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Graphical User Interface (GUI)
Created by a team at Xerox Corp’s Palo Alto Research Center and popularized by Apple, GUIs made computers more accessible to the general public. Prior to GUI was the command line interface which required careful, line-by-line input to perform tasks. Generations are picking up computers faster and faster thanks to simple, sleek GUIs. -
Camcorder
Sony created the first line o camcorders, opening up a world of memories for many families. Prior to the camcorder, a family would have had to use a movie camera that was expensive, tedious and lacked audio. With the camcorder birthdays, weddings and more could all be recorded onto VCRs for easy, portable access. -
Answering Machine
The early answering machines used cassette tapes to send and receive messages and a microprocessor to allow playback. The digital one that popularized them was invented by Dr. Kazuo Hashimoto and allowed people to stay connected through busy schedules. -
Mobile Phone
A team at Motorola launched the first mobile phone (commonly referred to as a brick phone). It was invented so that companies could keep in touch. It was extremely expensive and seen as a sign of wealth to have one. -
CDs
Typically credited to James Russell, the compact disk made music clearer, could store more, and was even more portable than cassettes.