This publish is a part of our 10 Yr Celebration. Keep tuned each month for enjoyable posts, like this one, contests and extra!
It is arduous to imagine that 2013 is already right here. It looks as if solely yesterday that the MP3 participant made its debut and Napster took the world by storm. However it wasn’t yesterday — it was greater than a decade in the past.
At present, we’re glued to our smartphones, social media accounts, streaming video, and tablets. Info is — actually — at our fingertips 24/7. We’re in a position to take pleasure in at the moment’s media traits as a result of 10 years in the past, a few of the high tech minds determined to construct some cool innovations — and people somebodies deserve huge excessive fives.
As a part of our tenth birthday we’re looking again at what the world appeared like in 2003 when our firm was based. Listed here are a few of the issues folks have been speaking about in 2003.
1. Facemash
In October 2003, a younger faculty scholar created a photo-based social community out of his dorm room. In its first few hours on-line, that community attracted a whole bunch of holiday makers and tens of 1000’s of pageviews. The location was shut down after just a few days by the faculty’s administration attributable to breach of safety, copyright violations, and privateness safety points. However the faculty scholar did not cease there. He saved coding and coding and finally launched what’s now Fb. Ten years later, that dorm room mission is a public firm because the Web’s high social community, and that younger programmer is now working one of many world’s strongest companies.
2. Flu Shot
Nicely probably not the flu shot itself, however in 2003 we have been launched to an awesome various to the vaccine. For these of us who could be shot hostile, FluMist, a nasal spray, was authorized by the FDA in June of 2003. FluMist continues to be obtainable at the moment, though it’s not beneficial for everybody and prices greater than the common shot. Want a dialog starter this flu season? Throw out the enjoyable proven fact that this various is 10 years previous and the vaccine itself has been round for over 60 years!
3. The Digicam Telephone
Consider it or not, 2003 was the yr that digicam telephones took off. The pattern wasn’t only a fancy strategy to take pictures both — they sparked a brand new manner for folks to interact with one another. Time journal means that this expertise invention is as profound because the Web.
‘Just like the Web earlier than them, digicam telephones open up a brand new and surprisingly spontaneous strategy to talk,’ wrote Anita Hamilton for Time journal.
At present, digicam telephones are extra than simply cell telephones. They’re smartphones. You may even movie excessive definition video captures that you would be able to immediately add on-line to share with family and friends.
4. Canon’s Digital Insurgent
Canon’s Digital Insurgent revolutionized the world of on-line pictures. Whereas the DSLR has been round since 2000, the very first Canon DSLR entered the market again in 2003. It was one of many very first to enter the patron market with an entry degree value level of underneath $1,000. At present’s DSLRs have advanced to function superior performance together with contact screens and video recording.
5. Clever Parking Help
Now virtually customary on virtually all luxurious autos, again in 2003, Toyota launched the preliminary model of the Clever Parking Help System (IPAS). The expertise was initially developed for the Japanese market’s hybrid Prius however was quickly after launched to the luxurious Lexus fashions. Automobiles enabled with IPAS provided drivers help in parking their automobile, with an in-dash display screen and controls, the automotive parks itself with little enter from the motive force. It’s scary to suppose, however at the moment, with Google’s driverless automotive, this expertise appears virtually dated!
6. Friendster
In case you suppose that Fb was the unique social community, guess once more. In case you suppose MySpace was the unique social community, you are still mistaken. Consider it or not, the phenomenon began with a platform referred to as Friendster the place customers might share movies, photographs, messages, and feedback with fellow members. In 2003, Google approached Friendster with a buyout provide that was declined. Friendster continues to be round at the moment as a social gaming platform with tens of millions of registered customers in Asia and Africa.
7. The Xbox
Though it was launched in 2001, 2003 introduced the actual buzz with the launch of Xbox Stay, which redefined how folks performed video games collectively on-line by high-speed Web. Xbox reside enabled youngsters from everywhere in the world to trash discuss one another with no boundaries. The Xbox product household dominated the market by 2005 when its successor, Xbox 360, entered the market. Maintain onto your seats, there’s rumors a couple of new Xbox debuting later this yr.
8. The Roomba
The robotic room cleaner that we all know and love made its debut in 2002 and have become more and more in style over the 2003 vacation season. Over the past decade the producer, iRobot has ironed out a variety of kinks and launched a variety of function updates together with a scheduler, HEPA filter, recharging dock, and longer battery life. In case you’re feeling adventurous, you possibly can even hack your Roomba to make it draw a Spirograph.
9. Wikipedia
It is arduous to think about the Web with out Wikipedia. However that is precisely what the Web was again in 2001. At present, Wikipedia is without doubt one of the most precious on-line locations with billions of month-to-month pageviews. Hundreds of thousands of customers depend on Wikipedia and gas the mission’s momentum by open collaboration. In 2003, Wikipedia was obtainable in 46 languages. By 2004, that quantity had grown by about 4 instances to 161. There are greater than 35 million registered customers at the moment.
10. iTunes
The iPod itself debuted in 2001, however in 2003, Apple reworked the music business with the introduction of iTunes. At present the iTunes retailer hosts extra than simply music and presents TV reveals, films, audiobooks and extra. Additionally, with developments in Apple’s expertise, iTunes is now obtainable on the iPad, iTouch and iPhone, along with the iPod.
The Full Circle
Did we miss something huge from 2003? What applied sciences from the previous decade are you continue to utilizing at the moment?
