3 Things That Are Disappearing Forever
Everyday items we take for granted will soon be obsolete.

Ten or so years ago, thousands of Blockbuster Video stores were renting DVDs and VHS tapes, and selling popcorn. Now? Poof, gone, nothing. Netflix.
Not everything disappears so quickly or completely, but new tech and consumer choices will spell the end for other items as well. Here are three.
Keys, at least in the sense of a piece of cut brass, are going away. Your smart phone will take their place when it comes to getting into your house, and your car. Yes, there are security hazards, but also huge security gains.

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
You’ll be happy to see the end of blackouts, no? As both customers and utilities add batteries and solar panels to the grid, we’ll all enjoy more reliable power.
Paper books are sticking around, but big, heavy textbooks are not. By the end of this decade digital formats will yield more bang for the buck and will displace physical books for assigned reading on college campuses.
Take a look at seven more things that will soon disappear forever.
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

In his former role as Senior Online Editor, David edited and wrote a wide range of content for Kiplinger.com. With more than 20 years of experience with Kiplinger, David worked on numerous Kiplinger publications, including The Kiplinger Letter and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine. He co-hosted Your Money's Worth, Kiplinger's podcast and helped develop the Economic Forecasts feature.
-
Do You Really Need That Wine Cellar?
Home Features Wine cellars are a popular feature in high-end houses. Will installing one in your home increase its value, or would you be better off with a cheaper solution?
-
Think a Repeal of the Estate Tax Wouldn't Affect You? Wrong
The wording of any law that repeals or otherwise changes the federal estate tax could have an impact on all of us. Here's what you need to know, courtesy of an estate planning and tax attorney.
-
Text-Generating AI Faces Major Legal Risks: Kiplinger Economic Forecasts
Economic Forecasts Major legal risks to text-generating artificial intelligence: Kiplinger Economic Forecasts
-
Add a VPN to Surf the Internet Safely
Technology To help you fight identity theft, consider adding a VPN.
-
Best Video Apps for Staying in Touch
Technology We rate five video-chat platforms for user-friendliness and security features.
-
13 Things That May Soon Disappear Forever (The Pandemic Edition)
Technology Emerging technologies (and now the COVID-19 pandemic) are putting an end to these familiar items and practices.
-
Another COVID-19 Victim: The Touch Screen
Technology Consumers will look askance at anything they’re asked to touch, leading to a surge in app usage and other alternatives to contacting public screens.
-
12 Ways COVID-19 Will Change the Tech Industry
Technology
-
Drone Delivery Gets Closer to Reality
Technology What’s that up in the sky? A bird? A plane? Nah, just your drugstore order.
-
Yahoo Reaches Data Breach Settlement
Technology More than 3 billion Yahoo account holders were affected by the data hacks, which occurred between 2012 and 2016. And a $117.5 million settlement has been proposed.