Retrotech or The Simple Things in Life

In today’s world where the computer dominates every day life slowly but surely “retro” ideas are springing back up into the mainstream. Even though our society will never regress into the days of the Ford Model-T or use Stone Age dial-up internet plenty of people are finding that sometimes simple ideas are not only cost effective, but easier to use than their Web 2.0 successors.

The PDA:

Personal date assistants drive the fast paced multitasking world of business, however as of late many are finding that the index card is a better solution to close the information gap. The guys over at 43Folders have developed what they are calling a “Hipster PDA” which is said to be “a fully extensible system for coordinating incoming and outgoing data for any aspect of your life and work.”

The Hipster PDA is simply a stack of note cards bound together by a clip which allows one to quickly and easily jot down ideas, lists, dates, or any other relevant information which assaults us every day. The advantage of the Hipster PDA is that it is a vastly inexpensive alternative to the traditional PDA, and takes less time to maintain. If you are like me and find yourself under utilizing that pricey PDA, then I recommend trying the Hipster version. Also, if you are wondering what kind of stylist to use for your new gadget the folks over at Scotland have just the solution.

The Stylist:

In a recent story which landed in the tech section of Newsvine, teachers at a private school in Scotland are forcing the use of the fountain pen on their students. For those of you who work in a digital world and believe that the pen is going the way of the cassette tape or the floppy disk, then I highly recommend that you take a look at the Scots. Fountain pens are a sleek, beautiful addition to your daily life. The article mentioned above states that using a pen helps one to better focus on the task at hand. Pens are still as useful in today’s world as the long lost piece of paper, and if you are going to use one why not be classy and get a fountain pen. Additionally, the fountain pen makes a great stylist for the Hipster PDA.

Want to do something more with your pen? Ernest Hemingway has the perfect solution.

The Hemingway Solution:

Even though many of us now have the ability, through recent breakthroughs in the utilization of technology, to have a completely paperless work environment, jotting down ideas and thoughts is still arguably a vital need for individuals who just want to escape through writing. To do that writing (and use that nifty new fountain pen), the Molesskins company offers the best of both worlds with their elegant notebooks. These are the same type of journals that have been used by great minds in the last two centuries. The purchase of one of these retro products will keep you up all night writing away until that five o’clock shadow appears.

The Five o’clock Shadow:

In recent magazines including <a h Esquire and Men’s Heath the big push for men’s shaving equipment is not the razors with 100 blades or the vitamin enriched shaving cream, instead these magazines have been reintroducing the badger hair shaving brush. Long ago men once used these brushes in their shaving arsenal. According to The Art of Shaving these brushes “generate rich and warm lather, soften and lift the beard, open pores, bring sufficient water to the skin, and gently exfoliate.” These things look really great as well. Enjoying the finer things in life has never been better. I have been using these things for about a year now, and I wonder sometimes how I ever got along without them.

Anyway, now that you have shaved its time to get to that digital office of yours, in style.

The Old New Car:

Alright, so I have to admit that this one is not so much what I would like to call “retrotech” as it is a new spin on a great old idea. Ford, the maker of that Model-T I mentioned earlier, has used retro concepts in their design of the 2006 Mustang. This model takes traditional ideas of the 1966 version of the car and adds it to today’s modern ideals. The result of which is a simply stunning product. This goes against the thesis that retro ideas can be more cost effective, but who wouldn’t want one of these babies?

To conclude, it is important to note that technology is an amazing part of the world in which we live. However, I assert that everything has its place and its roll. Also, sometimes buying all these new gadgets can leave one feeling shallow and empty. For example, when is the last time you saved hundreds of dollars to buy the “latest” in MP3 players, only for a newer version to come along and leave you in the dust?

“You’ve got a 2GB iPod nano? HA! Mine’s an 8GB!”

On the other hand, there are sleek, elegant options available which work better and will give you a more substantial feeling that you have curbed your enthusiasm and gone against to flow of society. So, to close, I urge you all to fight the man, set the trend, or rise above the peons and get back in touch with some of the simple things in life.