Pager

Beepers were the lifeline of the 90s — essential for doctors, dealers, and dramatic TV moments. They couldn’t send messages, but their little buzz meant something important was waiting. If you were really cool, yours had a translucent case. Pagers (or beepers) were introduced in the 1950s, but their widespread popularity came in the 1980s and 1990s. Operating on radio frequencies, they allowed one-way or limited two-way messaging. With the rise of mobile phones offering instant voice and text communication, pager usage dramatically declined by the 2000s, although some industries like healthcare still use them today.