Believe it or not, consumer technology has been on the go since the 1970s. Admittedly, it’s been through some major changes between then and now, but each wave of consumer tech has added another dimension to our lives. Let’s take a look at the landmarks, from start to finish:
● In 1972, we weren’t looking at high-resolution video games – we were looking at some very basic graphics to say the least. In 1972, there was the now-legendary Pong. Although it might be unbelievably basic by today’s standards, Pong was the first commercially successful video game in history and put Atari on the map.
● 1977, along with the release of Star Wars, saw the introduction of the first home computer. Made by Apple, it was far bulkier than anything you’ll see today, but it took up space in schools and homes across the world. The age of the home computer had arrived.
● 1979 saw Japan introduce the first analogue automated cellular network and – hey presto – mobile phones started to become an important part of the way we communicated. Pretty soon after, mobile networks were springing up all over the globe. Mobile phone technology was now the fastest expanding branch of technology in history.
● 1982 saw the release of the CD. While you might not consider that to be so groundbreaking, consider this: since its release, the CD remained the standard way to store digital data, until the creation of the MP3 in 2009.
● 1983 saw the release of the first computerized payment solutions software. Intuit Pay founder Scott Cook developed the idea after hearing his wife complain about how hard it was to manage her accounts. QuickBooks is now the world’s leading payment solutions software, used by over four million businesses worldwide.
● In 1985, Nintendo released its first ‘Family Entertainment System’. The Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) put Nintendo on the map and made the company one of the wealthiest in Japan.
● 1989 saw Nintendo follow up its success with the release of a handheld version of the NES – the iconic ‘Gameboy’. In the same year, laptops flooded the market, having previously been eschewed in favour of PCs. Apple, Zenith and IBM were among the first to popularize what is now a staple of home and office.
● In 1993, the Pentium Microprocessor was released, making laptops and PCs even faster.
● 1995 saw the first real challenger to the NES, in the form of Sony’s Playstation. This used discs instead of cartridges and sold a whopping 1.2 million units within its first year. Nintendo and Sony continue to go head-to-head, being the main contenders in the computer entertainment market.
● 2001 saw Apple release the first iPod. Although CDs were still very much in use at the time, this paved the way for a new method of digital storage – the MP3.
● In 2007, Apple revolutionised the world of mobile phones, with the release of the iPhone. With more functions than most computers, the iPhone soon became an indispensable tool for consumers and businessmen alike.
● 2008 saw the release of the first apps, paving the way for the app explosion. Today, apps are available for everything from astrology to payment solutions.
● 2010 saw Apple leaping to the fore again, with the release of the iPad; another tool snapped up by consumers and businessmen.