8 Gadgets you Probs Had as a Kid in the 2000s
Heck yes, it's the weekend! You've popped on Saturday Disney and you're chowing down on some vegemite toast. You make a mental note to submit a 'Letter of the Week' to locked bag 8777 because you know your life would be far better with all those new toys. You have a flip through your Total Girl, bluetack your new posters to your wall and look around your room for something to do next.
If you grew up in the 2000s, here's a list 8 of toys you probably spent hours playing with during your gadget-filled girlhood.
1.Tamagotchi
Were you even growing up in the 2000s if you didn’t have a Tamagotchi...or like 20 of ‘em? My sisters and I went to a Catholic primary school and weren’t allowed to bring our digi-pets along so we’d make our mum babysit them until we got home. Let me tell you, all hell would break loose if one of the babies was dead when we returned… poor Mum!
2. Pixel Chix
If you had sisters like I did, you probably had the whole Pixel Chix squad between you. You could feed, dress and play games with your Pixel Chic as well as connect their little houses together and visit each other. The thing that still irks me about this one is the gross slurping sounds she made when she ate. Honestly, Pixel Chix days were probably where my misophobia (phobia of loud chewing) first originated and so my boyfriend—who is constantly shot daggers when we eat together—can thank this rad toy for that.
3. Disney Walkman
If you didn’t have this exact walkman then how did you listen to Hilary Duff’s So Yesterday on repeat while dreaming of the day you could jump in your convertible yellow VW Beetle, pick up your gal pals and go shopPING?!
4. Friendchips
I’m not sure how many other girls had Friendchips, but I definitely had these. Eleven-year-olds with brand spanking new iPhones will never understand the simple joy of typing in a message, chucking the ‘chip’ to your BBFL 4 LYF who was sitting at the end of your bed and giggling together as she read your 20-character message.
5. Voice Diary
This voice activated journal—equipped with a magic pen (invisible ink) and “glow light”—was hot shit… except for when you just couldn’t remember the password and that annoying robot voice would say ‘ACCESS DENIED.’ I’m sure I wrote all about my early crushes in there and how much of a B my Mum was for making me clean my room.
6. Barbie PC Games
This wouldn’t be a complete tech list without mentioning the entire range of Barbie PC games. Out of all the items, I definitely spent the most time playing these games while my two younger sisters patiently watched waiting for their turn that probably never came. I was particularly fond of the Rapunzel game. The prince lost his crown jewels around the castle and it was your job to retrieve them. I didn’t know at the time that this was training for adult life which I’ve come to realise is largely made up of helping my own Prince find his misplaced goods.
7. Digi-Makeover
The Digi-makeover was another odd gadget I remember spending hours playing with. You’d plug it into the TV, take a rather blurry photo on it and try on different virtual hair and makeup. I discovered using this device that I should NEVER go brunette as I would look almost exactly like my youngest sister, except a much uglier version... and that simply won’t do.
8. e-Kara
Before Sing Star and today’s iPhone app Smule, there was the eKara. I distinctly remember belting out a little Britney Oops I did it again as my dad cringed from afar. "I'm NOT that innocent!"
Feeling nostalgic? Leave a comment and let us know what other tech gadgets loved as a kid!
Written by Co-founder Renee Aurish