The alarm clock, the personal computer, the smartphone and the radio are all part of the best gadgets that changed the world and probably you, like millions of other people, are already enjoying them. Although today we tend to take technology for granted, not so long ago we managed with what we had and didn’t complain. Sometimes we forget how handy a memory stick is, but we have no idea who invented it and when exactly it was released, because it seems to be around for ages. So, we made a short list of the most useful gadget, that influenced our lives, for the better, of course, making them a lot easier.
Table of Contents
1. The Digital Video Recorder
When the sales of digital video recorders topped 2 million units in 2002, advertising and television companies were afraid that it was going to be the end for television films because it gives viewers a chance to skip commercials. Even today, these devices are also found in over 40% of homes, but most prefer the convenience to watch TV and not put them into operation.
2. The Memory Stick
An engineer at Toshiba, named Fujio Masuoka, developed the concept of the flash memory, the name being given because the process of copying or deleting information on this stick occurs as rapidly as a camera flash. The project was implemented only in 2000, when the first USB flash drive with a storage capacity of 8 Mbytes was released. Information just became portable and very easy to be transferred.
3. The Printer
When it first appeared on the market in 1984, the first laser printer Hewlett-Packard was $ 3500. Today printers are much cheaper, but ink cartridges are still expensive. If you want to purchase a printer, the information you can find on Ten Mania can make your choice a lot easier. Anyway, we welcome this discovery which is very useful in the office or at home.
4. The CD-ROM
The first computers needed numerous floppy disks, and it took as many as four of them for one game because of the fact that their storage capacity was limited. The CD-ROM came as a breath of fresh air by allowing all users to store a lot more information, music, games, movies and pictures.
5. The DVD Player
The prototype of the first DVD player was made by Toshiba in 1994 and it looked like a ball of yarn which failed to reach a form that could be released on the market. Although it took a long time to manufacture, the DVD quality far surpassed that of a VHS. Remember which movie was first released on DVD support? None other than “Twister” in 1997, a year after it was released in cinemas. The movie stared Helen Hunt, Bill Paxton, Cary Elwes.
Can you think of any other gadgets, simple ones of course, that make your life, both personal and professional, a lot easier? Could you imagine not having them around?