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Audio Cassette Tape
The Philips Company of the Netherlands invented and released the first compact audio-cassette in 1962. They used high-quality polyester 1/8-inch tape produced by BASF. Recording and playback was at a speed of 1.7/8 inches per second. -
Spacewar
It was in 1962 when a young computer programmer from MIT, Steve Russell fueled with inspiration from the writings of E. E. "Doc" Smith*, led the team** that created the first popular computer game. Starwar was almost the first computer game ever written, however, they were at least two far-lesser known predecessors: OXO (1952) and Tennis for Two (1958). -
BASIC
BASIC (standing for Beginner's All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was written (invented) in 1963, at Dartmouth College, by mathematicians John George Kemeny and Tom Kurtzas as a teaching tool for undergraduates. BASIC has been one of the most commonly used computer programming languages, a simple computer language considered an easy step for students to learn before more powerful languages such as FORTRAN -
Soft Contact
Adolph Fick first thought of making glass contact lenses in 1888, but it took until 1948 when Kevin Tuohy invented the soft plastic lens for contacts to become a reality. -
Compact Disk
A compact disk (cd) is a popular form of digital storage media used for computer files, pictures, and music. The plastic platter is read and written to by a laser in a CD drive. It comes in several varieties including CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW. -
Calculator
Born 1857 Rochester, N.Y - Died 1898
In 1885, Burroughs filed his first patent for a calculating machine. However, his 1892 patent was for an improved calculating machine with an added printer. William Seward Burroughs invented the first practical adding and listing machine - National Inventors Hall of Fame. -
Computer Mouse
Douglas Engelbart changed the way computers worked, from specialized machinery that only a trained scientist could use, to a user-friendly tool that almost anyone can use. He invented or contributed to several interactive, user-friendly devices: the computer mouse, windows, computer video teleconferencing, hypermedia, groupware, email, the Internet and more. In 1964, the first prototype computer mouse was made to use with a graphical user interface (GUI), 'windows'. Engelbart received a patent -
Computer Memory RAM
Drum memory, an early form of computer memory that actualy did use a drum as a working part with data loaded to the drum. The drum was a metal cylinder coated with recordable ferromagnetic material. The drum also had a row of read-write heads that wrote and then read the recorded data. -
arpanet
On a cold war kind of day, in swinging 1969, work began on the ARPAnet, grandfather to the Internet. Designed as a computer version of the nuclear bomb shelter, ARPAnet protected the flow of information between military installations by creating a network of geographically separated computers that could exchange information via a newly developed protocol (rule for how computers interact) called NCP (Network Control Protocol). -
Bar Codes
The first patent for a bar code type product (US Patent #2,612,994) was issued to inventors Joseph Woodland and Bernard Silver on October 7, 1952. The Woodland and Silver bar code can be described as a "bull's eye" symbol, made up of a series of concentric circles. -
ipod
On October 23, 2001 Apple Computers publicly announced their portable music digital player the iPod, created under project codename Dulcimer. The iPod was announced several months after the release of iTunes, a program that converted audio CDs into compressed digital audio files, and could organizes your digital music collection. -
Youtube
YouTube was invented by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim out of a garage in Menlo Park. The inventors became millionaires when they sold their invention for 1.65 billion dollars to the search engine Google. -
Harman Kardon TC 30 Remote
Harman Kardon TC 30 Remote Anyone can set up this universal remote control. Connect it via USB to a computer, answer a few questions, and it takes charge of your home theater, presenting you with plain-English options like "Watch DVD." harmankardon.com $300 -
Optoma MovieTime DVD Player/Projector
Optoma MovieTime DVD Player/Projector Want a cinematic experience but dread wiring up all that equipment? MovieTime is an all-in-one home theater. It projects DVDs on the wall or a screen, with player and speakers inside a tidy 8-lb. box. There's an external subwoofer too. www.optoma.com $1,500 -
Sonos Wireless Music System
Sonos Wireless Music System It's an easy way to pipe music from a PC around the house without tearing up the walls. Each ZonePlayer hooks up to a stereo speaker. Wander with the user-friendly remote, and music jumps from player to player. sonos.com $1,200 and up
