Although we live in a time when technology advances every day and gadgets become “obsolete” in a matter of months, we always end up looking back with a fondness for the good old days. The arrival of the new Nokia 3310 is a just one sign that we’re not the only ones remembering the past with a certain yearning. That’s why we’ve created a list of Android apps that give you options to relive the past in different ways.
YayCam Retro
Nowadays, thanks to smartphones, everyone and anyone has quick access to a camera. But it hasn’t always been quite so easy to take pictures. The use of 8mm cameras has become a remnant of the past that’s hard to even find, let alone use today. But that doesn’t mean we can’t simulate that feeling, and many more, with this app that uses filters to simulate the results you’d get using these cameras from the early and mid 20th century. Give your photos and videos an interesting effect with this blast from the past. [Download]
Retro LCD
There was a time when LCD screens were a real technological acheivement that we all couldn’t wait to use. If you want to relive those times, or you want to give your Android device a vintage touch, there’s no better way than with this very special launcher. That said, in order to use this layer of customization, you need to have Smart Launcher installed first. After installing both apps, you just have to choose Retro LCD from the customization options included in Smart Launcher and then you can start enjoying some good old-fashioned monochrome nostalgia. [Download]
Gudak Pro
It’s time to return to the time of disposable cameras thanks to Gudak Pro. Well, or at least something like that, since this app turns your smartphone into an old-school camera with all the inconveniences that come with the territory: camera rolls with a limited number of photos and the painstaking time it takes to wait as your photos are “developed.” It’s a peculiar app that’s here to remind us of the value of photography in these times when we can take as many photos as we want until we get bored. [Download]
RetroBrowser
Here we have an app that’s like a time machine for the internet, letting you discover how tons of webpages used to look in past years. RetroBrowser is a great browser that lets you choose the date you want to visit certain websites and see what they looked like at that time. It’s a pretty useful tool that lets you see the evolution of the world wide web and also to look back at websites packed with animated GIFs and midi music. [Download]
SuperRetro16
There are emulators everywhere you turn, but we have a certain fondness for this one for Super Nintendo thanks to its interface that shows you the actual gamepad of yesteryear. We could make 134 lists with emulators and games that travel to the past, but we think that this is a great example of those times of TV dinners in the living room and the legendary games from Super Nintendo. [Download]
Classic Calculator
We’ve already talked about the many useful calculator apps available for Android, but this specific example offers an additional feature: to convert your smartphone into an old-school calculator with everything that comes with it. You have a ton of different customization options to choose the calculator that you like most at any moment. The only thing missing is the sound of the keys to get the full experience. [Download]
Old Phone Ringtones
Among the almost endless customization options that our smartphones offer, one of the features that provides the most possibilities is the ability to set almost any sound as a ringtone. But it hasn’t always been this way, and thanks to this app you can use some of the classic sounds of older cellphones. It’s a curious app that’s here to give your current phone a unique touch. [Download]
XP Mod Launcher
We don’t have to go back eons to relive the past along with our smartphone. Windows XP came into the world in 2001 and became a design emblem that everyone remembers. Although it never made it to our smartphones and tablets, Android is a system with alternatives for everything. Thanks to XP Mod Launcher, you can get this classic interface on your device. It may not be the most efficient interface anymore, but it does serve as a way to let you relive the good old days you spent glued to your computer screen in the early 2000’s. [Download]
Snake
There are many, many videogames in the world. But if we had to choose one classic of all classics for mobile devices, there’s no doubt that at the very top of the list, we’d find the legendary Snake. This simple game was revolutionary back in the day when we all used the classic Nokia cell phones. This app not only lets you play Snake, it also emulates the entire interface of these classic phones and you even have to use the buttons to move the snake around. [Download]
Retro VHS
For most of us, smartphones have replaced video cameras of years ago in terms of recording moments of our daily lives. Retro VHS is here to let you relive those bygone days when you used to have to rewind those VHS tapes. This camera records as if you were in the 80’s or 90’s, including some image filters that are pretty similar and even the typical static lines that used to bother us so much. [Download]
