By Todd RussellTypically, I write these articles and move to the next. I’ve been writing and publishing online for a long, long time about a variety of topics, but commonly technology, entertainment and gaming. Words written and published across multiple publications are in the millions.
Today, let’s look back at a Summer Vacation post from 20 years ago. Our family planned a cross-state vacation in a 2005 Saturn Relay. Here’s the map of the planned travel:
I clipped this using my M1400 Tablet PC and planned the trip using Microsoft Streets & Trips 2005!
Keep in mind this was well before the iPad. The iPad first was released in May 2010.
These days, in 2025, we consider tablets to be fairly commonplace. Now, what other gear did we pack into this trip?
Let’s recap those game systems traveling with: Xbox, PS2 and the PSP. We burned podcasts to CDs, so we could play those. What’s missing 20 years ago that would be commonplace today?
Streaming. No cloud game streaming and internet everywhere was neither affordable or readily available wherever you went, so that wasn’t happening either, however I did have a card for the tablet PC that did provide internet — certainly not as fast as what’s available with hotspots through various cellular carriers these days.
We did use a drum stand as a mobile writing desk:
While traveling through Peoria, Arizona we stopped and caught a Diamondbacks baseball game and played another type of game:
Sadly, I don’t remember playing baseball bingo, but do remember the trip and the game. I had to look up if this was still a thing to do at the games and, yes, it is.
A quick internet search for “baseball bingo” led me here: https://www.bingocardcreator.com/bingo-cards/baseball/