Spot the Differences in Technology: Ain’t No Doubt

Here’s something your students may find mildly amusing. This music video from 1992 features several examples of technological changes; can you spot them?

Here’s what you might have noticed:

• Mercury phone booth.
• Switchboard: one of the old-fashioned types where the operator had to physically plug different cables in to the board to connect people with each other over the phone network.
• Instruments: the musicians are playing real ones, not synthesisers.
• Microphone: a big old-fashioned one, not a headset mike (which was first used years before by Kate Bush, apparently).
• Wristwatch: someone is wearing one. These days, young people tend not to because they use their cell phones to find out the time and a whole load of other functions.

Comments

[Maryna]

What about people smoking?????? Nobody is allowed to do that in videos anymore. :)

[Terry Freedman, Educational ICT Consultant]

Actually I hadn't noticed! You mean the cigarette packs on the tables? Stephen Heppell also pointed out that Jimmy Nail is wearing a tie!

[Doug Woods]

Jimmy nail is also walking around the streets without white earphones in his lugholes; quite unthinkable today!

[Doug Woods]

Those lights on the tables probably have incandescent bulbs

[Doug Woods]

Also, come to think of it, young people seem to be talking on the phone instead of txting.
What's that thing the operator is turning round with her finger? Is that a telephone dial?
The operator is reading a thing made of paper (think its either a book or magazine) instead of using an iPad

Actually, Terry, I don't think any of those musicians were playing their instruments, real or otherwise. No change there then!

[Terry Freedman, Educational ICT Consultant]

@Maryna, oh yes, there's a lady in the audience holding a cigarette. Smoking isn't allowed in public buildings any more nin the UK.

@Doug thx for all those observations :-)

I think it's interesting how people have picked up on the social aspects, not only the tech ones. For instance, my wife pointed out that jimmy Nail is wearing a coat -- loads of people no longer wear coats in London, even when it's raining!

Also, Piccadilly Circus seemed relatively empty of traffic and people -- these days it's crowded all the time, especially if the tube is still runnning.

[Pam]

The girls are overdressed compared to today's music videos too ;-)

[Terry Freedman, Educational ICT Consultant]

true!