Most Important Inventions of the 21st Century in Technology
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1. iPhone. In the 21st century iPhone became one of the most popular gadgets, bringing the term "smartphone" to a new level. The first model was officially presented by Apple Inc in January 9, 2007. Users were able to buy the handset starting June 2007. Today the iPhone can be used to make videos and pictures, listen to music, watch clips and more. The users get the device with both Wi-Fi and 3G connectivity. The most impressive, however, is the multi-touch touchscreen that boasts fast response to touch. Users have the possibility to use a myriad of applications that can be downloaded from the App Store or third parties. These applications have different functionalities - users can play games, activate GPS navigation, browse social networks, watch movies and more. Currently there are 4 generations of iPhone models.

2. iPad. This is another revolutionary device from Apple. After the launch of the iPad a lot of tech companies started creating their own tablet computers that could rival Apple's gadget, which in short time became the most popular tablet computer on the planet. The iPad can be used for audio-visual media. Thus users can read books and periodicals, watch movies, listen to music, play video games, and surf the web. The size and weight of the device are ranked between modern smartphones and laptop computers. Just like its smaller brother iPhone, the iPad features a multi-touch display with a large virtual keyboard. The users can surf the web using a Wi-Fi data connection. It is possible to load and stream media, and install software. There are iPad models that also boast a 3G wireless data connection.

3. Google's Driverless Car. A driverless Toyota Prius equipped with radar sensors, video cameras, as well as laser range finder, has been launched by Google. The world's first driverless vehicle traveled 140,000 miles without any issues during its trip. The new technology is a step towards the development of a safe driverless transportation system on city streets. The first steps in the creation of such systems were made in the military field, but Google was the first to come up with a system that allows a vehicle to drive along busy city streets. The main goal of the Silicon Valley-based company is to create a safer and more efficient transportation system that would reduce the number of car accidents.

4. Electric-Car Charging Stations. With the development of a large number of eco-friendly vehicles some companies started developing special EV charging stations where drivers have the possibility to fill up their batteries. Thus owners of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid and electric-gasoline vehicles will no longer be limited to domestic wall socket. In the 21st century the need for publicly accessible power points is in continuous rise. Today we can witness a number of large installation designs like Park & Charge located in Europe and Better Place found in the United States.

5. Flip Mino. This small device became extremely popular at the beginning of the 21st century, becoming America's most popular video camera. Flip Mino has an internal drive that allows storing up to 1 hour of video clips. Thus users are not bound to video tapes or memory cards when shooting videos. In addition, there is no need to purchase batteries for the device as it can be recharged using PC connection. One of its biggest advantages is simplicity in use. To start or stop recording the user only has to push one red button. The USB connector allows the user to easily upload videos on YouTube or on their computer.

6. Nintendo Wii . This video game console was launched by Nintendo on November 19, 2006. Its main competitors are Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. However, the Wii has one distinguishing feature from Xbox and PS3 - users can play video games by making use of special wireless controller called the Wii Remote. The latter detects the user's movements in 3D. In December 2009 the console managed to break the record for best-selling gaming console in one month in the US. As of May 2011, Nintendo's device is the leading console in sales around the world, followed by PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

7. Google Android. This software stack for handheld devices that features an operating system, middleware and key applications was developed by Google Inc. Today Android is the most popular operating system for smartphones. To develop and launch Android, Google worked together with members of the Open Handset Alliance. Android represents a large community of developers that create applications for various uses. So far the Android market boasts more than 200,000 apps. It is worth mentioning that Android Market is the online application store run by Google. However, users also have the possibility to load apps from third-party sites.

8. The Tesla Roadster. The Tesla Roadster was the world's first commercially available battery electric sports car. It was developed by Tesla Motors, a company based in California. Until March 2011 Tesla managed to sell 1,650 Roadsters in 30 countries. In 2010 Tesla started developing right-hand electric vehicles for the British Isles, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore. The most impressive feature of the vehicle is acceleration. The car can shift from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds. The Tesla Roadster can also reach a top speed of about 130 miles per hour. The company claims that the vehicle can register a maximum range of 220 miles per charge.

9. YouTube. The world's most popular video-sharing website was created by three former PayPal employees back in February 2005. In November 2005 Google acquired the website for $1.65 billion. The website allows users to upload, share, and watch videos. A lot of content available on YouTube is uploaded by individuals. But media corporations also like to use this popular service. Some of the companies that upload videos on YouTube are CBS, BBC, Vevo and Hulu. Everyone can watch videos but only registered users can upload. The number of videos one can upload on YouTube is unlimited.

10. Facebook. The famous social networking website was launched in February 2004, being developed by Mark Zuckerberg and his college roommates. Facebook boasts over 600 million active users, being the most popular social networking website in the world. It allows users to create a personal profile, make online friends, and exchange messages. In addition, the social network makes it possible for users to join common interest groups. The service's name comes from the colloquial name for the book that university administrations in the United States give students at the starting point of the academic year.



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Дата: 2019-02-02, просмотров: 249.