My first technological memories are of big beige monsters. The old-school essential computers and accessories of my youth were big and utilitarian, like brutalist monuments to technical progress, meant to be used, not seen. However, at some point in the ’90s, as computers and other technology became commonplace, fashion and aesthetics began to intersect with what was previously purely functional. In other words, as technology became fashionable, fashion penetrated technology, and nowhere was this trend more evident than in the rise of translucent gadgets. It was partly Hollywood’s fault. Movies played an important role in making technology cool, and manufacturers picked up on the trend, making technology more colorful and, ultimately, less opaque. Transparent technology gives builders a larger canvas to paint on, with more surfaces, textures and even moving parts. Today, in an age where everyone is saturated with information but everything seems arguably more opaque than ever, and retro gadgets are making a comeback, the return of transparent devices seems almost inevitable. There are a number of reasons behind this transparent Renaissance, but at the heart of it is likely a sense of alienation. As media and entertainment become more digital and ephemeral, and people feel more and more distant from them, the desire not only to hold something tangible, but also to see inside, to see physical structures and how they work, has become more and more palpable. This is especially true in video games, where physical media continues to disappear and many social interactions are mediated through screens. The beauty of interiors Dikushin Dmitry/Shutterstock “We view seamless technology as both nostalgic and futuristic,” Chris Thorne, chief marketing officer at Beats, told Gear Patrol. “It’s emblematic of the Y2K era, but it showcases the technology chips and components that continue to develop and be more powerful than ever.” This dichotomy is key to the resurgence of transparent technology. While modern devices aren’t filled with the swirling gears and gears of ancient gadgets, they are vast landscapes of fine detail that often combine into fascinating mosaics resembling modern art. Today’s systems-on-chip (SoCs) are wild expanses of thin copper wires connecting sleek, black processors and mountainous ridges of RAM. Properly arranged and lit, they become less functional technology and more museum pieces. It’s a trend that has been infecting the gaming PC sector for many years, with glass panels replacing opaque metal. The pulsing neon of RGB lighting combines with brightly painted components and flashing peripherals to transform desktops into psychedelic immersive art. Today, this trend extends to retro gaming accessories, handhelds, and even laptops. Some of the best transparent technologies in the works If you want sleek, transparent gaming gear but don’t want to commit to a full desktop setup (or modify an iPhone It combines a beautiful clear chassis with sleek silver internals, with gold highlights on the triggers and D-pads. If you’re looking for a more colorful transparent look, consider the rest of the Cipher series, which offers a similar transparent case but tinted with shades of red, blue, purple, or pink. If you prefer a full-featured gaming handheld with a similar aesthetic, Anbernic has you covered with its RG 35XXPro. It’s a retro handheld that features a 3.5-inch screen and comes in a transparent teal version that lets you see all the electronics working under the hood. Perhaps the most impressive of all is Lenovo’s ThinkBook Transparent Display laptop. Although it’s unfortunately only in the proof-of-concept stage, it features a stunning, fully transparent Micro-LED panel that displays content on a glass pane, reminiscent of future hologram technology that previously only existed in science fiction. Post navigation 5 Router Settings That Could Finally Fix Your Wi-Fi Dead Zones
My first technological memories are of big beige monsters. The old-school essential computers and accessories of my youth were big and utilitarian, like brutalist monuments to technical progress, meant to be used, not seen. However, at some point in the ’90s, as computers and other technology became commonplace, fashion and aesthetics began to intersect with what was previously purely functional. In other words, as technology became fashionable, fashion penetrated technology, and nowhere was this trend more evident than in the rise of translucent gadgets. It was partly Hollywood’s fault. Movies played an important role in making technology cool, and manufacturers picked up on the trend, making technology more colorful and, ultimately, less opaque. Transparent technology gives builders a larger canvas to paint on, with more surfaces, textures and even moving parts. Today, in an age where everyone is saturated with information but everything seems arguably more opaque than ever, and retro gadgets are making a comeback, the return of transparent devices seems almost inevitable. There are a number of reasons behind this transparent Renaissance, but at the heart of it is likely a sense of alienation. As media and entertainment become more digital and ephemeral, and people feel more and more distant from them, the desire not only to hold something tangible, but also to see inside, to see physical structures and how they work, has become more and more palpable. This is especially true in video games, where physical media continues to disappear and many social interactions are mediated through screens. The beauty of interiors Dikushin Dmitry/Shutterstock “We view seamless technology as both nostalgic and futuristic,” Chris Thorne, chief marketing officer at Beats, told Gear Patrol. “It’s emblematic of the Y2K era, but it showcases the technology chips and components that continue to develop and be more powerful than ever.” This dichotomy is key to the resurgence of transparent technology. While modern devices aren’t filled with the swirling gears and gears of ancient gadgets, they are vast landscapes of fine detail that often combine into fascinating mosaics resembling modern art. Today’s systems-on-chip (SoCs) are wild expanses of thin copper wires connecting sleek, black processors and mountainous ridges of RAM. Properly arranged and lit, they become less functional technology and more museum pieces. It’s a trend that has been infecting the gaming PC sector for many years, with glass panels replacing opaque metal. The pulsing neon of RGB lighting combines with brightly painted components and flashing peripherals to transform desktops into psychedelic immersive art. Today, this trend extends to retro gaming accessories, handhelds, and even laptops. Some of the best transparent technologies in the works If you want sleek, transparent gaming gear but don’t want to commit to a full desktop setup (or modify an iPhone It combines a beautiful clear chassis with sleek silver internals, with gold highlights on the triggers and D-pads. If you’re looking for a more colorful transparent look, consider the rest of the Cipher series, which offers a similar transparent case but tinted with shades of red, blue, purple, or pink. If you prefer a full-featured gaming handheld with a similar aesthetic, Anbernic has you covered with its RG 35XXPro. It’s a retro handheld that features a 3.5-inch screen and comes in a transparent teal version that lets you see all the electronics working under the hood. Perhaps the most impressive of all is Lenovo’s ThinkBook Transparent Display laptop. Although it’s unfortunately only in the proof-of-concept stage, it features a stunning, fully transparent Micro-LED panel that displays content on a glass pane, reminiscent of future hologram technology that previously only existed in science fiction.
