Everyday Objects Becoming Obsolete, Toilet Paper, Light Bulbs, Gasoline Beauty & Style

A World Without Toilet Paper

Common items — from business cards to gasoline — could become obsolete in the next half-century

In the next half-century many fixtures of everyday life will go the way of the gramophone, labeled "quaint" and relegated to museums — if not the trash. In 50 years, what do futurists predict will make Americans wax nostalgic? See also: Corbis Cursive have officially dropped handwriting as an educational requirement, with many states currently considering doing the same. One day extra instruction may be required for students who wish to read historical documents in their original drafts. Desktops Already, some tech companies have desktop-free offices. Employees work on laptops, saving to accessed through the Internet. Soon, all the computing power we need will fit onto our phones.

Going going mostly gone

Tube televisions Subway tokens Rolodexes Printed encyclopedias Phone books Incandescent light bulbs Film Bank deposit slips Answering machines Drivers Google's robotic car has a near-perfect record on thousands of miles of California highways; Nevada will be the first state to issue permits for . The best part? Robots don't drink, text or fall asleep at the wheel. Glove box road maps No need for these when map apps offer directions, traffic info, drive-time estimates and an arrow to the nearest Starbucks. Home phones As these 20th-century icons gather dust, people will drop their land-line plans and opt for cell-only. Eventually, we'll be talking on minicomputers the size of cellphones, and basic telephones will go the way of the dodo. Language barriers will let us shoot the breeze with anyone, with both parties speaking their native languages. Passwords Instead of (and regularly update) a combination of letters and numbers, your device will remember you. Facial biometric software will enable you to simply look at your cellphone or tablet — and unlock it. Physical media Goodbye , thumb drives, video game discs — and their players. Electronic entertainment will be bought and played directly from the Internet. Next: Piggy banks By 2020, only 10 percent of all monetary transactions will be in cash. Governments will likely support this trend; some 25 percent of the world's circulating cash is used for illegal activities. Electronic payment systems will replace our beloved coins and greenbacks. Photo by Ocean/Corbis All types of stamps will become collectors items in the future. Snail mail Neither rain nor snow can keep letter carriers away today, but revenue will dry up for the U.S. Postal Service as we continue to trend toward electronic correspondence. To survive, the agency will have to scale back mail service, sending its fleet of trucks and carriers to join the Pony Express in mail-delivery legend. Toilet paper will wash and dry at the touch of a button, eliminating paper waste, greatly improving sanitation and adding a splash to one's daily routine. Analog clocks Our cellphones, synched perfectly to satellites, never forget to spring forward. The traditional dial clock and its mini-me, the wristwatch, will, alas, become retro novelties. Business cards Biz-card confetti still decorates professional conferences, but when today's batches run out, many folks won't reorder. Electronic "cards" will be sent phone-to-phone, at least for the next few years. Gasoline pumps When your car drives itself to a service station, it will be to plug in for a battery recharge or to fill up with hydrogen. Can't say we'll miss the pumps — or the fumes, the splashing, , the price ...
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