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Radio
Radio
changed the way Americans received information and the way they were
entertained. Radio was first used by the military as a means of
communication for Navy ships. In 1920,
radio became the first form of mass-communication.
Radio programs, like the television programs of today, became a
popular form of entertainment. Families sat around their radios listening
to drama, mystery, and detective serials,
soap operas, news programs, and children's shows. Television
We cannot imagine what our world would be like today without television. We only need to go back a few generations however, and ask our grandparents and great-grandparents to find out what life was like. In the late 1920's, the idea of "radio movies" was demonstrated before a large audience in New York City and television was born. The first pictures were very blurry, and were broadcast over a screen that was only the size of a postage stamp! Television images continued to improve during the 1930's and early 1940's. By the end of the 1940's, broadcasting companies were presenting programs that brought families together to watch their favorite shows in front of television sets around the country. Since the 1940's television technology has made great progress. Television programming developed rapidly, and television became the fastest form of mass-communication. Color televisions, cable and satellite TV, video recorders, and remote controls have all been added to televisions of earlier years. New and exciting developments are still to come for TV audiences!
Telephones Telephones have changed greatly since the late 1800's when they first became popular. Telephone lines connecting the east and west coasts of the United States were completed in 1915, making it possible to speak to someone across the country. Today, in the 21st century, phone calls between friends and businesses around the world are common everyday occurrences. Now cell phone use is booming. In the decade from 1990 to 2000, cell phone use increased by 20 times. As the cost of having a cell phone decreases, more and more people around the world are enjoying the convenience of owning one. Today telephone lines carry fax and internet information. Thomas Edison said that the invention of the telephone "brought the human family in closer touch." Wouldn't Edison be amazed at the changes in his invention today? What will be next for this remarkable means of communication? See also Telephones in Inventions and Technology of the 19th Century at http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ss5/b/ecotech19l.cfm
Computers The computer is a 20th century technological wonder. With all of the new inventions and improvements that had made life easier in the late 19th and 20th centuries, it was almost unthinkable that life could get any better in the modern world. Then along came an innovation that changed the lives of people, businesses, and industries throughout the world. Computers have given us easy access to a wealth of information and knowledge, and they have made countless jobs much faster and easier. The computer in its earliest form was not much more than a mathematical calculator, solving one problem at a time. As the computer was improved upon, various tasks could be performed and more data and information could be stored into the memory banks. Today's software makes computer use easy. Information can be shared and we can learn from each other in a quick, easy, and affordable manner. What is in store for technology in the 21st century? The answer lies only in the limits of our imaginations.
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