Five years have passed since the famous list that Time magazine published with the 50 most influential gadgets in history . This classification was a battlefield between those who shared their selection and those who considered it archaic for the times we live in. Computers, glasses, mobile phones, cameras and game consoles were competing for first place at the time. But we must not forget that technology changes by leaps and bounds and what, five years ago, seemed like an icon, today, perhaps, remains a miserable bluff. For this reason, we analyze from the perspective of 2021 onwards all those devices that marked a stage.
50. Google Glasses
Although they were a technological revolution, they never stood out commercially. Now, Apple’s glasses will try again thanks to augmented reality.
49. Makerbot Replicator
Makerbot Replicator PHOTO: File
It’s funny, but this 3D printer is already part of history. Although it is a gadget that has not caught on, it has left its mark on schools and hospitals.
48. Segway
Steve Jobs said that one day cities would be filled with these scooters. The reality is that they did not succeed, but we still find other similar ones on the streets.
47. Yamaha Clavinova Digital Piano
It is part of the history of any musician, whether student or professional. It stood out for its quality and its price.
46. ​​DJI Phantom
DJI Phantom PHOTO: File
Today, we are more than used to seeing drones soaring through the skies. This was one of those that broke ground in 2008.
45. Raspberry Pi
A computer for only 35 dollars. When they hit the market in 2012, their aim was to bring the power of computing into the hands of everyone.
44. Nest Thermostat
The success of this smart thermostat was so great that Google acquired it in 2014 for its project based on the Internet of Things.
43. Osborne 1
It is the first portable microcomputer in history: it was born in 1981, weighed 11 kilos and cost around 1,785 dollars.
42. Fitbit
It is perhaps the most famous pedometer of all time. However, this bracelet, little by little, has been introducing new functions related to health.
41st year
This digital media player convinced a large number of viewers to leave cable television for Netflix, Amazon or HBO.
40. Sony Discman D-50
It is a true classic of the 80s: it was a revolution in music consumption that even, in the middle of 2021, endures in some nostalgics.
39. Oculus Rift
Kickstater’s virtual reality headset quickly became Google’s pet project. He bought it for 2,000 million dollars and is still developing it today.
38. Apple iBook
It seemed more like a toy than a computer, but its impact was brutal: its great feat was to show the planet the advantages of WiFi.
37. Motorola DynaTAC 8000X
Launched in 1984, it is considered to be the first portable phone in history. In fact, for many it is the father of current mobiles.
36. Palm Pilot
Electronic agendas laid the foundations for what, years later, would be smartphones. This is one of the best known.
35. HP Deskjet
It popularized printers among the general public: for less than $1,000, anyone could get their reports and papers in good quality.
34. Nokia 3210
It is a telephony classic: it sold more than 160 million units and marked a good part of the models of the time.
33. Jerrold Cable Box
Jerrold Cable Box PHOTO: File
This wooden box made it possible, in the 1950s, to change the channel without having to get up from the sofa. Something almost science fiction.
32. Wii
Nintendo’s console created a new way of playing in front of the screen: standing up and using the body to compete.
31. Sony PlayStation
This little machine changed the world paradigm of video games, not only because of its hardware, but also because of its wide range of titles.
30. Toshiba SD-3000
This DVD player was in charge of saying goodbye to the already archaic VHS tapes. In fact, the boom it caused made the PS2 incorporate this technology.
29. TiVo
It is the digital video recorder that allowed viewers, for the first time, to watch their favorite content on demand.
28. Amazon Kindle
Bezos’ e-book has not only changed the publishing landscape, but has also made it more accessible.
27. Polaroid OneStep
Polaroid OneStep PHOTO: Archive
There was no need to wait or reveal the clichés: thanks to this camera, users could see their photos instantly and in a very current retro style.
26. Commodore 64
It’s arguably the most widely recognized computer by those in their 30s today: It hit stores in 1982 for $595.
25. Apple iPad
The apple company was the great forerunner of the tablet concept: a kind of minicomputer with everything you need to work and have fun.
24. BlackBerry 6210
This PDA with telephone functions was presented as one of the flagships of the company and a benchmark for the competition.
23. PhoneMate 400 answering machine
For the first time in history, anyone could have an answering machine in their home and listen to the 20 messages (at most) that they could store.
22. GPS TomTom
His voice is more than familiar and his instructions, somewhat contradictory. Still, she triumphed in stores.
21. IBM Think Pad 700C
The role played by this laptop was so important that it is even on display at the MoMa in New York. Quite a milestone.
20. Motorola Droid
It sold more than 800,000 units in just one month: its technical and aesthetic approach to the future iPhone was the key.
19. JVC VideoMovil
In the 80s, video cameras rose as one of the most common products in any home. Partly because of the impact Back to the Future had.
18. Motorola Bravo Pager
Before beepers or pagers, there were other devices that fulfilled the same function: sending very short notices. This is the most iconic.
17. IBM Selectric 361
It is the origin of the electric typewriter. They died of success, after the appearance of the word processors that we know today.
16. Nintendo Game Boy
Nintendo Game Boy PHOTO: File
It is the video game console par excellence: it marked an entire era thanks to titles like Tetris, Pokémon or Zelda.
15. Nintendo Entertainment System
This machine was the great savior of the sector, thanks to its ability to regulate prices and offer quality games.
14. US Robotics Sportster 56K
Surfing the internet in the 90s was an adventure that is fondly remembered today. The first trips through the network were thanks to this modem.
13. Atari 2600
He is an icon of video games. It became popular thanks to its interchangeable cartridge system and its characteristic joysticks.
12. Philips N1500 VCR
This device is the beginning of the type of television that we consume today: it allowed us to record programs to watch them whenever we wanted thanks to a timer.
11. Canon Poketronic
This is the portable calculator that changed the lives of many professionals. It cost $345, a price that dropped to $20 in just five years.
10. Magic Wand
Hitachi’s magic wand appeared on the market to relieve muscle pain thanks to its vibrations. However, it is more famous for its sexual uses.
9. Apple iPod
Although there were already MP3 players before its appearance, Apple’s proposal destroyed all of them and eradicated the CD in record time.
8. Kodak Bownie
It is the name of a long-standing line of simple, inexpensive cameras produced by Eastman Kodak. He introduced the concept of point and shoot.
7. Regency TR-1 Radio
Regency TR-1 Radio PHOTO: File
It was the first transistor radio ever made. It was marketed in 1954 and was very innovative given its small size and its use of batteries.
6. Turntable Vitola
It is very likely that you have recently seen them in a large area. Its vintage style and good quality permeated both decades ago and today.
5. IBM 5150
Without a doubt, it is one of the key gadgets to understand the history of computing: it democratized its access and made it easier for the majority.
4. Sony Walkman
Now that cassettes are back in fashion, this mythical player can be a great ally: sound quality and good price.
3. Apple Macintosh
It was the original personal computer that started a line of products that, today, is maintained thanks to its orientation towards mass consumption.
2. Sony Trinitron
Sony Trinitron PHOTO: Archive
The year that Massiel won Eurovision, the latest television revolution reached Spanish homes: more contrast, more brightness and more color fidelity.
1. Apple iPhone
Year after year, Jobs’s flagship shakes up the market in one way or another. This terminal sets the trend and sets the standard.
