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When browsing for new tech or electrical items online, one of the things that immediately stands out is how remarkably similar every smartphone, tablet, laptop, gadget, and gizmo has become. These same devices often track our behavior and turn every screen in our homes into a billboard. But when the world asked for big tech to be more transparent, they took the request literally.
Transparent tech will be everywhere this holiday season. Things are about to go retro, whether the see-through Nothing Phone or the Beats Studio buds. Even chargers and USB-C cables will allow you to see all the internal components, and if this fad sounds familiar, it’s because we’ve been here before.
As transparent tech trend seems to be back in 2024, let’s explore what see-through technology will be vying for your attention during the holiday season.
Key Takeaways
- Transparent tech originated in US prisons to prevent prisoners from hiding contraband inside CRT televisions
- See-through tech hit the mainstream in the late nineties with Macs and N64 controllers
- Consumers are looking for tech that stands out from the crowd.
- Transparent TVs, laptops, phones, and earbuds are gaining traction
- Transparent technology and clear plastic housings could conflict with sustainability goals
The Origin Story of Transparent Tech
How See-Through Technology Went From Prison to Playground
If you wanted transparent tech in the 1970s and 1980s, your best chance of getting hands-on would have been spending time in a US prison. Televisions and radios with transparent plastics were seen as an innovative way of preventing inmates from hiding contraband.
Throughout the 90s, an obsession with transparent technology could be found in consumer devices such as iMacs and N64 controllers.
In these simpler times, visiting cybercafé to browse the super information highway on the latest iMac G3 was as close as you could get to living the tech utopian dream.
A regular day in the ciber cafe surrounded by $AAPL iMac G3 in 1999, the peak of the civilization 😊 pic.twitter.com/AFz79aZQwe
— 90s_2000s_Culture (@90s_00s_culture) August 31, 2024
Audiences quickly tired of tacky-looking seethrough plastic devices and demanded sleeker and classier aesthetics.
But this unwittingly set us on a path to where we are today, where everything looks the same.
Predictably, with a quick look over our shoulders through rose-tinted glasses, everything seemed so colorful and exciting back then.
Top New Transparent Devices You Might Have Missed
Fast forward to the present day, and Gen-Z can be found following the 20-year nostalgia cycle by falling in love with retro tech.
See-through tech is now seen as timeworn classics and a throwback to when things were different rather than everything looking the same.
So, what can we expect from transparent tech in 2024 and beyond?
1. 77-Inch See-Through TVs
The transparency tech trend can be traced back to CES in January when both LG and Samsung showcased a range of transparent TVs.
Whereas Samsung unveiled a floor display that is not a product shoppers can buy yet, the LG OLED T is a 77-inch see-through TV that is expected to arrive this year.
But rumors suggest it could cost you up to six figures.
Both #LG and #Samsung unveiled transparent displays at #CES2024
Should it be considered as a trend? @LGUS @Samsung #Design #TVs #Innovation @CurieuxExplorer @Shi4Tech @kalydeoo @enilev @Khulood_Almani @anand_narang @sonu_monika @fogle_shane @Fabriziobustama @Xbond49 @AkwyZ pic.twitter.com/eqCbmnpIHE
— Franco Ronconi 🇮🇹 (@FrRonconi) January 10, 2024
When the TV is turned on, viewers can keep it see-through, like a window playing a movie. But you can also turn it to opaque mode so the wall behind it is no longer visible.
Although these new giant see-through screens look like something you would expect to see in Tony Starks living room, the TV in the average living room typically hides a sea of unsightly cables.
2. Laptops With Transparent Displays & Virtual Screens
Lenovo announced the world’s first transparent laptop at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) event in Barcelona.
The ThinkBook transparent display laptop concept has a 17.3-inch Micro-LED transparent display and looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie.
World's First Transparent Laptop at MWC 2024 in Barcelona pic.twitter.com/8zhezoQBjM
— Damn That's Amazing (@ThatsAmazingVid) April 16, 2024
Elsewhere, the upcoming Spacetop G1 is taking transparency to another level by eradicating the traditional laptop screen and enabling users to view a 100-inch virtual screen in front of their eyes instead.
3. Nothing Phone 2a’s Transparent Design
Are you fed up with every smartphone looking the same? Nothing Tech’s special edition of its see-through Phone (2a) is one of the most aesthetically pleasing smartphones thanks to a transparent casing if you want something that better reflects your personality.
Nothing Phone 2:
A Transparent Marvel The Nothing Phone 2 defies convention:Transparent Glass Build: Show off the inner workings.
The Glyph (LED Lighting Array): Customize your phone’s appearance.
50MP Dual Rear Camera + 32MP Front Camera: Stunning clarity.
6.7” Flexible LTPO… pic.twitter.com/Gr6kgcloIL— Abdul Toheed (@toheedsha) August 20, 2024
If you need a quick top-up charge, plug your transparent USB-C cable into your Shargeek 170 Power Bank and ask your friend if your clear craze is out of control.
However, reviews suggest the obsession with uniqueness could also mean style over substance. The Nothing phone may look great, but users must sacrifice wireless charging and put up with so-so camera quality.
Is that a price you will pay to stand out from the crowd, or are you rising and becoming a fashion victim?
4. See-Through Beats Studio Buds, Combining Style & Quality Sound
If you are going to proudly strut around town showing off the transparent casing of your Nothing phone, how will you listen to your music?
The answer, of course, is on your see-through Beats Studio Buds. Best of all, they don’t just look great with the intricate inner workings on display for all to see, but they sound pretty good.
absolutely *obsessed* with the new transparent design for the beats studio buds+
are we finally going back to the era of see-through electronics? 🙏 pic.twitter.com/lqd39Mw5PA
— juan (@juanbuis) April 26, 2023
5. Transparent Xbox Controllers & Retro PS5 Plates
It can be difficult to keep up with the number of Xbox controllers released by Microsoft. However, as the transparent tech trends gain momentum, the transparent blue Sky Cipher release will take you straight back to the 1990s.
Although the latest controller is described as exuding an aura of sophistication and futuristic appeal, it feels more like a nod to the past when everything seemed to be see-through.
🎮 NEW CONTROLLER 🎮
Introducing the 'Sky Cipher Special Edition' Xbox Wireless Controller
Features a transparent blue design, complemented by metallic features and silver interior parts that shine through from inside, exuding an aura of sophistication and futuristic appeal. pic.twitter.com/FhoALIqyVA
— VGT Gaming News (@VGTGamingNews) July 31, 2024
For PS5 fans, we are also seeing the emergence of retro dark plates that enable gamers to transform their modern PlayStation 5 with translucent colors reminiscent of the days of the N64.
The transparent tech comeback is officially underway, but is it sustainable?
Is The Revival of Transparent Tech Trend Sustainable?
Without wanting to be a killjoy, translucent materials, often made from plastics or specialized coatings, can have a significant environmental footprint.
Prioritizing aesthetics over sustainability could lead to the use of less eco-friendly materials, increasing ecological costs.
However, there are opportunities to align transparent tech with sustainability goals.
Manufacturers can innovate using biodegradable, recycled, or sustainably sourced materials and incorporating modular designs, extending product lifespan and simplifying recycling.
The Bottom Line
The popularity of clear tech is much more complex than nostalgia and retro appeal. Sure, it’s a melting pot of these things, but it’s also a combination of aesthetic preferences and technological innovation that reflect users’ need to display their individuality. All while respectfully tipping their hats to the beloved designs of the past.
Audiences are attempting to escape intrusive tech’s clutches and the monitoring of their every move, scroll, tap, and click. But big tech is responding with transparency in a literal sense. Reviving the see-through technology once used in prisons for better surveillance is a move that comes with more than a touch of irony.
FAQs
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References
- Beats Studio Buds + | True Wireless Earbuds, Noise Cancelling – Transparent (Beatsbydre)
- Prison Tech (Youtube)
- 90s_2000s_Culture on X (X)
- Franco Ronconi 🇮🇹 on X (X)
- komocode on X (X)
- Damn That’s Amazing on X (X)
- This is Spacetop G1. The AR laptop for work. (Youtube)
- Abdul Toheed on X (X)
- Nothing Cable (C-C) – Nothing United Kingdom (Nothing)
- Shargeek 170 Power Bank 24,000mAh 170W Portable Charger (Sharge)
- juan on X (X)
- GPT Gaming News on X (X)
- Retro Darkplates » Special Edition Drop » dbrand (Dbrand)
