Asking a friend or family member to try to imagine a world without smartphones or Twitter will surely illicit a chuckle or perplexed expression. But, truly, as humanity continues advancing tech and further integrating it into daily life, the need for reflection grows. Thus, society must look to the decade that began the merger of computer and electronic tech advancements with families daily lives.
A simpler era, the '80s, sees a change in daily life as tech overtakes traditional forms of rest and relaxation, becoming the go-to for adults and kids. In a decade that witnessed the unshackling of kids' musical enjoyment, the home gaming console boom, and some electronically-infused classics, kids had a certifiable trove of gadgets to ogle over in the '80s.
Video Game Consoles
Far and away the object of every kid's obsession in the '80s, home gaming consoles would forever change the way kids accessed technology. Beginning with the historic Atari 2600 and fully realized with Nintendo's NES and later Sega Genesis, gaming consoles would lay the groundwork for entertainment industries like competitive Esports and Twitch TV.
Capitalizing on the popularity of arcades, home gaming consoles would let kids play video games on par with their favorite arcade games without needing a sack full of quarters. Such nostalgia-inducing titles like Space Invaders, Super Mario Bros., and Donkey Kong still offering enjoyment almost 40 years later is a profound statement about the validity of '80s kids' obsessions.
Sony Walkman
Sony would debut its iconic Walkman in 1979, arguably making it a forgotten gadget from the '70s. Making expert use of form and function, Walkman made portably listening to and enjoying favorite tunes a reality for '80s kids and established the correlation between listening to music and daily activity.
Here, among the desires of '80s kids, lies the beginnings of what would become iTunes and Spotify. Graduating from the earlier stationary AM/FM music sources, the Walkman would give kids the power to listen to popular tunes and drown out the external noise, escaping between two foam-padded headphones.
VCRs
Following the format war of the late 70s early 80s, VHS emerged as the standard format for home media entertainment. Then, VHS would seize the home entertainment demographic, introducing an '80s gadget that should still be in use, the VCR, into homes everywhere, and the obsession would be born.
The wonder that VCR represented to '80s kids can only be described as magical. No longer being bound to specific time slots and given the capability to record and rewatch favorite movies and TV shows, VCRs dominated the next two decades in home entertainment, earning a place on every '80s kid's most wanted list.
Rubik's Cube
Among the most celebrated and recognizable kids' gadgets of all time, the Rubik's Cube would rise to its highest popularity in the '80s. An ingenious 3-D combination puzzle invented by Ernõ Rubik, the Cube would symbolize the colorful creativity and ingenuity that fueled the decade.
At least initially, the Cube perplexed a large percentage of the population, even spurning multiple national bestselling novels on the gadget. So naturally, such a rudimentary yet vibrant and appealing puzzle would capture kids' hearts, offering even the most determined children hours of obsessive stimulation.
Fisher-Price AM/FM Sing-Along
Fisher-Price has long been at the forefront of creating gadgets kids become obsessed with. So unsurprisingly, Fisher-Price would see a market for burgeoning musical interaction and deliver '80s kids a functioning AM/FM radio with a sing-along microphone.
Indeed, as kids began becoming individuals, they began deviating from the standards set by their parents. This deviation included music, where the Fisher-Price AM/FM Sing-Along gave '80s kids the ability to choose and listen to their choice(s) in tunes. This liberating gadget brought a musical party in one convenient package, spurring 'American Idols' in training in a decade filled with quality tracks.
Simon
From animatronic talking toys to this oft-obsessed computer-controlled memorization gadget, the '80s saw the beginning of tech integration into the residential sector. Invented by the US pioneer gaming company Milton Bradley, Simon would combine the traditional kid's game Simon Says with a multimode, computer-led memorization routine.
Eruditely cashing in on the classic RGBY color mashup before that famous search engine and spotting the increasing interest trends in consumer electronics for 'family fun nights.' Complete with variable difficulties for all ages, Simon offered kids simple entertainment for hours without the need for understanding the complicated or overly complex rules innate to traditional board games.
Lite-Brite
Although the famous Lite-Brite system was created and marketed in 1967, the economic and technological growth of the '80s allowed for a more vivid realization of this gadget than seen previously. Providing colorful fun that shines Brite in the dark, computer advances yielded more intricate patterns and greater symmetry and saw more iconic properties added as patterns.
Long before kids could turn to a tablet or smartphone when bedtime came around, Lite-Brite provided kids with creative entertainment that also acted as a night light. Surprisingly durable and functional, Lite-Brite undoubtedly found its way into kids' wishlists as a highly sought gadget throughout the decade.
Animated Talking Toys
Reaping the benefits of the tech boom of the '80s, Animatronics began to make its way into the residential marketplace. Previously reserved for commercial-level projects, like Hollywood movies and massive theme parks, the successor to the automaton would be the template that produces these craved gadgets.
Invented by Worlds of Wonder and billed as "The World's First Animated Talking Toy," Teddy Ruxpin would enrapture kids in the '80s. Based on the character from a famous cartoon series, Ruxpin would become a mechanic friend and storyteller, complete with a moving mouth and eyes, and fuel other widespread animated talkers like My Buddy and Cricket in the mid-late '80s.
Speak and Spell
One of the many '80s toys that the Pixar Studios saving Toy Story immortalizes, Speak & Spell would fascinate and educate kids throughout the '80s. Initially produced by Texas Instruments, Speak & Spell was the first in a three-part talking educational toy series with Speak & Read and Speak & Math.
The best of the three, Speak & Spell, would combine a keyboard, speech synthesizer, and ROM cartridges into an iconic gadget of the decade. Undoubtedly, the rush '80s kids felt upon flawless completion of a cart would fuel an unquenchable demand for the first educational toy to use a non-human voice.
Lazer Tag
Combining the traditional kids' game 'tag' with fancy lasers, armor, and science-fiction-inspired weaponry, Lazer Tag found a place on every kids' wishlist in the mid-'80s. Invented by the ardent NES er Worlds of Wonder, this futuristic mashup of plastic and electronics lets kids tag each other with lasers fired from sleek space sidearms.
Fueled by the extraterrestrial, interstellar adventure epic craze of the '80s, many of the most coveted gadgets allowed for otherworldly escapism, utilizing tech gadgets from the future. Yet, even though the set looks goofy nowadays, the joy of tagging friends, a la a space quick-draw outlaw, created a demand for this gadget, solidifying Lazer Tag's spot as a must-have gadget for '80s kids.