15th Worst Tech Ever - Iomega Zip Drive

I still own a Zip Drive and occasionally use one but the writer's at PC World think that it's one of the worst tech gadgets ever created (number #15 on the list in fact). I disagree and so do a lot of other people. Now you might argue that a Zip drive is antiquated by today's standards but back in the day, the zip drive was accessible and everyone (I knew) had one.

While some people I knew had CD-burners back in the day (mid 90's), the burner was big (the size of a computer) and very expensive. Zip drives were more accessible to the general population and made it very easy to swap large files.

I first heard about this shameful list from Retro Thing, a blog on gadgets from the past. The people who run Retro Thing, Canadians from Western Canada, have also expressed their belief that the Zip Drive was a great gadget.

The Zip Drive was great for me for two reasons:

1. I archived my work on them
2. I was able to transfer large files to co-workers

I'm saddened by the fact that the writers at PC World don't share the same love that many of us have had for our Zip Drives and as one commenter pointed out:

"It's interesting that the same author put the Zip drive on the 15 worst
list and also on the 50 greatest tech gadets of the past 50 years. So which is
it to be Dan Tynan? You can't think something is the best and then think it is
also the worst? make up your mind."

All I can say is that what freedom is all about, saying things even when they don't make sense. What gadgets do you guys have a love/hate relationship with?

bk_keywords:external drive, zip drive, cd burner.