90’s – The Milestone Decade for Technologies – Year 1991

Introduction

This is the second blog of our Series “90’s – The Milestone Decade for Technologies” in which we will reflect on tech achievements in the Year 1991. Undoubtedly, we’ve come a long way and thinking about those gadgets now seems awkward. But, we all loved them at that time and hence we’re sure you’ll find this worthwhile.

1991 is remembered as special year in terms of Internet growth. The first website went online on August 6, 1991. Not just that, the positive response to the gadgets in the first year arose interest in the companies and scientists to develop them further.

Hence, here in this blog we will give you a tour of the best gadgets of the 1991 year.

1. Sega Game Gear –

Sega introduced this gaming console as a response to the Nintendo’s Game Boy. It is a full color handheld video game console. It was the first attempt by Sega to compete in the handheld games market.

It is a portable device, which is held lengthwise i.e. the function keys are provided at the sides which was a drawback in Nintendo’s Game Boy which gave cramps in Gamers hand. It has a backlit, color LCD Screen, allowing for clearer and more vibrant visuals. It was expensive, heavy and used up a lot of batteries but it offering colored video was the deal sealer.

Also Read: 90’s – The Milestone Decade for Technologies – Year 1990 Evolution Begins

2. Panasonic RX-DT707 Portable System –

This launch by Panasonic received an awesome response from the gym people to the physical education instructors. The most attractive feature of it was the cobra top that would open and close with the electric motor. The cassette deck is hidden under the cobra top and the design highlights the speakers.

The cobra top consists of some buttons and liquid crystal display screen. The device has a stress on vigorous sound and it has electric-powered closing and opening panel. The concept of combining, CD, Radio, Cassette and Recording functionalities into one influenced the other competitors.

3. Apple Powerbook 100 –

90’s decade marked as the evolution for computers also. The first company to bring about the change in the general thoughts that people have about computers is Apple. They tried to experiment how open-heartedly will people accept a portable computer i.e. Laptop.

One of the first launch by apple was the Apple Powerbook 100. It had a 16MHz processor, 2-8 MB of memory, a 9-inch monochrome backlit liquid crystal display. The subnotebook also had a more compact design with trackball pointing device in front of the Keyboard for convenience.

This Power Book Project was allotted a very small budget for marketing but Apple folks were successful at their experiment and people liked the idea of Portable Computers. It generated a revenue of $1 billion in its first year which was 100 times its budget for marketing.

Also Read: Some Cool Inventions You can Order Now on Amazon – Part 2

4. Digital Answering Machine –

We’re sure several of us found Digital Answering Machine as the fanciest thing in my childhood. And every child like me always wondered who was sitting inside the machine! This innovative answering machine comes in a classic white casing which also displays time and date.

Friends and family can exchange a quick hello or can even leave long messages of duration 14 minutes. This is a stand-alone answering system which records both the outgoing announcements and incoming messages on a microchip. Hence, relieving people from managing the tricky tapes or moving parts.

As, it is a digital machine you can quickly access, save and delete messages right form the machine. You can even buy it today from AT&T website.

5. AKAI MPC60II –

This device is a music production studio which alone took away the market from the Rap and R&B music genres. It had a professional built-in sequencer. The Japanese company Akai in collaboration with designer Roger Linn.

Every sequence stored in MPC 60 consists of 99 tracks. You can create, edit and store 99 patterns and 99 sequences with ease in MPC 60. The device has a combination of MIDI sequencing and audio sampling with a set of velocity or aftertouch sensitive performance pads. This configuration has optimized an instrument to be used as a drum machine.

6. Super Soaker –

We are sure, you would have played at least played once with a water gun in your childhood. Super Soaker is brand which launched the recreated guns which utilizes the manually pressurized air to shoot water and were called as Water Gun. The water stream shot had greater power, accuracy and range than conventional Squirt Pistols.

Kids across the world boasted of their power by pumping themselves up with H2O.

Also Read: Futuristic High-Tech Gadgets for your Kitchen: Part 3

7. Super Nintendo –

SNES, the short for Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console. After debuting with the Nintendo Game Boy in the 1990 year, Nintendo’s 1991 launch was also accepted wholeheartedly by gamers.

SNES featured more sophisticated graphics and audio than anything gamers had seen and left a major impression on gamers and developers in the 90’s. In addition to it games such as Super Mario World, Contra III and Super Castlevania literally stole hearts.

We hope you liked this short tour of the best and most loved gadgets of 1991. These gadgets also gave an example how technology had moved on in comparison to the year 1990.

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