This is not a poll because there are too many advances to list...but I nominate

the Airbus A380 superjumbo AND the Boeing 747-400ER jumbo jet

the CD player

multimedia PC's

Microsoft's XBox game system

camcorders

digital cameras/webcams

video games, arcade and home versions

HDTV

The Internet, namely public access to the Internet..

cell phones

word-processing software such as Microsoft Word and WordPerfect

Creative software like Broderbund's Print Shop and Create-A-Card...

Digital sound recording

MIDI

How about, um, the mandatory rear window brake light?
:-\\

This is not a poll because there are too many advances to list...but I nominate

the Airbus A380 superjumbo AND the Boeing 747-400ER jumbo jet

the CD player

multimedia PC's

Microsoft's XBox game system

camcorders

digital cameras/webcams

video games, arcade and home versions

HDTV

The Internet, namely public access to the Internet..

cell phones

word-processing software such as Microsoft Word and WordPerfect

Creative software like Broderbund's Print Shop and Create-A-Card...

Digital sound recording

MIDI


most of those are over 20 years old.  (ie MIDI, CD players, Internet, video games, arcade and home versions, etc)

most of those are over 20 years old.  (ie MIDI, CD players, Internet, video games, arcade and home versions, etc)

Lots of consumer technologies had earlier versions either only available in niche industries,or unwieldy prototypes were toys of the the rich, until breakthroughs made the accessible to your average shopper.

This is true of VCRs, cell phones, and comcorders.

One of the products I use all the time, the CD-R, was probably developed in the early '80s, but everybody I knew was still using cassettes until the middle '90s. 

How about mp3's, mini discs, and cellphones with cameras and/or wireless internet :)

How about mp3's, mini discs, and cellphones with cameras and/or wireless internet :)

The internet is a good example of what I was talking about.  Who among the general public had heard of a thing called the "internet" in 1985?
OK, government researchers were using "email" in 1976 in the vesigial "Arpanet" system.  In 1986, scientists and computer geeks were emailing eachother.  I first started hearing the buzz about an "internet" and a "world wide web" in the late 1980s.  By 1992, I certainly saw people using email at the computer labs at my college, but I didn't have my first email account until 1995, and I didn't start using email daily until I signed up for my Hotmail account in 1997.  I still have that same Hotmail account too!

MP3 Players, without a doubt.. of course, they wouldn't have much use without good computers.. and, of course, the internet (which is about 20 years old, isn't it? The first sites I've seen were from 1984-1985.)

MP3 Players, without a doubt.. of course, they wouldn't have much use without good computers.. and, of course, the internet (which is about 20 years old, isn't it? The first sites I've seen were from 1984-1985.)
The internet started out as a communications tool for the military,scientists, and the like...The 'Net was not really a public usage thing, meaning for the everyman, until the early 1990's....but people with a computer that had a MODEM  could access "bulletin board" systems..that was in the 1980's!

Yes the mandatory rear window brake light that Maxwell mentioned earlier has probably saved a lot of cars from wrinkled fenders( as well as saving us humans from whiplash and even worse)...I also have to mention something a lot of first responders as well as police cars now carry to save lives....
The AED(Automatic External Defibrillator)which makes a huge difference in the survival of cardiac arrest victims. There even is a home version of the AED. Along with CPR that has helped a lot of people become SURVIVORS rather than statistics or names on a grave marker.

most of those are over 20 years old. (ie MIDI, CD players, Internet, video games, arcade and home versions, etc)
Most of the early examples of everything I mentioned were really primitive...and sometimes really inferior..to the modern versions used today. A good example....compare the graphics quality of a 1980's video ARCADE game such as Donkey Kong to the Nintendo versions(from Super Nintendo to Game Cube and even Nintendo DS) of the Donkey Kong/Mario games...huge IMPROVEMENTS over the 1980's arcade stuff,graphics AND playingwise!

As for the Boeing 747-400....it was introduced in 1989 and is a HUGE leap, technology and performance-wise over the older(and really aging)747's...It was the FIRST of the 747's to have an all-glass(computerized)cockpit as well as fly-by-wire and improvements to the structure(bigger, more fuel-efficient, longer range)..until the A380 goes into full service, the 747-400 is still king of long-range airline flight(as well as comfort)IMO.

And the 1980's cell phones were 1.plug ugly 2.nowhere near as useful or reliable as today's little cellphones..you can even make a cellphone look cool nowadays.

Heres something interesting:

The Internet!!!
10 years ago...

www.ebaumsworld.com/theinternet.html

Mircowave Ovens...

I would be lost without them...  ;D

Mircowave Ovens...

I would be lost without them...  ;D

The first Microwaves were on the market by the mid '70s, but they weren't too good!  I don't know if you've ever seen one the really old ones from mid '70s, but they were very long and weighed a ton (all-steel casing), and the heating compartment was tiny.  The only reason anybody bought on was they were the new thing.
I remember our next door neighbors got one around 1980.  It was full-size and could do pretty much everything microwaves can do today, so the technology improved drastically in just a couple of years.  Of course, it took folks a while to get accustomed to how microwaves worked.  Your weenie was either still frozen in the middle, or it popped open and gave you a searing steam burn!  The instructions had huge warnings not to put aluminum foil in the oven, but of course somebody in the family always forget and did it anyway.  ZZZZAAAAPPPP!!! 
It was about 1979-1980 that the doggie-in-the-microwave urban legend appeared.  Snopes cites 1983, but I definitely heard kids telling and retelling it by 1980.
http://www.snopes.com/horrors/techno/micropet.htm
According to Snopes, this one was still in circulation in the '90s!
I did know kids who put bugs in the microwave, and I'm sure there were sadists who put gerbils and frogs in the microwave, but I never knew of any!

The first consumer models of anything are terrible by comparison.  I think the first home computer kits were on the market by 1973 or 1974, but there wasn't much you could do with them.  I guess you could write loop programs in BASIC, and you could do calculate the household budget (after expending as much time and effort as it would take to calculate the household budget with pencil and paper for the next hundred years!)

I reckon the coolest technological advance of recent times has been the refrigerator with the Internet connection and build in PC.  ;D

Lots of consumer technologies had earlier versions either only available in niche industries,or unwieldy prototypes were toys of the the rich, until breakthroughs made the accessible to your average shopper.

This is true of VCRs, cell phones, and comcorders.

One of the products I use all the time, the CD-R, was probably developed in the early '80s, but everybody I knew was still using cassettes until the middle '90s. 


You're right.  A LOT of people were still using cassette tapes into the mid 1990s.  Even though I remember seeing many kids with CD players in the late 80s, there were still more cassette tape users until 1994, 1995 or so.

Flat screen monitor
Flat screen TV

most of those are over 20 years old.  (ie MIDI, CD players, Internet, video games, arcade and home versions, etc)


Yeah, but who was using this stuff in the general population 20 years ago? Video games and arcade I will admit had been fairly popular 20 years ago, but it was still rather new technology for most people.

I reckon the coolest technological advance of recent times has been the refrigerator with the Internet connection and build in PC.  ;D
Built by LG, the 'life's good' company, I think..

Yeah, but who was using this stuff in the general population 20 years ago? Video games and arcade I will admit had been fairly popular 20 years ago, but it was still rather new technology for most people.
And as I said before, the quality of most of the things I mentioned has improved A LOT over time...look at the graphics from an Atari 2600 to the 8-bit Nintendo NES....even THAT was a big improvement...and from the game consoles like the NES, and Sega's MasterSystem and Genesis....to the Nintendo Game Cube,both PlayStation 1 and 2, and of course the Microsoft XBox...and the games made for today's systems are better too, graphics AND playability....

The reason I mentioned the AED is that as anyone involved in first aid/responder or paramedic squads as well as ER doctors know TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE when someone's heart stops..and the sooner the heart is started again the less consequences as far as heart or brain damage is concerned..and many times by the time EMT's or paramedics arrive the damage is sometimes done..and the AED is AUTOMATIC and tells the first aider how to use the machine....http://www.heartstarthome.com/content/heartstart_featured.asp

I have to mention computers with CD-R or CD-RW drives...media players like Winamp,Windows Media Player 10, QuickTime,and RealPlayer....and Internet music/file sharing programs such as LimeWire and BearShare...of course this is a music nut posting this...

The Ipod, the laptop, and the dvd.

  The Hubble space telescope, the Mars rovers Spirit & Opportunity, 4.5 second, 335 mph Top Fuel dragsters, Automotive air bags & ABS braking systems, the X43A HyperX project, Burt Rutan's Spaceship One(Antari X-prize winner)

What about these new Blu-ray disc that are set to come out?  I know the PS3 will be adapted to use blu-rays.  What do you all think about them, do you think they will make it or even eventually replace the dvd?  Personally I think it will eventually as a lot of compianies seem to be really grabbing hold of the idea.  It might take time for the public to come around though as I have heard that stand alone blu-ray playes will cost close to $1,000 when they come out.  Which makes the PS3 a steal if it comes out for $400 which I assume it will, which also gives the PS3 a large advantage over the Xbox 360. Plus I think a lot of people will wait untill the whole HD change over that is slowly taking place to finish.

http://www.blu-ray.com/

What about these new Blu-ray disc that are set to come out?  I know the PS3 will be adapted to use blu-rays.  What do you all think about them, do you think they will make it or even eventually replace the dvd?  Personally I think it will eventually as a lot of compianies seem to be really grabbing hold of the idea.  It might take time for the public to come around though as I have heard that stand alone blu-ray playes will cost close to $1,000 when they come out.  Which makes the PS3 a steal if it comes out for $400 which I assume it will, which also gives the PS3 a large advantage over the Xbox 360. Plus I think a lot of people will wait untill the whole HD change over that is slowly taking place to finish.

http://www.blu-ray.com/


They've finally developed one have they?  I did wrote a report on blue light lasers and LED's for my masters about 6 years ago.

No one else thinks the AED that I posted about before is a technical advance? This is a defibrillator that one can use with almost NO training because it's AUTOMATED...On the traditional defibrillator, you had to be extensively trained as in PARAMEDIC or nursing or MD training..this machine saves lives, and yes the average person can use it to save the life of a friend,loved one,  or ANYONE in cardiac arrest...YES it is a big thing, so much so that communities are raising funds to get AED's to put in police cars and fire trucks for first-responder use...even airports and shopping malls have AED's. And for good reason...it takes EMS/Paramedic services at least five to ten minutes..and sometimes LONGER(because of traffic and people who don't yield to ambulances)..to get to the scene of a cardiac event...and sometimes 1)Chest-compression CPR is not always succesful and 2)if the heart is not started within SIX MINUTES of the heart stopping, one can suffer permanent,irreversible BRAIN DAMAGE...possibly making someone a vegetable for the rest of their life.

Under internet:

the GOOGLE search engine

I use it every day.

I think a lot of people will wait untill the whole HD change over that is slowly taking place to finish.


 I certainly am. I almost bought a DVD player/recorder last week since the prices have come down so much, but decided to wait and see which HDVD format is chosen(I hope it's only one) and to see if the new players are backward compatable to the current formats. Last I heard it may be March '06 before the new players hit the market.

There is nothing new under the sun, most of what people see as new inventions are in reality just upgraded versions of already existing things.

There is nothing new under the sun, most of what people see as new inventions are in reality just upgraded versions of already existing things.
Retro Guy..You actually think that about something like the Airbus A380 which is BIGGER than the Boeing 747?..and the AED(Automatic External Defibrillator) which UNLIKE older,conventional defibrillators,does NOT take MD,nurse, or even paramedic training to use..Yes I think stuff like the AED is important. It DOES make the difference when a person in cardiac arrest can be treated quickly, and even BEFORE paramedics arrive on the scene. Enough of a reason for me to put it on the list.

DVD Camcorders

Broadband Internet access

Digital Cameras

TiVO

DirecTV and Dish Network alternatives to cable!

HDTV

and even the Littermaid cat litterbox!

Retro Guy..You actually think that about something like the Airbus A380 which is BIGGER than the Boeing 747?..and the AED(Automatic External Defibrillator) which UNLIKE older,conventional defibrillators,does NOT take MD,nurse, or even paramedic training to use..Yes I think stuff like the AED is important. It DOES make the difference when a person in cardiac arrest can be treated quickly, and even BEFORE paramedics arrive on the scene. Enough of a reason for me to put it on the list.

I don't know anything about the AEDs, the Airbus A380 however might be the second biggest aircraft ever, but the technology it's based on haven't really changed since the 747 was designed, I admit that the A380 have more computers onboard than the original 747 but it's still just an aircraft, and I promise you that a person from 1960 wouldn't feel out of place in the A380.

The GOP-calibrated voting machine!
:D

The GOP-calibrated voting machine!
:D
You mean the ones that allowed Georgie W. Bush to steal the Presidency?

You mean the ones that allowed Georgie W. Bush to steal the Presidency?

:-X

The SEGWAY personal transport..I wish I had a pic of the thing, I'd post it here.

Not quite the jetpack I keep hoping and praying for, but close.

Behold, the Air Scooter:

http://kantel.server-wg.de/images/w_flying4.jpg

According to the manufacturer, this machine costs just under $50,000, which is about how much it costs to get a helicopter pilot's license. The Air Scooter is specifically designed to fall into the ultralight class, which requires no pilot license. The manufacturer also claims that they have simplified the controls enough so that the average person can fly it proficiently with a minimum of training.

I first heard about this on Coast to Coast With George Noory (awaiting smartass flying saucer comment from Max ;)), and the manufacturer said that once the Air Scooter gets into mass production, the price should get down to around $20,000.

I'd pay 20 grand for one of these.

http://www.airscooter.com/index.html

I still can't wait to see the Airbus A380 enter service.

Maxwell is not gonna like me saying this...The F-22 Raptor jet as well as the F-117 Nighthawk Stealth jet..I like peace but let's face it until everyone decides to play nice and not attack each other's countries..fighter jets are like it or not, a reality in defending America..


The newer weather radars and stuff that are more accurate with predicting stuff like thunderstorms, especially supercells that can sprout a tornado...


even vacuums are different somewhat with the invention of the bagless vacuum..

the blood glucose meter that diabetics like myself use to check blood sugar levels has been improved,with the ability to store past test results, and the test strips that go with the meters now require only a small drop of blood for accuracy...and the meter itself is smaller and easier to use.

(I know this goes back more than 20 years, but:)

'Twas a simple Nebraska farmer, William Peterson, who in 1921 devised one of the most brilliant and important inventions of the 20th century. Behold:

The Vise-Grip.

http://defender-outlet.com/clearance_web/_borders/753176.jpg

Marvel at its elegance and its simple ingenuity. If you have done even the most basic of mechanical tasks, chances are you've used one of these and can appreciate its usefulness.

As far as I'm concerned, William Peterson should be posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his great contribution to mankind.

(I know this goes back more than 20 years, but:)

'Twas a simple Nebraska farmer, William Peterson, who in 1921 devised one of the most brilliant and important inventions of the 20th century. Behold:

The Vise-Grip

http://defender-outlet.com/clearance_web/_borders/753176.jpg

Marvel at its elegance and its simple ingenuity. If you have done even the most basic of mechanical tasks, chances are you've used one of these and can appreciate its usefulness.

As far as I'm concerned, William Peterson should be posthumously awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his great contribution to mankind.



Yes, and only authentic 'vise grips' will do, cheap imitations are just that :)

I don't know anything about the AEDs, the Airbus A380 however might be the second biggest aircraft ever, but the technology it's based on haven't really changed since the 747 was designed, I admit that the A380 have more computers onboard than the original 747 but it's still just an aircraft, and I promise you that a person from 1960 wouldn't feel out of place in the A380.
There's a difference in the fact that the A380 uses composite materials for parts of the aircraft's fuselage and wings...also in the cabin...And the A380 is more fuel-efficient than the 747..and has longer range.

To show their appreciation for using their service for one year, my cellular company offered me a deal on a new phone for $50 (after rebate). Having been none too pleased with my old phone, I took them up on their offer. It's one of those flip-style phones with a color screen, it's not much bigger than a Hot Wheels car, and I'm completely blown away as to how much technology they've managed to cram into such a compact package. I may not have my jetpack yet but at least I have Captain Kirk's communicator.  :D

I think my red Game Boy Advance SP is cool..especially that it uses a backlit screen with really clear details(When playing "Time Pilot" I can even see tiny orange suns on the Zero fighters) and an internal RECHARGEABLE battery(the handheld comes with a charging cord that plugs into one of the ports on the unit and plugs into a wall socket)..no more paying $$$$$$$ for batteries...And the games made for it totally RULE. Especially the Sonic games like Sonic Advance 3 and Sonic Battle. I even have The Sims: Busting Out which is cool.

the A380 uses composite materials for parts of the aircraft's fuselage and wings

  Does anyone remember the Beech Model 2000 Starship? It was a radical all-composite tailless twin-turboprop with variable-sweep canards on its nose designed by the great Burt Rutan in 1983. The design resulted in a high performance, no-stall aircraft. At the time there were no FAA guidlines for certification of an all composite aircraft. The Beech Starship finally received formal FAA certification on June 14, 1988. Unfortunately, the conservative certification requirements forced a reduction of its seating capacity from eight to six passengers while its weight increased by more than a ton, diminishing the Starship's performance and economic viability. Plus after FAA certification the price tag jumped to $5-million a copy.
  Recently a Beech Model 2000 Starship was used as a chase plane upon reentry of Rutan's SpaceShip-One, winner of the $10-million X-Prize.

The Internet

I know it was around more than 20 years ago, but practically no one had it back then, only scientists and stuff.  The Internet didn't hit Mainstream untill 1995 with a brand new program called "America Online"

And the CD and DVD Player were nice additions as well

Speaking of CD players...why didn't the MiniDisc player ever become popular here?

Speaking of CD players...why didn't the MiniDisc player ever become popular here?

That's a very good question, I personally like the minidisc, seeing it as better version of the tape, without the risk of getting tape-salad.

Why, the civilian internet of course!

Related:

"Windows turns 30: a visual history"

http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/19/9759874/microsoft-windows-visual-history-30-years

Related:

"Windows turns 30: a visual history"

http://www.theverge.com/2015/11/19/9759874/microsoft-windows-visual-history-30-years



Happy Anniversary Windows.  :)

Anything featured in Computer Chronicles
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The one cool advance in computer technology is definitely the internet radio.

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQxil41ECz-iyvB0uAq8olNr6-gSYe4OnupgJHl-TPRKo9iaRlu