Turn Back the Clock for Geek Squad’s 20th Birthday: ’94 vs. 2014

Company News

July 24, 2014

Shane KitzmanStaff Writer

Share

The “hottest” releases back in … 1994, courtesy of Best Buy’s archives.

What better time to reminisce about the technology of two decades ago than this, the Geek Squad’s20th birthday year.

Let’s mentally teleport back to the age of copious amounts ofcookie-cutter boy bands,jean overallswithone strap undone, andJansport backpacks.

To get in the right ’90s mindset, check out which movies were hot on VHS — yes VHS — back in 1994.

Laptops: From thick bricks to dynamic 2-in-1 shape-shifting gadgets

Today’s version of the PC laptop averages $399, so just a bit more affordable than that heavy $2,000+ version. In addition to oodles more memory, processing speed, etc., options like theLenovo Yoga can double as a tablet, too.

TVs: Remember when they were heavy enough to induce hernias?

Remember when you couldn’t sit on the floor in front of your family room’s 48-inch analog tube TV because it was a projection screen? Today’s kids don’t understand the struggle.

Not only are TVs thinner, lighter,Smart-er, they’re also available in Ultra-HD — four times the clarity of 1080p HDTV —and evencurved. Instead of being a living room monstrosity, TVs are an aesthetically pleasing centerpiece.

Camcorders: Two decades of tech has helped make recording family reunions much easier

Dad looked dorky lugging this bad boy around back in ’94, gazing into the HandyCam with one eye and squinting with the other.

GoPro changed everything — smaller than a deck of cards, shoots in 1080p HD, has accessories that not only make it waterproof but lets it be mounted onto a helmet, too.

In conclusion: Video recording tech makes 2014 Dad look much cooler than 1994 Dad.

Point and shoot cameras: Now in the age of ‘instant reminiscing’

That feeling of “I hope these photos turn out when I develop them” isn’t an issue anymore, thanks to digital point and shoot cameras.

Video Players: It’s weird to think the VCR is Chromecast’s ancestor, right?

Be kind and rewind? Talk about an archaic saying.

Video players made multiple leaps since VHS — from DVD to Blu-ray.

And that’s not even accounting for the arrival of streaming media players likeRoku,Apple TVandChromecastthat are putting TV shows, movies and YouTube videos into your living room with the push of a button.