Checks have been obsolete a long time in most of Europe already. I’ve never written one and I’m 35 years old. I last handled any in 1997 when I got a few as high school graduation gifts, that’s it. I do remember my mother writing them back in the 80’s and maybe early 90’s.
- The mailbox.
- The vehicle registration card (ya know, the one you show to the officer who just looked it up on his computer anyway).
- Hopefully the doctor’s handscribbled drug prescription.
My local NPR affiliate broadcasts on the AM band. 
Porn magazines.
I’m betting it is one of these: Conventional light bulbs. Wired AC chargers. JiffyLube type businesses.
Public libraries. How many people borrow books nowadays? If they didn’t provide movies for rent and Internet access, they’d be ghost towns.
The Mensa Bulletin still exists? I was going to use it as my offering for the thread.
I don’t think a lot of the things being mentioned will become really obsolete unless poverty ceases to exist or other things cheapen enough that make those things obsolete, and that is not happening. A lot of the “this will become obsolete” come from positions of privilege.
I can see others, like Ravenman’s comment on conventional light bulbs, which could become real. The bulbs seem to be out-phased even at the shops, and you are starting to see more options for fluorescent lightbulbs and a decrease in the price for those as when compared to the regular bulbs.
BTW, what would make you think that JiffyLube would become obsolete?
While physical keys may eventually cease to be the primary method of unlocking [whatever], prudence suggests the complete removal of mechanical access control would be unwise.
The service interval for cars is being extended by double, triple, or more compared to older cars. As cars get more efficient, I think the business based around cars getting several oil changes a year is going to unravel.
Why would home printers become obsolete? I don’t see that happening. Landline phones have too much invested in the infrastructure to become readily obsolete. Unless I have slipped a decimal point, the entire AM band is about the size of one FM station, so freeing it up just isn’t worth much and there will be enough opposition to sink that idea. Libraries will always be important, at least research libraries. And they are into e-book lending in a big way. Sadly, newspapers and books my be on the way out.
Few things die out completely. I guess horse-draw trucks have, but that is a rare example. There was an article in our paper about people who love manual typewriters; some are enthusiastic about the mechanical carriage return! I use checks all the time. My doctor doesn’t take plastic and I have to pay him for a few things (like lab tests). My US cell phone company will not take a CC number from me because I don’t have a US address, so I have to send them checks. I needed to rent some medical equipment last winter and it cost $400 by check, $420 if I used a CC. On the other hand, our motor vehicle agency charges $4. extra if you pay by check. But you cannot pay online; you have to go to a bank and they will charge you if you don’t have an account. Not any back, just three banks are authorized for this.
oh it is going to be ok (dismissive wave) , it’s not like a house will ever end up in a lake.
In the US, a fax has a special legal status- you can fax a signature. So they aren’t going away any time soon.
Can’t stop laughing.
I agree. But who ever said Humans were logical?
Interestingly, some of the “secure” fob operated doors I’ve installed have locked as the default power out position which has to be manually over ridden. And we also installed conventional locks in the same doors for use during any extended power issues. The doors are easy to manually open from the inside with power out, btw. Fire code, ya know…
Some Star Trek eps had devices for opening their auto doors. Picard used them in Starship Mine, I think Kirk had to use something in a TOS ep (can’t recall right now)
24 million items circulated last year just in my building says you’re a bit wrong about that.
A while back, my girlfriend and I had to evacuate from a hurricane. We took the cat and the parrot and rented a motel room about 3 hours inland. Unfortunately, that wasn’t far enough, as the city was pummeled and lost all power.
We got locked outside the room, while the pets were inside. Our key cards did not work, and the maid and the manager also could not get into the room. After hours of trying and contemplating options, we went with the manual override. A sledgehammer.
Good for you, and I’m glad the manager recognized the dilemma.
Lots of great responses so far. I agree that the fax machine has to go. We’ll figure out the legalize of signatures.
I’ll say simply that hard cash is on it’s way out.
Print resources out-circulated nonprint 3-to-1 in my system during the last calendar year, and physical circulation outperformed downloads 50-to-1.