The 2000s were a time of rapid advancement in the world of technology. The decade was particularly fruitful for gadgets, which spread far and wide during the era. Consider these ten leading innovations.
The USB Flash Drive
These portable drives made adding enormous amounts of storage as simple as snapping one into a USB port. USB drives made storing files more natural and more accessible for a significant percentage of the population. In fact, the USB Flash Drive remains a powerful storage device even today.
The Sony PlayStation 3
Games and more casual users fell in love with the PlayStation 3 because it helped introduce several firsts. These firsts included games with remarkable graphics. The console itself offers tons of multimedia support for music, photos, Blu-Ray Discs, and DVDs.
The Blackberry
In 2002, Research in Motion, a Canadian telecom equipment manufacturer, released the Blackberry. The device quickly caught on with business users, who helped propel the brand to the top. The company no longer makes the Blackberry, which lost out to Apple and Google in the mobile phone space.
iPhone
iPhones hit the market in 2007 and changed how people perceive their phones forever. The device had much more power and features than competitors and dominated the landscape. Apple introduced its App market, and people were able to download thousands of apps to make their phones more functional and robust. The iPhone continues to be a prized possession for many to this day.
Amazon’s Kindle
The release of Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader in 2007 had a profound impact on how people consume books. Not only did the device give people a different way to read, but it also prompted authors and publishers to come up with an infinite variety of new offerings.
Garmin GPS
Garmin introduced its GPS for cars in 2000, and it changed people’s attitudes about driving. Now, anyone could easily access GPS coordinates to help map their latest driving adventure. Now GPS systems are available in many different models and formats. Garmin brought the idea to the masses and remains popular.
Apple’s iPod
In 2001, the music industry was facing an existential threat from digital music and pirating. The iPod, along with its accompanying iTunes musical library, paved the way for people to access their favorite tunes legally. Apple licensed music from the top acts and provided a way to monetize digital content that is the blueprint for other services even today.
Camera Phones
The Sharp J-SH04 was the first phone to introduce a camera. That was the start of the selfie movement that still continues. This model was the first to hit the market, and it came with a CCD sensor. This feature empowered users to snap pics on the go. Camera phone users have been doing that ever since.
The J-SH04 proved the commercial potential of camera phones and remained a top feature. Now, it’s almost impossible to think of a camera without a phone.
Facebook first hit the scene in 2004 and began to attract its global user base. The site was initially aimed at Harvard students. After it caught on in Harvard, the hype burned even brighter, and worldwide users piled on to create profiles. Facebook was the most successful of all social networking apps created to this point. These days, 2.37 billion visit the site every month.
YouTube
In 2005 YouTube hit the scene and changed the concept of streaming permanently. Now, even amateurs could create and distribute their video content with no barrier to entry. The site hosts billions of videos from creators all over the world. YouTube continues to grow, and users upload over 300 hours of videos every day.
Conclusion
As you can see, the 2000s were a very productive time for inventions, many of which continue to dominate their markets even today.