Multimedia

  • Jan 1, 1439

    Printing Press

    The first mechanical Printing Press is created in Germany by Johannes Gutenberg.
  • String Telephone

    Robert Hooke invents the string telephone.
  • Speaking Telegraph

    Innocenzo Manzetti moots the idea of a speaking telegraph.
  • Speech-transmitting Telephone

    Phillip Reis constructs the first speech-transmitting telephone.
  • "Gallows" Telephone

    Bell uses a bi-directional "gallows" telephone that was able to transmit "voice like soudnds", but not clear speech.
  • Electro Dynamic Reciever

    Thomas Edison experiments with acoustic telegraphy and in November built an electro-dynamic reciever.
  • Liquid Transmitter

    Elisha Gray designs a liquid transmitter for use with a telephone but did not build one.
  • Telephone

    Alexander Graham Bell invented the the first words into the telephone.
  • Telephone Line

    The first long-distance telephone line is created.
  • Telephone Exchange

    The first experimental Telephone Exchange occurs in Boston.
  • The Scientific American

    The Scientific American publishes the invention from Bell, which did not have a ringing system.
  • Candlestick Telephone

    The Candlestick Telephone is invented around the 1890's.
  • Teledensity

    The U.S becomes the world leader in teledensity.
  • Lots of phones

    Over 3 million phones are in use in the U.S.
  • ABC Computer

    John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry design a prototype of the ABC computer (the first automated digital computer).
  • ENIAC

    John Mauchly and J. Presper Eckert design the ENIAC (Electronic Numerator Integrator and Calculator), the first successful high speed digital computer. However, it used the same concepts that Atanasoff and Berry used to build the ABC computer.
  • Cell Transmission

    Bell Labs engineers propose a hexagonal cell transmission for the mobile phone.
  • Period: to

    The Internet is created!

    The internet was created as part of a U.S Research project in the 1960's, but it wasn't until the 1980's that the internet that we know (and sometimes love) today came into being. It was then commercialised in the 1990's.
  • Programma!

    The Programma 101 is released. It is the first commercially available 'Desktop Computer'.
  • Wearable

    Edward Thorp creates the first wearable computer that he uses to help him win games of roulette.
  • The Brown Box

    A prototype for the first multiplayer, multiprogram game system is developed.
  • A phone call

    Martin Cooper places a cellular phone call to Dr. Joel S. Engel, the head of research at AT&T's Bell Labs. This begins the era of the handheld cellular mobile phone, and a multimedia revolution.
  • Microsoft

    Microsoft is founded by Bill Gates.
  • Apple 1

    The first Apple 1 Computer is sold.
  • Apple

    Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak.
  • Apple 2

    The Apple II computer is released.
  • SONY Walkman

    SONY introduces a portable audio cassette player.
  • SONY Camcorder

    Sony introduces the consumer camcorder.
  • Floppy Disk Drives

    Sony releases the first Floppy Disk Drives and disquettes.
  • C64

    Commodore introduces the C64 Home Computer.
  • NES

    The Nintendo Entertainment System is released. It later goes on to become one of the greatest consoles of all time, rated only behind the Sega Dreamcast.
  • Macintosh

    Apple Computers releases the Macintosh computer.
  • DOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

    The classic video game Doom is released. It goes on to be ranked as one of the best games of all time.
  • Nintendo 64

    Nintendo releases the Nintendo 64, a home-gaming console equipped for 3D and Colour gaming. It spawns several popular game titles such as Super Mario 64, Donkey Kong 64, Lylat Wars 64, and Pilotwings 64.
  • Dreamcast

    SEGA releases their final console, the first in the generation six console series. It is designed to be a cheap alternative to the previous SEGA consoles.
  • Xbox

    Microsoft released the Xbox straight into the foray of the sixth generation consoles.
  • Under Development

    Valve Corporation is beta testing for their upcoming game platform, Steam.
  • Live and kicking

    Microsoft releases Xbox live, a fee-based online gaming service for their console, the Xbox.
  • Steam Powered

    Valve Corporation publicly releases their games platform, Steam.
  • Half Life thr----two

    Valve Corporation releases the game Half-Life 2. It goes on to win many game awards and also begin a craze for Half-Life 3, which unfortunately still persists to this day.
  • Wii

    Nintendo releases the Wii. It's controller allows simulated hand movement usable in most games released for the console.
  • Kinect

    Kinect is released for Xbox 360. It allows the user to move in front of a camera and have his movements read by the game.
  • Move

    SONY releases Move for the playstation. It looks quite unwieldy, though its concept is similar to that of the Wii Controller.
  • Glass

    The Google Glass Prototype released to certain beta participants. Google Glass was a type of wearable technologoy utilising an optical head-mounted display, or OHMD. The technology featured on the Google Glass included a Touchpad, a camera, and a Liquid Crystal on Silicon display that could be seen by the wearer.