The Acoustic Headset Early headphone designs — like this pair from the turn of the century, modeled by British music-hall star Zena Dare — were not hands-free accessories.

The Portable Stereo It was a bit of a stretch to call the forerunner to the Walkman "portable" — early models like the one pictured, which was presented at the 1934 London Radio-Fair, were still pretty.

The Calculator Watch The first computer-calculator-wristwatch hybrid, the "Pulsar," debuted at the 1977 International Watch and Jewellery Trade Fair in London.


The Walkman The first Sony Walkman went on sale in 1979 — and it didn't take long for headphones to become a commonplace commuting accessory.


The Headset Radio Via Gary Coleman of Diff'rent Strokes, a throwback to the good old days when you had to wear a foot-long antenna on your head to listen to the radio.


Mini Computers In 2000, the "Brave New Unwired World" fashion show in Minneapolis provided a taste of a future where people would use an array of handheld wireless gadgets to access the "WWWeb


The Bluetooth The wireless, one-ear clip-on was a nautral accessory for Jason Sudeikis's character in SNL's recurring "Two A-Holes" skits — in which he and Kristen Wiig played gum-cracking, technology


The IPod That cute little click wheel now seems as quaint as a flip phone ... which might mean it's ripe for an ironic resurgence.

Google Glass Early adopter Diane von Furstenberg gave Google Glass its NYFW debut when she sent models down the runway sporting the then-mysterious headpieces at her spring 2013 show.