Geek chic from the '90s doesn't look so cool today

around.

When digital camera met floppy

Sexy and sleek it was not: But the Sony Mavica MVC-FD5, released in 1997, broke ground in its time. In this day before memory cards, it was the first digital camera that enabled users to store and share photos on a then-ubiquitous platform--the 3.5-inch floppy disk. The camera set buyers back $599 for an image resolution of 0.3 megapixels (or 640 pixels by 480 pixels). You could pack a whopping eight pictures at that resolution on a floppy. Today, $599 will get you a swanky Leica D-LUX 3, with a 10-megapixel image resolution.

Shooting up the pre-millennial world

Long before hyper-realistic video games were the norm and monster lines to purchase Wii consoles topped the headlines, id Software unleashed Doom and inspired a cult following. Still popular in 1998 (it was released in 1993), the game launched the burgeoning first-person shooter genre into the stratosphere with its immersive 3-D graphics, colorful levels and deadly enemies. Considered one of the most important video game series of all time, Doom also popularized the ability to play against friends over a modem.

Zipping up backup

Described by Forbes as a "floppy disk on steroids," the Iomega Zip Drive became an instant sensation upon its release in 1995. It was "inexpensive" (at just $150) and easy to use with Macs and PCs. Best of all: Its 100MB provided 70 times the storage capacity of a standard floppy disk. Today, for $19, you can get a 1GB USB flash drive like the Dell Cruzer Micro U3. USB drives give you a fresh set of security worries, but at least they'll never make you hear the "click of death," the now infamous sound that indicated a defective Zip drive.

Not too rich, or too thin

In 1998, IBM's ThinkPad I series 1450 was substantially less pricey ($2,088) than the company's previous notebook computer offering, the ThinkPad 560Z ($3,799). Weighing in at a not-so-svelte 8.6 pounds (with the AC adapter attached), this clunker could double as a killer bicep workout tool for city strolls. You certainly wouldn't have dreamed of popping it in a mailing envelope, as Steve Jobs did famously last week with the ultra-thin Apple MacBook Air, which checks in at three pounds and less than $2,000.

Windows 98: Glory days

Yes, operating systems were once named for years, not views or spotted animals. Windows 98, the OS that first made Internet Explorer 4.0 part of the operating system, helped Microsoft pump up its attack against strengthening rival Netscape. Those "PC vs. Mac" TV commercials from Apple? Unthinkable in 1998. And oh the memories: For Windows 98, Microsoft advised that your PC needed 16MB to 32MB of RAM. For Vista, Microsoft recommends 512MB to 1GB of RAM.