Media life histories

I have been reminiscing with students I have been teaching on an online 'Media, childhood and youth' module about my own media life history, as a means of starting the group off thinking about the role that media and new technologies played in their own childhood and youth. I was a little shocked when looking back on my own life how ancient some of the technologies I used were, such as my precious second-hand Grundig reel-to-reel recorder. I just hadn't thought about some of the technologies I used for years and I guess had lost sight of how ancient I am in relation to new technologies! So, good job that for oldies like me, old playthings keep getting reinvented for the digital age. The favourite 'Etch-a-Sketch' for example, can now be played on a TV screen. Fab! Now all I need is the reel-to-reel to be reincarnated in some form, maybe linked to the ipod, so that I can re-live my youth in the 21st century!