10 obsolete technologies that refuse to die

These technologies served their purpose for a while, then either evolved into cheaper, faster, better forms or simply disappeared. Yet some - such as fax machines, landline phones, and instant cameras - just refuse to die, despite better digital alternatives.

Subsequently, iTelegram took over Western Union's telex network, though you can access it via the web. It's still a fairly pricey form of communication however. Western Union is still around too, though its primary customers appear to be internet scam artists hoping to dupe suckers into wiring them money.

The age of web tablets

In the age of web tablets and smartphones, typewriters are a bit like Fred Flintstone's car - strictly for cave dwellers. Yet people still buy and use them. In 2009, for example, the New York City Police Department made headlines when it spent nearly $1m on typewriters, mostly so it could continue to use multipart carbon forms for processing evidence.

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