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The first ever transatlantic phone call was between the president of America's ATT company, and the head of the British Generals office. This was an important moment for revolutionized communication. -
The first movie released with sound was created by the 'Warner Bros', and it was called "The Jazz Singer". This approach in film making was significant because it lead to more integration of sound in cinema. -
The walkie talkie was invented by a Canadian named Don Hings. It was originally known as the "packset", but we now refer to it as the walkie talkie. The walkie talkie was especially important for military communication by allowing soldiers to contact one another in real time. -
Chester Carlson invented the printer in 1938 after he invented a dry printing process which is called electrophotography. This invention was significant because it allowed people to share large amounts of information quickly. With the spread of print media, reading was more accessible and affordable for people. -
Although 'The Wizard of Oz' was not the first film to be released in color, it was the movie that set a precedent for future colored movies. -
The first ever electric computer was called the electronic numerical integrator. It was created by John Mauchly and J Presper Eckret. The release was significant because it meant faster and more accurate calculations. -
The first Polaroid camera was called the 'Model 95'. It went for sale first in Boston for $89.75. It was significant because it let users see photos practically right after taking them, without having to send film away to be processed. -
At the 1939s World Fair, the SRI International introducted the first electronic color system. It was finally released in 1954. This transformed the way people were able to see the wall and how they experienced television. -
A technician Robert Dvorak spent around 2 weeks creating a video game called "Tennis For Two". You would play by turning a knob to adjust the angle of the ball, and clicking a button to release it to another player. Video games have changed production and consumption of lots of other forms of media. -
The development of the first computer mouse began in 1960 by Douglas Engelbart. It was carved out of wood and had only one button. This release made computers easier for much more people to use, giving them the chance to point, click, drop, drag, and more much more easily. -
In 1968, Ivan Sutherland created the first VR headset display. It was too heavy to be worn by the user, so instead would be suspended from the wall. VR allowed people to see the world from new perspectives and immerse themselves into new experiences. -
The first mobile phone was created by Martin Cooper in New York City. It was on the market in 1983, however it was far too expensive ($10,000 today), which meant it barely sold. Mobile phones are used all around the world every single day, and are very important in most of our daily lives. -
The Commodore PET was the first personal computer and came fully assembled. It became very popular in schools, and for use at home. -
Chuck Hull produced the first commercial 3D printer, along with the first 3D printed part. The piece itself didn't serve much purpose, but this moment was the beginning of changed manufacturing and prototyping processes.. -
The Nintendo was released in 1983 in Japan. It offered people the ability to play fun arcade games like Donkey Kong on a television set, and quickly became popular. This release was extremely significant to the gaming industry, and lead to the creation of many games like 'Super Mario Bros' that are still well known today. -
Alec Jeffreys discovered the technique of genetic fingerprinting at the University of Leicester. He looked at the DNA fingerprint of a human family, a cow, a baboon, a mouse, and a plant. This discovery has been useful for many situations like criminal investigations. -
The first text message ever sent said "Merry Christmas" and was sent by Neil Papworth. It was sent using a computer to a mobile phone. Text messaging has revolutionized the way that people communicate with each other, allowing us to contact one another through our devices easier. -
The DVD was invented and developed in Japan. The first movie that was commerically released and available to play on the DVD player was 'Twister". With the DVD available, preople were now able to enjoy their favorite movies from their homes. -
GPS started being available in vehicles in 2001 because of growing technology and shrinking receiver size. This lead to personal navigation devices in civilian vehicles such as Garvin and Tom tom. This was significant because it revolutionized navigation and made travel easier for people. -
The iPad was announced by Steve Jobs, the Apple CEO at a press event for the company. It offered a 9.7" display, and over 15 million units were sold within the first 11 months. The iPad offered a new way to experience content, and its intuitive interface made so it was accessible to all ages. -
Apple Pay was announced by the CEO of the company in 2014. It was marketed as a better alternative to credit/debit cards, and it is now the most popular digital payment service in the United States. It was significant because it allowed people to pay for things using their phones, without having to rummage for cards or cash. -
The apple watch, originally released in 2015 offered people a way to track their heart rate, track their fitness and more. This event helped people to be more attentive to their health though apps that were available right on their wrist! -
In 2016, Apple released one of the first true pairs of wireless earbuds. They sold 14-16 million sets of Airpods in the first year. Airpods are significant because they are convenient to use and allow people to isolate themselves using personal audio in public locations. -
ChatGPT was first launched in 2022. It was developed by OpenAI, led by Ilya Sustkever and Dario Amodei. The release lead to widespred use in article writing, to programming code, and more. -
The Apple Vision Pro is a mixed-reality headset that was developed by Apple. They became available for purchase in Feburary 2024, in the United States.