return he has a couple of dog eared photos of me and a school project.

First mobile: . Oooh...have to work out how old I am...1996 (I was 17). why? I was working and noone could get me on the phone. It was only two years after my dad got his, so this, like the last answer would support the greedy youth argument

First DVD player: That's what laptops is for, innit?

dad gave us one of his half dozen last year, and one a few years ago before so we have two we've used one once,until now laptop waseasier and better

First Home PC: I don't know, but I think my parents got one about the same time as you, though I would have been older :mad:. It was an amstrad. I got a laptop in about 2000. Because of work.

Broadband Internet: 2003/4ish I think but I ''wasn't about'' so not sure. parents still had a second line for that then.

Sky TV: dh's family had it, mine never have. we got it for 6 months in italy and will never have it again.

edit: have quite a few socks, some odd. Have recently been informed once worn and unwashed socks make money on ebay so may well buy more

Cleaver

vivatifosi wrote: »

Interesting thread Cleaver.

First video recorder (Pioneer): 1986
First CD player: 1989
First mobile (NEC): 1992
First laptop: c1993/4 - it had 40Mb and a mono screen!
First net access (AOL may have been as Compuserve): 1997

You're a right trailblazer Viva. Mobile in 1992?! I was only 11. Which is weird as most 11 year olds probably do have a mobile nowadays.

vivatifosi

Cleaver wrote: »

You're a right trailblazer Viva. Mobile in 1992?! I was only 11. Which is weird as most 11 year olds probably do have a mobile nowadays.

Mmmm... I wasn't 11 in 1992 and had plenty of disposable income in the middle of a downturn. Sadly its not the same this time round!

nearlynew

What has this !!!!!! got to do with houses or the economy?

Cleaver

vivatifosi wrote: »

First net access (AOL may have been as Compuserve): 1997

I think our first internet was AOL and that was in 96/97ish. I remember that it cost 1pm per minute on top of your phone bill. So during the day it was about 7p a minute and my Mum wouldn't let me use it. I can remember waiting for 6pm when the evening rate kicked in and I could check my e-mail. Seems weird now!

Cleaver

nearlynew wrote: »

What has this !!!!!! got to do with houses or the economy?

You see all those things on that chart? They all go in houses and buying them effects the economy.

And also, inflation is theft.

You happy now sh*thead?

lostinrates

nearlynew wrote: »

What has this !!!!!! got to do with houses or the economy?

Gosh, well ...are youth really spendthift in comparison to their parents/grandparents? HAve spending habits changed...and whether we should feel bullish or bearish about hosiery.