Transparent Tech of the 2000s

Growing up in the 90s, I’m grateful to have witnessed the rise—and sadly, the fall—of transparent tech.

These gadgets had a charm that’s hard to capture today, a kind of hopeful energy about the future. Back then, as we approached the turn of the century, there was a sense of promise—a belief that we were stepping into a world that would look and feel futuristic. One of the coolest things about transparent tech was that you could actually peer inside these translucent, colorful shells and see the intricate electronics that brought them to life.

But somehow, the path technology took ended up focusing less on imagination and more on convenience, with designs that are now sleek, flat, and honestly, often pretty lifeless. It feels like today’s tech is less about innovation or style and more about capturing and monetizing our attention. Even in terms of style, everything is meant to look 'sleek'. Like, after the first two or three sleek devices, who cares? 

Everything now feels like a race for screen time.

More and more screen time. 

Is it just me, or do others who grew up in the late 90s and early 2000s feel this too? Am I just feeling nostalgic, or did these gadgets really have a charm that’s missing in today’s tech?

Looking back, I wish I’d taken better care of my Sony Walkman and Game Boy Pocket. To me, they were little windows into a more hopeful time.