In technology, as in biology, we like to imagine evolution proceeding onward and upward. As new species and technologies appear, their primitive ancestors drop by the wayside, right? Not exactly.

From typewriters to vacuum tubes, these 10 technologies aren’t as obsolete as you might think.

FBI officials are prowling the halls of the FCC, warning FCC Chairman Michael Powell and his colleagues against exempting Net phone companies from requirements to build wiretapping capabilities into their systems. Unless G-men can listen in on Web calls, they warn, Internet calling will become the communications medium of choice for terrorists.

Super-fast automatic sensors could soon replace “checkout chicks” at Australian supermarkets.
Shoppers may only have to push loaded trolleys through an automated checkout.

Between January and December 2003, the dollar fell 20 percent against the euro. Thanks to the sliding greenback, Amazon reported a jump in quarterly revenue last week that helped make 2003 the company’s first profitable year ever. Microsoft, IBM and Cisco Systems have also recently attributed increased sales to the weaker dollar.
But what about […]