Technology+Advancements+in+the+1990s+-+2000s

= = == = = =**__Overview__**=  The technological advancements in the 1990s and 2000s were the most significant and drastic technological advancements made in modern history. The addition of items such as the modern personal desktop computer, the Internet, the mp3 player and the digital camera ultimately changed the way people lived their lives and communicated between one another in the early 90s and 2000s.

=__The Personal Home Desktop Computer__= Before the invention of the personal desktop computer, computers often took up the entire room. Early computers, such as the TX-2, completed programs such as engineering drawings, processes now considered menial to the modern day computer user. Apple's invention of the home computer in 1977, the Apple II, completely revolutionized the home. Selling for $1,195, a price considered affordable and modest for a computer at that time. The Apple II had 16K of RAM, but didn't include a monitor (screen). The Apple II had capabilities such as an external floppy disk drive, external speakers, and specialized programs which included the game, "Breakout."

Since then, advancements in the home desktop computer have occurred in leaps and bounds. In 1984, Apple released the [|Macintosh] (Mac, in short.) The Macintosh was the first computer to fully utilize the mouse, and was sold for $2,500.

In the early 90s, computers became portable, no longer needed to be plugged into a power source. These computers were called "laptops," because they could be used on top of one's lap. The first commercially successful laptop was the Macintosh Portable, Apple's first laptop. Laptops became increasingly popular within the student population because they could be brought to school.

=__The Internet__=

Arguably the most important technological advancement in the 1990's was the creation, and release of the commercial [|internet], or the World Wide Web (WWW). Starting off as a networking project in the University of Minnesota, Microsoft quickly launched its own internet browser, Internet Explorer, which was later released as a standard internet browser with the release of the Windows 98 OS. The internet allowed people to communicate in a way never experienced before. News and media could be immediately viewed, and "snail mail" and the writing of letters were severely outdated with the creation of "email," or electronic mail. Now, internet is readily accessible from almost every computer, and even mp3 players and cell phones. The Internet, now essential to all business, is used for social networking as well as business.

=__The Digital Camera, and the mp3 Player__= The digital camera was also a revolution in the 90's. No film was needed to take pictures, and pictures were of better quality. Pictures were easier to take, store, and share (electronically). The true digital camera started with the Fuji DS-1P. However, this camera was not always readily available, and didn't even ship to the United States. The first commercially successful and accessible digital camera was the Dycam Model 1, also known as the Logitech Fotoman. Released in 1990, this camera had digital storage for the pictures so they could be later moved onto a computer.

With the release of the internet, pictures could be shared over the World Wide Web. Also on the WWW was the movement of music to the digital age, which leads to the next innovation, the mp3 player.

The first commercially released and fully usable mp3 player was the Audio Highway Listen Up. This allowed for people to take digital music files with them, wherever they went. However, the biggest breakthrough in the field of the mp3 player was the creation and release, of Apple's (the same company that released the Apple II in 1977 and Macintosh in 1984) iPod. The iPod stored its digital files on a hard drive inside of the chassis. The iPod series, being the most popular of mp3 player models, have expanded to include the recent iPod Touch, a mp3 player capable of internet access.

Technological Advancements: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2016146/technological_advancements_of_the_1990s_pg2.html?cat=15 History of the computer: http://www.pbs.org/nerds/timeline/ History of the Internet:http://www.isoc.org/internet/history/ Apple II history:http://apple2history.org/ WWW - [ http://www.w3.org/WWW/ ]http://www.w3.org/WWW/ Pics: Top - [ http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/barclay/eniac.jpg ]http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/barclay/eniac.jpg Mac Top - [ http://news.cnet.com/i/bto/20080528/Apple_iMac_Leopard_540x324.jpg ]http://news.cnet.com/i/bto/20080528/Apple_iMac_Leopard_540x324.jpg TX-2 [ http://sophia.javeriana.edu.co/~ochavarr/computer_graphics_history/historia/images/1963_SketchPad_TX2.jpg ]http://sophia.javeriana.edu.co/~ochavarr/computer_graphics_history/historia/images/1963_SketchPad_TX2.jpg Macintosh 1984 - [ http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/phaidon/image/9_843-apple-macintosh.jpg ]http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06/05/phaidon/image/9_843-apple-macintosh.jpg Apple II - [ http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/07/504x_Apple_II_solo.jpg ]http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/4/2009/07/504x_Apple_II_solo.jpg Nikon - [ http://www.nikonweb.com/dcs100/dcs_8631_top.jpg ]http://www.nikonweb.com/dcs100/dcs_8631_top.jpg Audio Highway Listen Up - [ http://web.media.mit.edu/~nitin/msthesis/www/Image10.gif ]http://web.media.mit.edu/~nitin/msthesis/www/Image10.gif iPod classic - [ http://www.pink-ipods.com/pics/ipod-first-generation.jpg ]http://www.pink-ipods.com/pics/ipod-first-generation.jpg
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