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Roland TR-808
The TR-808 was originally released by Roland Music Instruments in 1980. It is a digital drum programmer that allowed the user to create, save and replay digital drum beats. While originally being criticized for it's "unrealistic" drum sounds, the 808 earned a cult following as the 80's progressed. To this day the sound of the 808 has been used in countless hip hop records and is considered instrumental to the futuristic sound of techno and other forms of dance music. -
Compact Disc
The first commercially available compact discs were released in 1982. Originally designed by James T. Russell, a lover of music who was seeking a better playback system than vinyl records. The CD allowed an unparalleled level of data to be stored in a compact and easy to carry format that is still used today, as well as being the precursor to technologies such as BluRay. -
Motorola DynaTAC 8000x
Originally created by Martin Cooper of Motorola, the DynaTAC8000 was the device that started the mobile phone craze that has steadily grown to this day. The device was heavy and only offered 30 minutes of talk time for a 10 hour charge, but it changed the way people communicated on the go. Martin Cooper is considered the father of the mobile phone. -
Apple Macintosh
The Apple Macintosh was designed by Steve Jobs of Apple Computers. The Macintosh released in January of 1984, and while expensive at the time, it was the first commercial PC with a GUI interface which would change the way people used computers forever. It was the device that launched Apple's success that lead them to become the company they are today. -
Nintendo Game Boy
The Game Boy was released in 1989, and was one of the first handheld gaming devices. The Game Boy allowed users to play games via interchangeable game cartridges on the go, letting people enjoy digital entertainment any time and any where. The beginnings of mobile gaming started with the Game Boy, yet another craze that has only gotten larger as the years have come.
