1. Hand-powered drills — Using a drill in the early 19th century was not simple.
2. Dial-up Internet , or having to be plugged into the wall to access the Internet.
3. Hard disks — WOW, storage.
4. Altering photos without Photoshop — Skilled photographers in the 1900s developed a system of image manipulation to superimpose things into photos without the use of a computer. 
5. Computing without powered objects — Mechanical calculators were powered by motors.
6. Human-powered cranes — Until the Industrial Revolution, humans used their own skill and strength to lift objects that leveraged on cranes like the one below.
7. Wind-powered factories — In 1850, The Netherlands had 5 times more windmills than the country's present number of wind turbines. 
8. The optical telegraph — The 18th century version of e-mail. How quaint!
9. Water-powered factories — These Boat Mills floated in the water, acting as a very important source of power throughout the 1800s.
10. Hand-powered apple peelers — Back in the day, apples needed to be completely skinned by hand before they were put into food and drinks. These peelers were extremely popular between 1850 and 1890.
11. Wooden gas vehicles — The producer gas cars converted organic materials into power for the car to run on. These vehicles became popular in Europe during World War II when fuel was rationed. 
12. Snow Scooter — A popular tool in the 1920s.
13. Electric road trains — This trolleybus system was commercialized in the 20th century by German engineer Max Schiemann.
14. Water motors — People used tap water as an extra source of power before the 19th century. Users would attach water turbines to the tap to power any device that would now require electricity. 
15. Hand-operated vacuum cleaners — It looks like a buoy, doesn't it?
Story via Low Tech Magazine
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