Some info about the 80s Technology
The Personal Computer
While there were many variations on the personal computer concept before the 1980s, the Apple II included, but it was IBM that introduced the name when it launched the IBM 5150 on 12/08/1981. It is not to weaken the enormous effect that computers like the Apple II and Commodore PET had on personal computing history. Still, this credit goes to IBM’s well-established image that worked in their favor. Giving the name of Personal Computer to 5150, IBM brought the Personal Computer out of the niche and put it into the mainstream. IBM 5150, running at 4.77 MegaHertz, had 16-bit 8088. The memory was 16KB which was expandable to 256 KB.
The CD
Commercial CDs were introduced in 1982 and faced a lot of skepticism. Only 1,000 CD titles were sold in the first year. Upon the drop in the cost of CD players, their demand increased overnight. The first album released was Billy’s 52nd street, whereas the first song was by ABBA, ‘The Visitors’. Brothers in Arms by Dire Strait was the first to reach over 1 million copies, stamping it the successful CD album of the world.
The Walkman
In 1979, it was launched in Japan. The Walkman was an unparalleled success, and by the start of 1986, its name got its place in Oxford English Dictionary. People listened to music even when they were on the move, and teenagers were delighted at its capability to drown out the parent’s sound. Sony’s site history mentioned that 10 years after the launch of 1st model, more than fifty million units were made.
The Video Cassette Recorder
Just think for a moment, you don’t have the option to rewind, pause or record TV, nor do you have the choice to watch as per your want. Before VCR, TV was the boss, and you had to watch what it was offering. Though VCR was usable and available in the market during the 70s, with low-cost manufacturing and cheap microprocessors, they got to most of the houses in the 80s.
The Mobile Phone
During the 80s, communication was different. If a person wanted to phone someone, he had to go home or walked to the phone booth. Consumers and businesses were looking desperately for something which could make communication easier. The idea of cell phones had been in circulation for several years. Still, restrictions placed on the allotment of frequencies by the Federal Communication Commission obstructed research till AT&T launched the idea of the cellular systems. When the frequency allocation problem was resolved, and the FCC had allowed for further research, mobile phones were already on their way to the general public. Motorola introduced the DynaTAC 8000x in 83, having 300x89x44mm and weighing only 785g. It offered about 1 hour of talk time, had an LED display screen, and a beautiful aerial. It was the most luxurious damn thing to own in the 80s. It revolutionized the whole communication system of domestic and businesses.
