Whenever I think of 8 track I remember the rolls of tape used to splice them back together. But it was the first tape format to be in cars and I love driving with music playing.
As far as tin can and string, that may be an upgrade in communication today, since no one under 40 can talk on a phone today but text instead. You know, kinda like the ancients who scrawled messages on cave walls..
Smoke signals have been modified today. No blankets necessary. Just set a city block on fire if you don't like things and don't get your way. Or if you win a league championship you set a building on fire. You tell the difference between joy and sadness by the size of the smoke. Little means fun. Big means run