Author: John Knowles

When it comes to communication, nothing sped things up more than the telephone. Instead of waiting weeks or even a month for a letter, you can get an important message out with a phone call. Here are 5 things you may not have known about the telephone. 

“Hello” Wasn’t the First Greeting

Apparently, Alexander Graham Bell said “Ahoy” for the original greeting when you would call someone or receive it. However, Thomas Edison changed it to what we now know as “Hello.”

Alexander Graham Bell Wasn’t the First Inventor

There were various pioneers of this invention. However, Antonio Meucci is often credited with developing the prototype called the “teletrofono.” Bell was able to expand on this invention by creating a sound transmission that could travel a distance. 

The Telegraph Was the Precursor 

Before the telephone, the telegraph was used to transmit written messages over long distances. The telephone expanded on this technology by incorporating sound waves. Pretty cool, right? 

The First Phones Had Manual Switchboards

We take this for granted these days, but people were hired to work the switchboards. You needed a phone operator to get you through long-distance calls. 

Deaf Community Inspired the Invention

Bell’s wife, Mabel, was deaf. She actually loved the concept of the phone and Bell grew interested in telecommunication to help her restore her hearing. It’s pretty interesting to see how things have evolved.

Streaming services have become the norm these days. However, Napster basically started people listening to music solely online. iTunes has put a stamp on music and showed people the way of creating something they can listen to at home or on the road. Here are 5 unique facts about iTunes.

Launched With Over 200,000 Songs 

iTunes launched in 2003 with exclusive tracks from artists, such as Eminem, U2, Sheryl Crow, and others. It became a thing to create a playlist that you can organize on your computer to sync to your iPod.

Took the World By Storm in One Week

In just one week, it sold over 1 million songs. Not to mention, 130,000 iPods were sold in that same week. It showed that Apple had the potential to create the most successful online music platform. 

Two Months Later It Sold 5 Million Songs

Jobs was pleased with this success, and it showed that people wanted to buy music online legally. It became a significant thing for the new age technology to create a pathway between the platform and the consumer. 

It Became the #1 Retailer 5 Years After the Launch

Just 5 years after the launch, iTunes became the #1 retailer in the U.S. Yes, it even beat out Wal-Mart at that time. 

Motorola Was the First Company to Incorporate iTunes With Their Mobile Phone

The first mobile phone that allowed access to iTunes was the Motorola ROKR. Users could download 100 songs to it and listen whenever they wanted. There was a convenience that made things much more enjoyable. While the ROKR wasn’t successful, it paved the way for Apple to create the iPhone and expand on things. 

Computers have been around for decades. The first ones used to take up a whole room. These devices are here to stay to help us with different aspects of life. Here are 6 interesting facts about the history of the computer. 

Computers Were Originally Designed to Crunch Numbers

The U.S. had an explosive population growth in the 1880s. It took nearly 7 years to complete the census results. However, the room-sized punch-card-based computers helped the government do things a bit more efficiently. 

The First Electronic Computer Was Built in 1937

Clifford Berry and Dr. John worked on the first computer. The unit was called the ABC but the first computer title was the Colossus. The first generation of computers weighed 39 tons! You need a whole squad to carry this out. 

The First Web Browser Was Called “WorldWideWeb” 

It was invented by Sir Tim Berners-Lee. It was renamed “Nexus” at a later date. 

The First Computer Mouse Was Wooden 

Douglas Engelbert was the first man to invent a computer mouse in 1964. He originally referred to it as “X-Y Position Indicator for a Display System.” However, when he looked at the device and saw how the cord came out the back, it reminded him of a mouse. The rest is history. 

It Was Tough Sending the Word “Login” on the Original Internet 

In 1969, a University Progress in Los Angeles tried to send another professor at the University of San Francisco the message “login” and the internet collapsed. They had to shorten it to “lo”. However, the programmers were able to transmit the entire word about an hour later. That’s crazy, right? 

Most of the World’s Currency Exists on Computers

Apparently, about 10% of the world’s currency is in physical money. This isn’t too surprising with credit card transactions, mobile transactions, and now cryptocurrency getting its fair share of the action. 

Netflix has been a staple for the past 14 years. What started out as DVD rentals turned into something much bigger. Even with Netflix taking big losses in the past year, you can’t deny that Netflix changed the way we view shows and movies. Here are 6 interesting things about Netflix. 

Netflix Started in 1997

Serial entrepreneurs, Marc Randolph and Reed Hastings began the company in Scotts Valley, California. Users would rent movies from the Netflix website and get the DVD in the mail. Once they were done, they’d mail it back.

Blockbuster Had the Chance to Buy Them Out 

Netflix wanted to partner up with Blockbuster. Blockbuster also had the chance to buy out Netflix for $50 million. However, they didn’t see the vision. Too bad because they went bankrupt in 2010 by not being able to keep up with the new streaming technology that many people adopted. The brick-and-mortar model became a thing of the past.

The Video Streaming Component Was Introduced in 2007

Netflix started out with the “Watch Now” feature, which allowed users to watch tv shows and movies on their personal computers. The only gripe is that it only worked on Internet Explorer and PCs. It had just 1,000 titles to watch but it was a start. 

It Became Global in 2016

Different places throughout the world started to get a piece of Netflix and began creating their own content. In fact, Netflix invests billions of dollars in just original content. 

The U.S. Views 80% of Original Content on Netflix

While Netflix has many other properties and of course different deals for syndication, the original content is what breeds the most success in the U.S. 

70% of Netflix Users Binge-Watch 

It’s not surprising because Netflix has a thing where they literally segway into the next episode in a matter of ten seconds. It catches your attention span and keeps you locked in before you know it. 

Apple has been a staple brand in the world for nearly 40 years. It has a rich history that continues to thrive with electronics, media, and other avenues. Here are 5 things you may not have known about Apple. 

Apple Has Three Founders

Of course, we know about Steve Jobs (RIP) but Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne were also a part of it in 1976 when they were trying to sell the Apple I personal computer kit. 

Steve Jobs Left Apple But Came Back 

In 1985, Jobs wanted to start his own career path and started up NeXT. However, Apple began to decline by the late 80s. CEO Gil Amelio knew that Apple needed to innovate. Not only did Apple buy out NeXT but they rehired Jobs to help take them to another level. 

Steve Jobs Hated the Name Macintosh

Remember, the first Mac that came out? Well, Jobs was not a fan of the name. Jobs became interested in Jef Raskin’s Macintosh project and thought it was fine for a codename. However, he thought it was “too cute” for a product name in the market. He wanted to change it to bicycle, but the suit-wearers shot the idea down. 

Apple Believes in a Lucky Ensemble 

Of course, Jobs sported the iconic black turtleneck, blue jeans, and new balances. We know that Mark Zuckerberg sported the heather gray t-shirt and jeans for quite some time. Maybe there’s a method to the outfit? 

The First iPod Came With an Easter Egg 

Jobs and Wozniak did some early work for Atari and developed the game “Breakout” for it. If you went to the “About” menu and held down the center button for around 3 seconds, you could play “Outbreak” while listening to music. Pretty cool full-circle thing, right? 

While we see YouTube today as one of the best places to view content, there’s a lot under the surface. YouTube is an amazing tool that helps people stay connected through entertainment, personal videos, and more. Here are 6 intriguing facts about youTube. 

YouTube Started in 2005

It was founded on Valentine’s Day 2005. Also, the first video was uploaded from San Diego Zoo on April 23, 2005. 

Partially Funded By PayPal (Indirectly)

The three founders Chad Hurley, Steve Chen, and Jawed Karim all worked for PayPal at one point before eBay bought them out. They used their bonuses to create YouTube, that’s still one of the most powerful social media networks to this day. 

Google Bought YouTube for $1.65 Billion in 2006

Of course, that’s a lot of money. However, that pales in comparison to YouTube’s near $300 billion value today. 

It Was Originally a Dating Site 

Apparently, it was a video dating site called “Tune In Hook Up.” While this didn’t pan out, it became the most popular video site. There are over 1 billion users on YouTube, which is nearly ⅓ of the world population. 

Music Is King

The most popular topic searched on YouTube is music. It’s not a surprise because of the connection of Vevo and YouTube. Artists also can monetize their channels with Google Adsense and get a piece of the profits. 

YouTube Makes Billions Off Advertising Each Year

The annoying ads you watch on there before, during, and after the video actually add up quite a bit. YouTube makes over $13 billion per year in just ad revenue.

The Industrial Revolution saw a lot of technological breakthroughs that set a foundation for a lot of the modern things we have now. There’s a lot of history behind this age that still doesn’t see the light of day. Here are 5 interesting facts about the industrial revolution. 

It Started In Great Britain 

Like a lot of things, necessity is the key to innovation. It all started with the Spinning Jenny and continue from that point.

Created a Shift From Agricultural and Manufacturing

Before going into an industrial society, it was 80% agriculture. However, work machines, such as the Chinese Plough and other tools lessened the workload. 

Capitalists Became a Dominant Force 

The innovation of machines helped more factories come out and create products. The more people had the tools to produce, the more they can own their things. This led them to become very rich and contribute different things to society. 

Led to Many People Migrating to Big Cities 

People that lived in rural areas began to migrate to big cities for jobs. This helped to increase Great Britain’s coal production 20-fold between 1815 to 1914.

The Steam Engine Changed Everything

James Watt invented the steam engine in the 1760s. While it was originally built for expanding cotton production, it led to the invention of steam trains. This was a big thing because it shortened the time people commuted to different cities. Also, it can transport mail, produce, and other items much quicker. 

One of the forefronts of new technology is the coding mechanism. Whether it’s building a website, an app, or an electronic device, there’s some form of coding involved. Kids should get an early start to help them cultivate their skills. Here are 6 reasons kids should learn how to code. 

Helps Them Build Logical Thinking 

When they’re learning how to code, they have to think about things in a logical manner to solve any issues. The better they’re able to think, the more they can excel in other areas. 

Learn How to Collaborate 

There may be a group project where each person works on a piece of coding to help develop something. It teaches kids to work as a group and how to communicate. This is a valuable skill they can apply to the workforce later in life. 

Gets Them to Think Outside of the Box 

Learning how to code also helps them tap into their creative juices. They can do something constructive after school or on the weekends before going to other activities. 

Build a Well-Rounded Experience 

Coding is like learning a different language. You have people all over the world learning the same coding techniques. This can help introduce kids to people from different walks of life, which will help them become more worldly. 

Get Scholarships for College 

Maybe they can enter a coding contest or get better grades in advanced science work that will look great on a college application. They might be able to show off their skills in a way that can help them get scholarship money to different schools with excellent science and designing programs. It’ll help them save money and strive for bigger goals in life. 

Have a Flexible Career

Becoming proficient in coding at a young age can help them learn how to build a brand before they have adult responsibilities to handle. Also, they can get hired by different tech companies. It proves lucrative whether they freelance or work a 9-5. 

Technology has really changed the way the world looks. Everything from the way we do things, the learning curve, and how it steps things up for the future all have an impact. Here are 6 types of technology that have changed the world. 

WiFi

Just imagine living in a world without WiFi. You can’t picture it, right? Most of the world has WiFI access to help bridge the communication gap. From phones, computers, vehicles, and everything else, WiFi made it easier to speak in our personal and professional lives. 

MP3

Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker (he was also a pivotal player in taking Facebook to the next level) changed the way how music was consumed through “Napster.” Honestly, it was the foundation of file-sharing of different things without having to do it through email. Think of this as the precursor to streaming music. Nowadays, you don’t really find it to mean people buy physical copies of music because it’s much easier to download or stream everything. From mp3 players to using your mobile device, we listen to music in a brand-new manner. 

Apple iPhone

When people talk about everything in your pocket, you can’t bypass the iPhone. From touchscreen capabilities, email, WiFi, messenger, and apps, you have just about everything you need with one device. Over 3.5 billion people use a smartphone these days because of Steve Jobs’ iPhone. 

Voice Assistants 

Having voice access to your devices provides great convenience to you, especially at home. You can control your devices from your alarm systems, your music, lights, and other things while entertaining company. 

Bluetooth 

Bluetooth is another great technology that involves connection. Think about how you drive and want to get directions, change the station, or speak to someone without having to take your eyes off the road and hands off your steering wheel. It provides you with convenience and safety to help you focus on the here and now. 

Social Networking 

Gone are the days of simply going to high school or college and not keeping up. You can stay in touch with those past friends, apply for jobs, play games, and create a unique bond with others in a way that wasn’t possible just 18 years ago.