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1982 - CD
CDs became the preferred format for music, gaming, entertainment and storage. Not only did they store high-quality music, but they were also great data storage mediums, and they were able to store the equivalent data of 450 floppy disks. Back then remember, a megabyte was a huge amount of data, and a CD could hold 700 of them. -
1984 - The Clapper
Allowing users hands-free control over their home lighting, the Clapper was an instant success – as well as the fodder for many a sitcom punchline due to their sometimes patchy accuracy. The inventor is unknown. -
1985 - Microsoft Windows
The world's most popular computer operating system can also trace its roots back to the 1980s, with the release of Windows 1.0 in November 1985. Microsoft Windows put a computer on every desk and in every home. It was invented by Bill Gates. -
1986 - Disposable Camera
The disposable camera came into existence in 1986. The camera took the world by storm with photography companies like Kodak, Canon, and Nikon quickly flooding the market. It was revolutionary. Cameras were expensive and complicated. The disposable cameras were easy to use, cheap and readily available. Though the camera did not take over the photography market, disposable cameras became a staple of tourism. The inventor is a company called Photo-Pac. -
1989 - The Game Boy
Handheld gaming is commonplace today, but the impact Nintendo's original Game Boy had when it was released in 1989 can't be underestimated. Suddenly gamers were no longer tethered to machines in their bedrooms but could take their entertainment wherever they wanted – even outside. And with launch titles including Tetris and Super Mario Land, the Game Boy proved to be one of Nintendo's greatest launches and a bona fide cultural icon. The inventor is Gunpei Yokoi.
