The most popular tech gadget from the year you were born

Matthew Wilson,Zoë Ettinger,Mykenna ManieceApr 11, 2024, 01:40 IST

Steve Jobs holding the first generation iPhone in 2007.Jon Furniss/Wireimage

Technology has undoubtedly changed how we live our lives.
Since 1950, there's been a new technological invention or innovation every year.

It's crazy to think about how in less than 100 years, we've gone from inventing the microwave oven to experimenting with artificial intelligence and virtual realities.

So many of the items we now take for granted were once incredible inventions and innovations, but that's the nature of technology: It constantly changes, improves, and problem solves to the point where younger generations can't even imagine a world without it.

Just look at the cell phone. The first mobile phone was released in 1973, the first smartphone arrived in the '90s, and then the iPhone dropped in 2007 and completely revolutionized the technology.

Now, 90% of Americans own smartphones compared to just 35% in 2011, according to a study released by the Pew Research Center in 2024; and, unsurprisingly, 18- to 29-year-olds are more dependent on them than any other age group.

So, while we all await the next big tech gadget to impress Gen Alpha, take a look at what world-changing product was invented or launched the year you were born (or at least until 2010) and marvel at just how much the world's changed since then.

1950: Zenith Electronics introduced the first remote controls, which were connected to television sets by wires.

One of the earliest remote controls modeled by Rosemarie Bowe in 1951.Bettmann/Getty Images

1951: Charles Ginsburg, a researcher at Ampex Corporation, invented the videotape recorder.

One of the first videotape recorders.SSPL/Getty Images

1952: The movie-watching experience Cinerama premiered in New York City.

1952 diagram showing how Cinerama works.Science & Society Picture Library/Contributor/Getty Images

1953: Richard C. Laramy received a patent for his portable cooler.

Modern coolers like this one are possible because of Richard C. Laramy's invention.Cooper Neill/Contributor/Getty Images

1954: The first transistor radio, the Regency TR-1, was made by Texas Instruments.

Transistor radios.Comstock Images/Getty Images

1955: Tappan released the first microwave oven designed for consumers. It made cooking faster and easier than ever.

A 1955 microwave oven.Bettmann/Getty Images

1956: IBM released the first computer hard drive to be sold commercially.

A computer hard drive.Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group/Getty Images

1957: The first battery-operated, wearable pacemaker was sold to consumers.

One of the earliest pacemakers from General Electric.Bettmann/Getty Images

1958: The first modem, a machine that can translate data, was released, revolutionizing communication and paving the way for the internet.

An old dial-up modem.Shutterstock

1959: Internal pacemakers became available.

The first implantable pacemaker made at St George's Hospital in the UK.SSPL/Getty Images

1960: The portable television reached the market.

A vintage portable television.Lawrence Manning/Getty Images

1961: IBM's Selectric Typewriter was popular.

A man uses an IBM Selectric Personal Typewriter in 2017.Paul Chinn/The San Francisco Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images

1962: Audio cassette tapes were developed.

An audio cassette tape.Lawrence Manning/Getty Images

1963: Douglas Engelbart, an engineer and inventor, created the first computer mouse. It was made of wood and had just one button.

Computer mice.Comstock Images/Getty Images

1964: Bell Telephone's Picturephone went on display at the 1964 World's Fair. Much like video calls today, it let callers see the person on the other line.

A 1964 picturephone in Japan.Bentley Archive/Popperfoto via Getty Images/Getty Images

1965: Duane D. Pearsall and Stanley B. Peterson invented battery-powered smoke alarms that could easily be installed and replaced in homes.

Home smoke alarm.Tetra Images/Getty Images

1966: The industry standard microphone for performers today, the Shure SM58, was released.

A Shure SM58 microphone.Brigitte Engl/Contributor/Redferns

1967: Texas Instruments released the handheld calculator, the first model that could fit in a pocket.

Handheld calculator.mamiw/Shutterstock

1968: Random-access memory (RAM) was invented. It is considered one of the most significant advances in computer technology.

Random Access Memory (RAM).Getty Images

1969: The microcassette was developed by the Olympus Corporation.

A microcassette.Shutterstock

1971: The inventor of the floppy disk is contested, but the device became available.

Floppy disks.Martin Child/Getty Images

1972: Video game developer Allan Alcorn created Pong, which was released by Atari.

Atari Pong.Getty/Sascha Steinbach

1973: Motorola released the first mobile phone. As seen in this photo, they were far clunkier than today's models.

Motorola Vice President John F. Mitchell in 1976.Bettmann/Getty Images

1974: Inside an Ohio store, a barcode scanner was used for the very first time.

A barcode scanner.Shutterstock

1975: Steven Sasson, an engineer at Eastman Kodak, invented digital photography and made the first digital camera.

The earliest digital camera model.Katherine Frey/The Washington Post via Getty Images

1976: VHS, or Video Home System, was developed by JVC, making movies widely available for home viewing.

VHS tapes.Michal Chmurski/Shutterstock

1977: Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs invented the Apple II, one of the earliest home computers.

Apple II computer.Mark Madeo/Future via Getty Images

1978: LaserDisc launched as a home movie rival to the VHS tape and later the DVD.

LaserDisc.Doug Griffin/Getty Images

1979: The Walkman cassette player, which was invented by designer Norio Ohga, launched. It was the first way to listen to music on the go privately.

A Walkman.Science & Society Picture Library/Getty Images

1980: Nintendo engineer Gunpei Yokoi developed the Game & Watch handheld game systems.

Game & Watch series.vsop/Shutterstock

1981: Developed by the IBM Corporation, the IBM Personal Computer was one of the first personal computers on the market.

IBM Personal Computer.Science & Society Picture Library/Getty Images

1982: The first compact disc (CD) player hit the market and changed the way people listened to music.

Philips Model CD100.Science & Society Picture Library/Getty Images

1983: Betamovie became one of the first camcorders available to consumers.

Betamovie camcorder.ullstein bild Dtl/Getty Images

1984: Developed by Apple, the Macintosh launched as competition to the IBM Personal Computer.

An Apple Macintosh.Science & Society Picture Library/Getty Images

1985: Nintendo entered the home-gaming system market with the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES.

The NES.SOPA Images/Getty Images

1986: The Japanese public was introduced to the first disposable film camera on the market.

The Fujifilm QuickSnap.Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

1987: The Sony Discman was a step up from the Walkman.

Sony Discman and headphones.Wesley Foulds/Shutterstock

1988: The Mega Drive gaming console was released in Japan. The following year, North American audiences were introduced to it as the Sega Genesis.

Sega Genesis.GamesMaster Magazine/Getty Images

1989: Nintendo developed and released one of the best-selling video game systems of all time: the Game Boy.

Game Boy.Science & Society Picture Library/Getty Images

1990: Developed by brothers Thomas and John Knoll in 1987, the first commercial version of Photoshop launched in 1990.

Photoshop.Tim Boyle/Getty Images

1991: Researchers at the University of Cambridge accidentally developed the webcam.

A webcam.New York Daily News Archive/Getty Images

1992: Though development started in 1987, the Sonicare electric toothbrush wasn't released until five year later.

A Sonicare toothbrush.Kirk McKoy/Getty Images

1993: The Apple Newton MessagePad, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), went on sale.

The Apple Newton MessagePad.Science & Society Picture Library/Getty Images

1994: The IBM Simon was the first PDA that also had telephone functionality.

IBM Simon versus an iPhone.Rob Stothard/Getty Images

1995: The Virtual Boy was designed by Nintendo as a foray into the world of virtual reality.

Virtual Boy.Retro Gamer Magazine/Getty Images

1996: The DVD player entered the market as a challenger to both the VHS tape and LaserDisc for home media.

DVD player.JUNJI KUROKAWA/Getty Images

1997: Created by Bandai, the Tamagotchi was first released in the United States.

A Tamagotchi.Ted Thai/Getty Images

1998: A precursor to what was to come in the 2000s, the first MP3 music player was released.

The Diamond Rio PMP300.Getty Images

1999: TiVo, developed by Mike Ramsay and Jim Barton, launched.

A TiVo remote.Star Tribune via Getty Images/Getty Images

2000: The first camera phones hit the market, and thus the selfie was born.

A VisualPhone VP-210.YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/Getty Images

2001: The first iPod was released by Apple.

iPod.Getty Images

2002: Launched by iRobot, the Roomba made its debut.

Roomba.Douglas McFadd/Getty Images

2003: Launched by Tiger Electronics, VideoNow was a portable video player targeted at children and teens.

VideoNow.Scott Gries/Getty Images

2004: Nintendo released its highly successful Nintendo DS handheld system.

Customers gather in Tokyo to purchase the new Nintendo DS in 2004.KAZUHIRO NOGI/AFP via Getty Images

2005: The Xbox 360, designed by Microsoft, was released.

Xbox 360.YOSHIKAZU TSUNO/Getty Images

2006: Family game nights have looked very different since the introduction of the Wii.

Reggie Fils-Aime, Nintendo of America's executive VP of sales and marketing, displays the Wii remote and console during the Nintendo media briefing.Bob Riha Jr/Contributor/FilmMagic

2007: Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone, forever changing the world of smartphones.