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Telegraph
Western Union completes the first transcontinental telegraph line, providing fast, coast-to-coast communications during the U.S. Civil War. -
QWERTY
Christopher Latham Sholes of Danville, PA and his colleagues, Carlos Glidden and Samuel Soulé developed the first practical typewriter (and the QWERTY keyword.) -
Audio Theatre
Alexander Graham Bell issued a patent for the Telephone on March 7th. By the early 1800's many experimental uses were attempted for this invention including what was later called "Audio Theatre" -- plays and readings performed over the telephone. -
Bell Telephone
Emile Berliner invents the first microphone and sells the rights to Bell Telephone. -
Light Bulbs
Edison issued a patent for the electric incandescent light bulb; wires part of New York with DC current to power street lights and lights in wealthy homes. -
70-RPM Gramophone + Disks
Emile Berliner invents the flat record player ("gramophone") using acoustic horn and licenses technology to record companies who make "70-rpm" disks. -
Sound Recording
Danish inventor Valdemar Poulson invents magnetic wire sound recording. -
JukeBox
Louis Glass invents the modern jukebox (coin-operated phonograph) and installs it at the "Palais Royal" saloon in San Francisco where it is an immediate hit. -
Flat Disks
Eldredge Johnson perfects first system of mass duplication of pre-recorded flat disks. -
Standard Speed Turntables (Victrola)
RCA Victor's "Victrola" model record player is introduced. It has a variable turntable speed control to accomodate the wide range of phonograph records produced at that time; Victor's speeds ranged from 71 - 76 rpm. Columbia was producing discs as 80rpm. Some British disks even rotated between 66rpm - 90rpm; Although U.S. phonograph manufacturers agreed in 1928 to standardize on the rate of 78.26 rpm, it still took decades for more standard speeds to be used worldwide. -
Disk Recordings
Disk recordings overtake cylinders in the popular market. Columbia drops cylinders. -
Electric Records
Electrical records replace acoustic discs, via a process developed by Western Electric. -
Video FX
Vitaphone introduces a sound system to synchronize music and sound effects with a motion picture. -
NBC
NBC -- the "National Broadcasting Company" begins as the first radio network. -
Period: to
1850-2011
