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Tamagotchi: Retro e-waste of the future
If you’ve been alive longer than a decade, then you probably remember one of the most useless tech devices ever created; Tamagotchi toys were the digital equivalent to the pet rock. This small, hand-held device (that served as a gateway drug for millennials to hand over their lives to their phones) displayed simple graphics of a virtual pet that required more attention than an actual newborn.
As if the originals weren’t bad enough, a re-release of the device hopes to trigger nostalgia—and by that we mean nervous twitches—in the now twenty-something demographic. Unfortunately, this device will likely become the kitschy stocking stuffer of 2017, or sentimental Valentine of ’18. Either way, the Tamagotchi will outlive its usefulness within minutes of the purchase.
This brings to life—pun intended—a host of issues we have with technology for the sake of technology. The environmental wake that the e-waste from a product like this can have is shocking. Besides the packaging and energy to ship these from overseas, there is the question of what to do with the pet after it’s gone to e-heaven—which, judging from memory, will happen within hours of turning on the toy.
The one thing the Tamagotchi has going for it is its size. But even that poses some concerns. Being that it’s about the size of a grade-A egg, the internal components are next-to-impossible to extract for use. One can only hope that makers decide to hack the bejeebus out of these things, thereby redeeming their existence at least in part.
On a more existential note, it seems that today’s manufacturers are grasping at straws to find something iconic to the latest generation of adults. With movies, TV shows, and video games stuck in retro replay (think Transformers, Voltron, and Pokemon), there is little that is unique to the millennials. But then, the newest Tamagotchi harkens back to a time when screens shone only TN-effect pixels, and cycling through menus required Mensa-level concentration.
But what do you think? Is there a place for this kind of technology—a second time around? Can toy manufacturers practice environmental responsibility? Do you remember the original Tamagotchi? Or are you waiting for the HitClips revamp?
