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Purchasing anything that consists of mechanical parts or requires electricity is like dating: As soon as you pick out the one you want, a better one comes along. (And it's a helluva lot cheaper to maintain, too.) So, you ditch that one to go to the next, only to have the same thing happen once again. When does the madness end?

This kabuki dance -- catalyzed by Apple, Best Buy and your wallet -- is not a one-time occurrence either. Below you'll find 13 of the latest gadgets, gizmos, and doohickeys to get kicked to the curb and the newer box of lights and wires that replaced them. Quickly read it before the Internet becomes obsolete.

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Disappearing Gadgets
Hang on to that razor, it could be gone before you know it. Click the image above to find out what other gadgets are going away and what you need to replace them.
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Disappearing Gadgets

    Zip Drives
    We're not sure what exactly killed this former computer storage rockstar, but it's as good as dead now with the proliferation of flash drives capable of holding gigabytes of data. However, if you're in the market for cheap paperweights, it's your lucky day.

    Wikipedia (2)

    Fax Machines
    A staple of the work office, the only people still using this contraption are people who are actually employed, which, with rising jobless numbers, is becoming a rarity itself. And, frankly, "Fax me the jpeg!" just doesn't sound efficient anymore.

    Wikipedia (2)

    Crossbows
    Unless you're living in the Amazon rainforest or are filthy rich, you're probably relying on a regular ol' handgun for protection nowadays. Probably all the better: While shootings are up, drive-by bowings are way down.

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    Telephone Modems
    Sure, your snazzy high-speed Internet may be a breath of fresh air now, but you were the shit when dad brought home that shiny new 28.8 baud modem. Not only did that new Boyz II Men song only take 45 minutes to download, you could open up more AOL chat rooms windows and your favorite GeoCities site loaded up twice as fast. Whoa!

    Wikipedia (2)

    Film Cameras
    The YouTuberati culture has demanded that their media be easy to digitize and companies have been happy to oblige. Handheld gadgets like the Flip Mino HD are fast becoming the norm for taking those embarrassing videos that help you remember what happened between the hours of 2 and 5 AM during the latest house party.

    Getty Images (1) / theflip.com (2)

    Muscle Cars
    GM is on a respirator and Pontiac is getting the boot in favor of slick-handling import tuner cars straight out of Fast & Furious. Yet, another industry Vin Diesel has ruined.

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    Dustbusters
    That thing your mom used to break out now and then to clean up all of the Frosted Flakes that somehow made it under your bed is very nearly a thing of the past. In its place, iRobot's Roomba robot vacuums are sucking up the competition. (But your mom is already plotting against it.)

    Wikipedia (2)

    DVDs
    Yes, it is in fact going away, no matter what anyone says. Blu-ray sales are growing and GE's new holographic storage technology, capabale of holding up to 500 GB of data, is in the works.

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    Manned Military Aircraft
    One reason why we're not incurring World War II-type losses in recent military operations is new unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) like Predator drones that are used for both intelligence gathering and bringing the pain. The other reason is because France isn't fighting.

    Wikipedia (2)

    Single-edge Razor Blade
    C'mononly poor people use these! Why not switch over to the new Gillette Fighter Jet 45, complete with 53 sharp blades ready to take all of the hair, cellular membrane, and cheek muscle off of your face. Replacement blades only cost 73 dollars each!

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