You might not be aware, but I had a hand in imagining much of the technology we rely on today. It’s true! Back in the ’90s, I was bursting with brilliant concepts, but as a lazy teenager, I let others—like Jack Thompson, Lisa Carter, and Mark Johnson—take the credit. Allow me to share a few of my groundbreaking ideas that could have changed the world.
-
Video Calling
In the ’90s, my next-door friend and I would chat while peering out of our respective bedroom windows. If she needed advice on her outfit for school pictures, she had to describe her choices in vivid detail. “Should I wear the neon pink top with the baggy jeans, or the plaid shirt with my cargo pants?” I would say, “How cool would it be if we could just see each other on a video phone while we talked?” -
Text Messaging
Imagine this actual exchange I had with my best friend in high school:
Me: “I’m dying to hear about your date, but Dad needs to sleep early, so no calls after 9 p.m. Just beep me when you get home.”
BFF: “Alright, I can’t call that late either, so I’ll dial the movie times line and wait for your call on call waiting.”
Me: “Totally! Wouldn’t it be easier if we could just send messages to each other on our beepers?” -
Email
Remember crafting your lengthy research paper in the school computer lab? You’d save it on a floppy disk and print it on a dot matrix printer. Inevitably, you’d rip the paper while detaching it from the dreaded continuous feed. I told my teacher, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if I could send my completed paper directly to your computer?” -
Movie Database
Think of all the sibling disputes this could have settled!
Me: “The Next Karate Kid is the fourth installment in that series.”
My brother: “No, it’s the third!”
Me: “I’ll call the video store to prove you wrong! I should create a comprehensive list of every film ever made along with the cast.”
My brother: “Why not include TV shows too?”
Me: “Great idea! I will!” -
Instant Movie Streaming
Long before “Netflix and Chill,” we were all about Blockbuster Nights—unless they were out of copies of our favorite movies. “Why can’t we just click a button on our remote and watch whatever we want?” I often lamented. “I need to see Ryan Phillippe now!” -
Custom Music Playlists
In my senior year, our Fashion Marketing class organized a fundraiser fashion show. After much deliberation, we settled on music, but we had to purchase entire albums to get a few good tracks. “Wouldn’t it be awesome if record stores allowed us to choose individual songs from albums and create our own mixes for a dollar each?”
Clearly, I was a visionary who just didn’t take action. If I had pursued these ideas, I’d likely be a millionaire today. The takeaway? When inspiration strikes, don’t hesitate—bring your ideas to platforms like Shark Tank!
For more insights on home insemination and parenting, check out this post on wholesome Halloween treats your kids will love. Also, for further reading on fertility and family planning, visit this excellent resource on intrauterine insemination.
Summary
This article highlights six innovative ideas from the ’90s that could have transformed technology today. From video calling to custom music playlists, these concepts reflect the creative spirit of a lazy teenager who missed out on becoming a tech mogul. The moral is clear: if you have a great idea, act on it!