# AOL discontinues dial-up, and now your grandkids will never know that classic, scratchy handshake sound – here's why that's a shame

> The classic dial-up handshake sounds melodic, scratchy, and harsh, and is inexorably associated with connection. It’s also now silent.

- **Source:** [TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/computing/aol-discontinues-dial-up-and-now-your-grandkids-will-never-know-that-classic-scratchy-handshake-sound-heres-why-thats-a-shame?utm_source=gearopen.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=feed&utm_content=689a373795de710c847997cc)
- **Published:** 2025-08-11
- **Category:** Computers & IT
- **Tags:** #dial #classic #handshake #scratchy #discontinues #grandkids #never #shame
- **Canonical:** http://localhost:4321/a/689a373795de710c847997cc

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_GearOpen's distilled summary. The full original article is published at TechRadar (source link above); GearOpen does not republish the source's full text._