Low-Tech to High-Tech: The Evolution of the Top 5 Most Popular Gadgets in the World
The beauty of technology is that things get better overtime. As researchers and scientists get a better understanding of the science behind things, they also come up with findings that would eventually help innovators come up with gadgets that will help everyone on the planet. To a certain degree, we have the collaboration of the greatest minds to credit for the many conveniences we enjoy today.
Social media is one example of that. In the old days, it was only used to connect with other people on the internet. Now, it can be used to share information, sell goods, and more. Read below to find out how many of the things we know now have evolved over the years.
Vehicular Music Players
Let us start with something that everyone can relate to. Whenever we go on a road trip, music is non-negotiable. There is nothing better to break the monotony of pressing the gas, hitting the brake, steering the wheel, and repeat than good old music. Back in the day, cars were outfitted with Highway HiFi. This was the vogue, especially back in 1956 and having one then meant you were either a geek or a rich kid. Vinyl records that could be played on them rotated at the speed of 16.5 rpm.
When technology improved, inventors came up with the Blaupunkt Melbourne SD27 MP3 tuner. There was no need for CDs, tapes, or records anymore. Listeners could simply insert an SD card and the music in that card would play.
Eventually, we now have a touch-screen entertainment system that gets the music from the cloud and virtually consumes less electricity.
TV Sets
Geeks and housewives were once the primary audience for TVs because they generally stay home. That was why soap operas and science fiction movies were a vogue back in the day. TV sets then were large, due to the presence of a cathode ray tube at the back.
As technology advances, engineers found better and more efficient ways to show people the “picture.” Plasma and LED were invented and they were then put into TV sets, paving for the slimmer ones we see today.
Computers Through the Years
Did you know that your smartphone has more computing power than NASA ever did when it launched the Apollo missions? And yet they were able to show a moon landing to millions of people, while we use them to create silly videos. Nothing against silly videos, of course. Over the years, computers have evolved from something that fits in a room, to a miniature that could fit even in pockets.
Computers like the ‘40s-era ENIAC and the UNIVAC, which can be given credit as the grandfather of all computers were all clunky and needed a lot of ventilation to work. Nowadays, desktop units also need ventilation, but this can be achieved more efficiently, thanks to thermal pastes, good design, and miniature chips.
Cars and Other Vehicles
People have made investments in cars and vehicles throughout the years that they are now technological marvels. Of course, the first modern vehicles were powered by loud and noisy engines that could only go as far. The 1950 Studebreaker, for example, is a rather weird-looking vehicle, which was seen in the movie, The Mask. It can be called a miniature car, but it is nowhere near the capabilities of today’s modern cars.
Over the years, engineers had improved the vehicle’s combustion, its steering and even the aerodynamics. Even its carbon footprint had been largely reduced, with the invention of electric vehicles. Now, the question is whether we will see flying cars soon.
Wristwatches
There was a time, when the only function of a wristwatch was to tell the time. Well, it also had a social function, telling other people how much investment money a person has, but that is beside the point. The first Casio digital watch was a bit clunky and had a telephone dial switch. It was not chic at all, but did tell the time.
Now, wristwatches do not only tell the time, they can also monitor a person’s steps, their heart rate and distance traveled. Soon we might see a home security system linked directly to the wristwatch.