Digital Revolution

11/18/2016

When I think of all of the technology that we have available to us, and use almost every day, it reminds me of how quickly we have evolved as a species. I often times joke about my age, and speak of the old, antiquated devices that I used when I was your age. I had a Sony Walkman that played cassette tapes. Nowadays, you all have iPods or MP3 players of some sort. I had a one-way pager (and felt like I was crazy important), while most of you all now have cellphones - smartphones at that. I used snail mail… You all have email. We had a VCR in my family, and were one of the first families to have one. We used to rent our VHS tapes from Blockbuster Video. I'd bet many of you do not even know what a VHS tape is (much less a Beta Max), as most of you probably have BlueRay players and Netflix. I can remember vividly the day my dad brought home our very first VCR, our very first microwave, and our very first television that didn't have big knobs on it and actually transmitted in color. I can remember when I was excited to use our first remote control, even though it had a wire connecting it to our VCR, and only extended three feet beyond it.

While all of those inventions changed my life in major ways, I want to know what YOU all consider to be the greatest invention of the Digital Revolution. What invention do you feel is the greatest contribution to modern society and why? When was it invented? How has it changed life for Americans? How has it changed your life specifically? How has its technology spawned (or MAY potentially spawn) even newer technologies? Let me know your thoughts.

75 Comments

Abygail G

11/18/2016 12:40:02 pm

For me, the invention that made the biggest contribution to society is definitely the internet. It gives people across almost the entire world access to information and communication methods that hadn’t been available before. It wasn’t invented by one lone person. Researchers from ARPANET (The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network) gathered to start working on it in around 1983. Though, it took a more well known form in 1990 when Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web. It originally started out as a government weapon in the Cold War, but now it’s used for all kinds of purposes.

It’s changed so many people’s lives. Granted, some didn’t end up so well, but most have. The internet connects us with people that we might never meet under normal circumstances. Some people can even get help that they probably wouldn’t otherwise. On a social aspect, I like to think that the internet is strengthening relationships between people, and even starting relationships that can end up as some of the best a person can get. It may sound crazy and dangerous, but as long as you don’t give out anything personal, you’ll be fine making online friends. Then there’s also the information part. Before, people used to have to look everything up in books. Now, all it takes is a few clicks to get to Google or other search engines to find anything you want. Not to mention access to information that might not be down in a book, or that people aren’t too comfortable about (prime example being mental health).

Personally, the internet has had a huge affect on me. I can remember playing online games with my dad when I was really little, or watching him play with other people, and really enjoying it all. Online friends have been some of my best friends, even if I don’t talk to them anymore. The internet can help you get messages out there, and I’ve been able to share art, get decent feedback on it, and improve. I’ve also found a lot interests through the internet, and people who share them so I know I’m not alone.

The internet is always spawning new inventions from it. New websites pop up almost every day that can change people’s lives. It’s a platform for AI and most of the computers and smartphones that we all hold so dear. The internet has given us access to things that we didn’t have before, and there’s really no telling what scientist will think up next that incorporates the internet. I mean, there’s already so much that uses it now that it becomes a real problem when it goes down.

Kevin G

11/18/2016 08:02:11 pm

I agree with everything you say Aby. The Internet was a great invention and it had impacted my life so much as well. I remember too playing games online which was so much fun. I also liked how you ended your blog it was deep.

Nicolle C.

11/19/2016 02:32:39 pm

I totally agree that the internet opened new doors. It gave people across the world access to information. When I need to know something I can just quickly look it up and if i need to understand something in another language I can quickly translate it. So yes, the internet is a great contribution to society.

Jayden R.

11/20/2016 01:38:38 pm

I like what you said about the internet always spawning new inventions.

Amaris F.

11/20/2016 02:53:46 pm

I agree Aby, I mean without the internet we wouldn't be able to do half of the things we do now like watch movies, look up important facts, or even do our homework.

$tephe D.

11/20/2016 05:03:50 pm

I agree with you on this. The internet has changed everything; how we see people, how we talk to people, how we play games. I like this response maybe the best because of how you wrote it and it shows you how the internet is pretty important to us.

Melanie N.

11/20/2016 05:14:04 pm

You have very valid points. Great work!

Gianny S.

11/21/2016 06:55:41 pm

I think that the internet has changed us. Without it the world would be a different place. People would probably be less nosey and worry about themselves, which is kind of boring. I think that the internet gives the world a little excitement and something to laugh at everyday. Because of the internet I can get help on homework and talk to my friends outside of school.

Deijah PP.

11/21/2016 09:23:47 pm

I agree with you Gianny. Without internet life would be a little boring without those annoying nosy people in our lives. And without the internet we might not e able to communicate the way we do now like you said.

Amahri G

11/21/2016 07:22:50 pm

Yes this is true. Without the internet I wouldn't have done presentations with a new experience or get homework done using classroom. Which is much easier for teachers and students so we aren't all fumbling with our papers the next day, saying we lost the homework sheet. Which was every day of my life in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade.

The internet also enabled me to play a more widespread of video games! Which is my favorite pass-time for those of you who don't know.

Amida

11/18/2016 12:40:27 pm

Amida

11/18/2016 12:42:52 pm

DO NOT READ! WRONG ONE!

Amida

11/18/2016 12:56:10 pm

The invention that I believe gave the greatest contribution to modern society is the first smartphone. The first smartphone was the IBM Simon. It was made in 1994. It was able to receive faxes, calls, emails, and cellular pages. It also had an address book, appointment scheduler, calculator, and world time clock. This phone cost $1099 in the US.

The IBM changed lives because it was the first touch screen phone. It basically opened the doors to other companies like apple and Samsung to make smart phones. The IBM had touch screen and also had a stylus, like the Samsung Notes. And without smartphones you wouldn’t have apps to use when you’re on your phone.

If that phone wasn’t made, then people would be glued to their phones 24/7. Another thing is that with the IBM, there might not be an apple company, which means that we’d all be using house phones. We would also have to use the school phones every time we needed to call someone here too!

The first smartphone hasn’t made a noticeable change in my life. The only thing I can say is that without that, I would have the phone I use right now. I wouldn’t be able to Facetime my friends or use Snapchat; apps that you would use on a phone. Also, if they didn’t make the smartphone, I might actually play outside more. Even though having a smart phone is fun, I think that if this smart phone wasn't made, I would actually be living more in the moment than I do now.

Jayden R.

11/20/2016 01:36:33 pm

I like how you added what the first smartphone was able to do.

Amaris F.

11/20/2016 02:55:17 pm

I agree Amida, nowadays smartphones are like a life source to many people and help us do things easier and faster.

Jonathan V.

11/20/2016 03:19:17 pm

I like that you added that companies like Apple wouldn't have started and therefore Apple's other products couldn't have happened as well.

Tamira Lopes

11/21/2016 05:51:43 pm

I agree with you Amaris and Amida. Smartphones are the biggest thing to this generation and generations to come. They are faster and much easier then what people had to use back in the days. They supply us with many things we don't need to waste money buying.

Aileen S.

11/20/2016 09:35:21 pm

I like the point you made about if we didn't have smart phones we would be using house phones. I never thought of that.

Irca S.

11/18/2016 12:58:59 pm

I think that the greatest invention from the digital revolution would be the computer. The computer was first invented in 1946 in the University of Pennsylvania and ever since that, it has evolved into many newer versions. Many things were created from the computer, such as laptops and the internet. A huge majority of people have probably used a computer (these days) and they help out in many ways. Many people use computers for their work, to communicate with other people and to store information. The computer has helped out the country in many different ways. If we didn't have computers today, we wouldn’t have discovered some things and our technology wouldn’t be so advanced (such as phones and televisions).

Computers have helped me personally by helping me out with my education and making it faster to learn new things and do my school work. I find it much easier and faster to do my school work and turn it in on a computer. Computers are also a great way to communicate with people that you haven’t seen in a long time and to see what your friends are up to. You can also use computers to share opinions to everyone else. Computers have changed the country by letting more scientists discover new things with the advanced technology that we have today and they will probably help out with whatever scientists are going to discover in the future. I also believe that computers have helped out a lot by creating new things. It’s also possible for newer technology to be made because of the computer. Without computers we wouldn’t have as much things as we do today.

Abygail G

11/19/2016 01:34:36 pm

I definitely agree with the idea that without the computer technology wouldn't be where it is today. The possibility that newer technology is going to be made because of the computer is extremely true, too.

Nicolle C.

11/19/2016 02:17:10 pm

I agree. If it weren't for computers today's education would be slow and we wouldn't be able to use the things we use on a regular basis. I think it's true that if it weren't for computers we wouldn't have such advanced technology.

$tephe D.

11/20/2016 05:08:10 pm

I'll agree with this because it's true for all of us here that the computer helps us when we do our homework and how we learn. It is faster and it has helped make even more technology that helps us, too. And I'll especially agree with one thing you said, that it let's you share your opinion with everyone else, because-- wow, what a coincident-- that's exactly what we're doing now.

Aileen S.

11/20/2016 09:37:18 pm

I like what you said about scientist using computers to discover new things,

Aileen S.

11/18/2016 01:00:06 pm

There are many invention of the Digital Revolution that have changed American’s lives throughout the years. The one digital invention that I think is the greatest one invented was the phone. A device with a small touch screen and several apps and data in it. How did it all start?

Alexander Graham Bell, born in 1847-1922, invented the first telephone in 1876. The first telephone did not look exactly like the ones we use today. Bell created the tin can telephone. It had a string that connected two diaphragms and transmits sounds by mechanical vibrations from one wire to the other.

A few years later, the candlestick was created in the 1890s by Almon Strowger. This telephone had an ear part and the receiver part for your ear during a phone call. Then a few years later the Push button was invented in 1963. It’s inventor, the Bell System, designed it so it had keys so people could dial the number to call others.

Lastly, the iPhone and Android. The iPhone was introduced in 2007. It has a touch-screen, camera, apps, and much smaller and less complicated than a candlestick. I think that the phone is the greatest contribution to society because it’s how we now communicate and it makes our lives easier to contact others or do something online. Also, Americans get to experience how to do things in different ways. For example, people now can draw things in their phones and that’s something new to try.

Phones have changed my life because I find it easier to do things and contact people easier without having to ask a stranger for their phone. Also, I find it easier to search up information on Google without having to carry my huge laptop with me. Of Course, I take selfies, we all do. It’s way easier to capture a precious moment in my life with a picture from my phone instead of the iPad which is bigger.

Melanie N.

11/20/2016 05:13:03 pm

Great points!

Nicolle C.

11/18/2016 01:00:17 pm

There are many things that have made our lives better and have made every day task easier. I think the IPhone is a great contribution to the modern society. It was created in June 29, 2007. Before people would have to have all separate devices. The IPhone has made accessing things easy. This invention has bettered the lives of Americans. To begin with before people had small little flip phone with small buttons it made it hard to access things. Some people had an mp3, a calculator, camera, a video player, and more all separate. But now it has gotten easier. All these things have been programmed into the IPhone. You can easily access music and the calculator in apps on the phone. The main thing that the IPhone has made easier is we have a digital camera that is programmed into it. This gives good quality photos without needing a camera and it easily stores then without needing an SD cards. Another thing is that we don’t have to go to a store to get our pictures printed.

In my life the IPhone has bettered my life because I can download apps, it has a good quality camera, and it has the internet. I can get apps to talk to my friends and I can also download apps to play games and to watch videos. Taking pictures had become easier now if i want to capture a moment at anytime I can just pull out my phone and take a picture. Another thing that it has helped better my life with is the internet. Before we needed a computer and then a laptop but now the internet is on my phone. It has made things more accessible and easier to use. I think more generation of the IPhone will come. They will keep getting better quality and will probably made tasks even easier. I also think that it would add new features that will continue to better the lives of Americans.

Kevin G

11/18/2016 08:07:46 pm

That so true! The iPhone was a great invention and thanks to it, it has made people lives much easier. The one thing I wished I would have is the brand new iPhone. One day I'll have it, one day.

Quincy G.

11/21/2016 05:21:18 pm

I totally agree with you. It is easier to have an iPhone than to have all of the separate devices. That will be way less stuff to carry!

Gianny S.

11/21/2016 06:52:00 pm

I definitely think that the iPhone is a great contribution to society. There are so many things on it that I can't do if I didn't have it. Whenever I don't have a computer or laptop with me to do homework, I can just take my iPhone out and work from there.

Kevin G

11/18/2016 01:03:03 pm

The greatest invention of the Digital Revolution to me is the laptop. The Asus, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, you can called them anyone of those , they are all the same. They are used for same thing and it has helped me a lot.

The laptop was invented by Adam Osborne. He made it in 1981, not so long ago . He sold them for $1,795, and it had a small screen. As it evolved, the laptop became one of the most used products in America. We had come from notebook to chromebook. The laptop helped so many American by letting them do their work online and to make it easier for people to do anything. You can send a letter or e-mail these day, that won’t take a few days but a few seconds. It also made it possible for people to share their findings through a laptop that anyone could see. Another way the laptop affected American is by how they are used. Many people are now “geeks” on how to use laptops and they’ll be able to help others who have some trouble with it.

The laptop doesn’t only help adults but kids also. In the past, many schools didn’t use laptops to teach children. Today there are laptops in every classroom and these laptops help children work better. There are websites that teach children how to do math like Xtra Math and other things. These websites on the laptops keep kids entertain and make them learn better. After a hard day of work these kids get to play on the laptops. There are brand new games everyday. But when kids aren’t playing they are on the laptop and learning new things.

Let's talk about me now. What I think the laptop has done for me is helped organize all my things. If I have homework, I can do it on the laptop. If I am confused with anything, I can search it up on the laptop. I use the laptop almost everyday and I am grateful to have one at home and at school. The thing that I most love about the laptop is that there are things I can do on it that I can’t do anywhere else.

The laptop has spawn even newer inventions because they are trying to improve it every single day. We want to make the best laptop there ever was. Finally, about technology, it has improved the lives of many people. We are all glad to be living during the time it is at its best and just a reminder that your whole life isn’t just going be on a screen. So let's all take a break from it and be happy with the people we love.

Abygail G

11/19/2016 01:41:56 pm

I totally agree that technology like the laptop has improved education along with regular life. I use a laptop daily, and appreciate pretty much all the uses you named. I also think you summed up the factual part of the information well.

Liam

11/20/2016 01:04:24 pm

I completely agree Kevin. The laptop has definitely changed many people's lives, including mine. I think it has changed my life because it makes it easier for me to do my home work and research, like you. I also agree that is has helped speed up education and make communication easier. I liked how you talked about the balance between kids using laptops for fun and games and education.

Lesley Flores

11/20/2016 12:48:13 pm

When I was around 5-8, I didn't watch so much TV. I always played with my barbies, other toys I had, or I would play outside. Until my sister was born in 2007, I started watching more TV and used all the devices we had at home most. I grew up with with a big boxy TV until my dad bought a big nice flat screen TV. We then replaced the rest of the TV’s with flat screens and got rid of the old ones. This changed the way I lived because it made watching tv more interesting to watch and clearer to see. Also HDTV came out that made shows clearer to watch as well. This made me more interested to discover more devices like this. Both my parents had sidekicks which was one of the coolest phones I knew. Phones made communication easier for everyone. You were able to communicate with people out of state or even out of the country. A cool figure that came along with a sidekick was texting and games. Texting was another form of communicating. If you didn't want to talk to anymore through call you can just text. Or if you didn't want to call someone for 2 seconds to tell them a quick note, you can just text. The games on the phone was a way to entertain yourself on the go. A game I would always play on my mom's sidekick was Bob’s Journey.

When Apple products came out my dad was always one of the first to buy them in my family. My dad had an Apple laptop, also an Ipod touch and my mom had the Iphone 4s. With this it made using the internet easier and quicker. With the iphone, you didn't have to press so many buttons to get to something. Since it was touch screen you only had to click it to activate it. The first touch screen was the IBM Simon. Touch screens were an idea that someone had. They went ahead to see if it would work and to see if it would be successful. It was made for people to have easier access to their phones. Since we are in 2016, all sorts of phones came out. Everyone has a phone thats touch screen for the most part. This impacted people's lives because it helped people start business. It made businesses easy to manage. Iphones were also used for medical purposes and it changed the medical game. It helped keep records and schuele everything. Although it expensive to get them it was worth it. With the newest Iphone you can access things even easier with the 3D touch. With the Iphone, you don't need other drives like a camera, calculator, or voice recorders because it's all on it. Technology today made every tasks easier and easier.

Amida

11/20/2016 05:35:22 pm

When I was younger I used to play with my sister and play with toys as well! Then when we got a flat screen I started watching tv with her.

Deijah PP.

11/21/2016 09:28:41 pm

I like the points that you made. I used to play with barbies as well(we had something in common)! I liked how you back a little story/ true event that happened in your life. It really made your point and view more interesting.

Yasira P.

11/29/2016 07:33:45 pm

I agree with you. I especially agree with the touch screen. It has made a lot of things easy to access with the touch of a screen. You wouldn't have to search around playing with buttons just to get to a certain app.

Liam S.

11/20/2016 01:11:24 pm

There are many gadgets and inventions that were created in the digital revolution that changed the world. The inventions I think are the greatest inventions in the industrial revolution are the ereader and ebook, because they go together. I think the e-reader is important because it has increased the number of ebooks sold and it is encouraging people to read. It has changed life for Americans because it helps people read books that they can't find at their local library. The e-reader is also important because many ebooks sold or read are nonfiction, so the e-reader also helps people discover new information.
One of the first people to make an e-reader was Angela Ruiz Robles. She created it in 1949 so her kids didn't have to carry as many books to school. Many people believe a man named Michael S. Hart created the ebook. Then in 1971 project Gutenberg was launched to created more online versions of books, which are called ebooks. Project Gutenberg was headed by Michael S. Hart and Gregory Newby.
U.S libraries began providing ebooks in 1998 but they couldn't be downloaded. In 2003 US libraries began offering free downloadable ebooks. Now around 92% of US libraries have ebooks in their collections.
Some e-readers include the kindle, nook, and other tablets. The kindle was introduced to the world on November 19, 2007. It sold out within 5 and 1/2 hours. The nook was released to the public on November 30, 2009. It is produced by the bookstore Barnes and Nobles. The e-reader has changed my life because it helped me find many more interesting books to read and gain knowledge.

Jayden R.

11/20/2016 01:34:06 pm

I feel that the computer is one of the advanced and greatest contribution to modern society today. It is one of the advanced because it thinks almost like the human brain but much smarter .I think that the modern day computer is one of the most advanced pieces in technology because computers do such much for our society. For example computers are used by doctors all over the world, without them they wouldn’t be able to get tests results faster, they also wouldn’t be able to organize their patients neatly. The reason they need to organize patients neatly is because when you have all of their paperwork on papers filed in one place it can get pretty hectic when you're trying to find a patient's info.

The first computer that was ever invented was the ENIAC on February 15, 1946. The ENIAC stands for the “Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer”. The ENIAC was used for artillery firing tables for the United States Army’s Ballistic Research Laboratory. This computer was digital and could solve a large class of numerical problems through programing. The total cost of this computer which was $487,000 which would correspond to $6,816,000 in 2016. The construction contract to build this computer was signed June 5, 1943. The construction of the computer began in secret at the University of Pennsylvania’s Moore school of Electrical Engineering. In the following month the project went under the codename “Project PX” with John Grist Brainerd as the principal investigator.

I think that the computer has done so much to benefit Americans with the academic world and as I said before, the medical industry. The reason computers have benefited and changed life for Americans in the academic world is because by teachers using computers when they teach they can make these presentations and really draw in their students so that they are and actually learning something. This helps because if a teacher is teaching his/her students by looking right out of the book and telling them to read they’re not going to pay much attention and they will end up failing when it comes to their next test. Now the reason computers have changed the life of Americans in the medical industry is that patients information can all be saved at once on a computer so that there is no filing papers which can lead to a high risk of misplacing a patient's file. Also with computers it helps doctors get the information they need and the results they need faster and easier. I feel that this invention of the computer has changed my life in the academic world. It has changed my life because with some of my teachers doing these power points and other lessons on the computers, it has gotten me more engaged and excited about learning more.

Amaris F.

11/20/2016 02:51:59 pm

I think that the greatest invention of the digital revolution was the laptop. It's a device used for various reasons and has many diverse uses.

The first laptop was invented by Adam Osborne in 1981. The Osborne 1 cost $1,795, and was used everywhere. Ever since it was created, us humans can't get enough of it. It has changed a lot throughout the years, from a laptop with a tiny computer screen in it, to a laptop that has a detachable screen in it! Now we have many companies that compete to have their laptops bought since there is such a big need in the United States for them. Laptops are an amazing invention because first of all, they are a lot more convenient than desktops. Being able to transport a laptop that is lightweight and only needs one cable is a lot easier than having to move a heavy desktop with different wires and sockets and set-up procedures.

Laptops have impacted my life specifically in many ways. First of all, I can take my laptop with me wherever I go easily, from school to another country. It also makes life easier when it comes to getting work done. My laptop allows me to go on the internet to watch movies/tv, research topics for school, keep in contact with friends, and even write this comment down write now. It's also a lot easier to type an essay or make a presentation on a laptop versus a phone or tablet or something like that.

I believe that in the future, laptops will make life even easier than they already do. Maybe in the future, companies will find a way to charge laptops without a cable, so it's easier to travel with them. Or maybe engineers will figure out how to make laptops that don't even need Wi-Fi.

Jonathan V.

11/20/2016 03:16:07 pm

I think that the phone changed my life. It helped me with homework and entertainment. The first ever smartphone came out in 1992 by IMB. I got my phone to do homework but I eventually downloaded other things. It was mostly helpful when a teacher said to write something on a document and share it with them. I think that the smartphone changed lives by making people’s lives easier. They now had a portable and convenient way to jot something down, talk to someone and find out something quickly. People also used it to find out more things about the world and how it functions. It changed my life specifically through a way to communicate and to entertain myself. Right now, smartphones are thin and medium sized. The first phone almost looked like a brick and didn't have the entire phone as a screen. Over time the phone has become thinner and thinner so I think that a future phone would actually turn thinner until it would be impossible for the phone to turn any more thinner. A phone’s size is unpredictable though but by looking at the newer phones I think phones are going to get bigger again.

Camren D.

11/20/2016 04:26:20 pm

The greatest invention in the digital revolution and contribution to society was online gaming. Or just having a modern system like Xbox One, PlayStation 4, The WiiU and stuff like that. Some of the first online games were chess and checkers online. Then people used this idea and made their own original games that you could play online, like team fortress, Halo, Mortal Kombat X, Injustice, and other multiplayer games you see. Most of these multiplayer game require systems, which have also significantly improved over the years. The first games didn’t even have color. Plus i’m 99% sure that everyone in the chat would rather have and Xbox One S than and Atari. Multiplayer online gaming allowed people with this same interest be online and have play games together in a fun and safe way. Sure, meeting people in real life is a bit better socially, but I rather be anti-social and safe than social and a chance of being in danger.

Jaden L.

11/21/2016 11:25:11 pm

I agree with you Camren. I believe that with the invention of online gaming and chat it has, in a way, brought the world close together.

$tephe D.

11/20/2016 04:59:56 pm

I think the greatest invention in the Digital Revolution was the laptop because along with the laptop came the internet, and also a better typewriter. The first laptop was made in 1981. It was called the Osborne 1 and it had a really small screen. The internet wouldn’t have existed without the computer, obviously, because where would they put the internet if a computer never existed? It was a great contribution because no one needs to read encyclopedias now and it’s easier to look things up. It’s fast and instead of having just one source for something, you can have a million different articles about a certain subject. It made it easy to talk to people from around the world and it made it easy to mail things because email soon developed. It even made typing easier. The keyboard was huge and the keys were actually buttons instead. You couldn’t bring a typewriter anywhere easily. You can take a laptop with you everywhere because it isn’t as heavy as a typewriter. The laptop is smaller, and it’s changed my life because you do so much more now and I like writing and learning about random things when I feel like learning. It’s makes it easier to read and write and find things to back up your ideas, especially in an essay. I think it’s even more interesting and faster than a library, even though I do like going to the library now and then. You can buy things off the internet, which I’m happy about, because you don’t have to go out to buy things because usually when I’m out, I like buying more things than I actually came out to get. I find that it’s made me feel better, too. I can look up things that can cheer me up. But, I do think that the laptop has been the best thing to come out of the digital revolution.

Melanie N.

11/20/2016 05:11:52 pm

I see your points loud and clear. Great work!

Jazzy D.

11/20/2016 07:19:47 pm

Now computers don't have as many needs, because we can do a lot of things we used to do on a computer, on a phone, or some people prefer an ipad, or tablet. Poor computers.

Melanie N.

11/20/2016 05:08:33 pm

Cameras are most definitely the greatest contribution to modern society. From having the first “box-like” camera, in 1816 by Nicéphore Niépce, to the cameras that involve so many pieces like, the lens, the tripod, the shoulder strap, and etc., that's huge. They have come a very long way; before they couldn’t even make a video, and now we are basically living off of videos in our new society. People like YouTubers, directors, and photographers literally live off of them. It shapes many lives. It's shaped my personal life by just being very intrigued by them. Since I was in diapers, I've admired YouTube. All of the content (mainly music videos) was just very enjoyable and I still admire YouTube. I also enjoy photography. Whenever I'm looking at the sky and how the colors just shift so quickly, I pull out my phone and start taking photos like I'm a professional, which I certainly am not. Cameras do many things for our time in age and they most definitely will continue to do that in our futures.

Amida

11/20/2016 05:36:50 pm

The Camera is very important; I agree. I also like how you talked about the way they are used today.

David G

11/20/2016 05:49:17 pm

I agree that the camera was a really important invention but most people nowadays don't use a traditional camera now most people just take pictures with their phones. So I think camera's are starting to be replaced by smartphones because some phones take just as high-quality photos as a professional camera. And since people always have their phone on them it is more convenient.

Jazzy D.

11/20/2016 07:17:08 pm

Cameras are very important, because then we wouldn't be able to cherish all the memories we can today without our lovely cameras!

Aileen S.

11/20/2016 09:39:03 pm

I like your idea, I never thought about cameras changing the world!

Gianny S.

11/21/2016 06:46:57 pm

I agree with you, cameras are very important. Whenever I am hanging out with friends and family I always end up taking lots and lots of pictures because I know that is the only way i'll probably remember those moments.

David G.

11/20/2016 05:43:37 pm

I think the greatest invention of the digital revolution is the laptop. The first laptop was made in 1981 by Adam Osborne and cost $1795. The Osborne 1 weighed 23.6 pounds. And did not have a battery so it wasn’t portable you always had to have it plugged, and it had a 5 inch screen.I think the laptop was made the greatest contribution to modern society because without it many things wouldn’t exist like email, gaming, research would still be done with encyclopedias, they also remind you about the things you have to do like a meeting, appointment etc., and typing would still be on typewriters. Also with the invention of the laptop you could take it anywhere and most laptops only way around 3 or 4 pounds vs a typewriter where it weighs around 15-20 pounds and so many things are portable. The laptop has changed my life because it makes presenting, research, entertainment, education and communicating much much easier. Because of the laptop the internet was invented every year new laptops are made that are better, faster lighter etc.

Jazzy D.

11/20/2016 07:14:05 pm

Invented in March 10, 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. I feel as if the first phone, which was the phone that looked like a block was the greatest invention ever created, because it was the start a whole new creation, the iphone. I feel like it had a great butterfly effect, because someone created the blockphone, then you move up a few years, and the flip phones came out, then you move up even more years, and the iphone came out. It was a chain reaction that was inspired by a phone that looked like a brick. It changed Americans, because it inspired other creators like Apple to create the phones we have today, and the cycle goes on, and our technology keeps improving. It changes my life, because now my classes are easier to maintain, and keep up with, because I have some of my assignments online. I also don't have to write as much as I used to. Each year every technology comes out with a better version of their own product. As the years go on the technology is getting better, and easier to use.

Aileen S.

11/20/2016 09:40:40 pm

I like how you used the term "butterfly effect" to explain how the invention of the phone evolves from time to time.

Maeve C.

11/21/2016 06:15:03 pm

I agree with Aileen, I like how you used the term "butterfly effect". I really embodies how phones and other inventions have adapted and changed over time with a base of an original product.

Quincy G.

11/21/2016 05:15:31 pm

I believe that the phone made the greatest contribution to modern society. I think this because this is one of the most used devices in the world. You can walk outside or to someone's house and you will see a phone of some sort. It was invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell. This changed the lives for many Americans.The phone made communication from far distances easier. With smartphones, we can do basically anything. If we are lost, we can open the maps app and find our way. If we need to look up how to do something, we can open up the web browser and google it. Phones make peoples life easier. Having a phone helps me with many things. If I need to ask what the homework is, I can text someone. Whenever I'm bored, I can go on social media or play a game. Phones at first were basically huge bricks and were connected to a wall. Now, phones are way smaller and wireless, which makes it easier to bring it around where ever you go.

Derik T.

11/21/2016 09:24:21 pm

I fully agree with your statement. I like how you included how you can search something up if you don't fully know how to do it.

Chanel P.

11/21/2016 06:18:46 pm

I consider the touch screen phone to be the greatest invention. When I was younger, my parents had the silver Motorola flip phone and I always thought it was one of the coolest things. A few years later when the iPhone products came out, my family started buying apple laptops, iPods, iPhones, etc. This changed the way I viewed technology in a way because I was used to seeing flip phones but then, we had touch screen electronics. The first touch screen phone was the IBM Simon, or the "smartphone", created in 1992. At first I started getting really interested in the iPod because I could listen to music, and play games. Then, a few years later, I got an iPad for Christmas and that's when I started getting more interested. I think this changed the lives of many Americans because now most people are using them. Now there is social media, texting, and all these different types of communication. If you don't have much to say to someone, a quicker way to communicate with them is by text. If you want to send someone a picture, you can post it on social media for people to see.

This has also changed my life because I didn't have a social media account until I was around 11 or 12 years old. I noticed how people can possibly get addicted to these things and how they might think taking the "perfect picture" is the most important thing ever.

I think in the future technology (especially phones) will continue to get better. So far, I've seen how small the iPhone 3G was to how big the iPhone 7 is. I also think smartphones will be something most people use in the future, and they will get easier to use.

Tamira Lopes

11/21/2016 06:22:02 pm

I think the greatest invention of the Digital Revolution would be the iPhone because it supplies you with a lot of things you don't have that you don't need to spend money on buying them. The iPhone has maps, books on it, internet, games, calendar, notes, camera etc... It gives us A LOT of things. We can talk to family far away on it because I know I have family outside of the U.S. The iPhone was introduced to the world on June 29, 2007. Since then it has changed many lives of Americans. Americans can now access things right from the iPhone and it is way faster than other phones that have been made. It has changed my life because I can talk to my friends easily and fast by the iPhone. It has been approving and is still approving. It's a nice and safe why to communicate about homework to your friends, and talking about hanging out.

The iPhone has many apps you can download. It also helps people in need because it has Siri. Siri helps people with many things. She/he helps you many things when you don’t have to use your hands. It has brought many people joy and all, but sometimes it has its down points. Sometimes people cannot control themselves when they have an iPhone. It can damage people inside and temporarily destroy them. Even though the iPhone has some things that don’t make sense, it still helps you with your daily life. You don’t have to bring a big calculator in your pocket when you have an iPhone because you have a calculator on your iPhone.

Gianny S.

11/21/2016 06:39:17 pm

I think that the invention of the laptop is the greatest contribution to modern society. Sure we have other great things like smart phones and televisions, but the laptop can be used for multiple things. In 1981, a former book publisher named Adam Osborne created the first laptop and named it the Osborne 1. If it weren't for Adam Osborne we probably wouldn't have companies like Apple and Samsung creating better versions of laptops all the time. If he had never came up with this idea, there could have been a huge possibility that nobody else would have.

The laptop has changed lives for Americans in many different ways because of its multiple uses. Laptops are used everyday at home, work, and schools. They can be used at home to do work, school work, watch movies, and even talk to friends. They could be used at work in offices to send out emails to other companies or people and to do paper work. Many schools have also begun to use less paper and do more work on laptops. Laptops have helped me specifically with homework. Many of my teachers now have homework that has to be done online and submitted online. They are also used to help kids remember what they have for homework. Many teachers post online what kids have for homework and they can just log into their laptop or that they have at home to check.

I see laptops as a newer and improved version of computers. Laptops were invented to carry around because that is something that can't be done with computers. When the first laptop was created, it weighed about 24 pounds and had a 5-inch screen. Now laptops like ones from Apple only weigh about 2 pounds and have a 12-inch screen. Other ways that laptops have spawned is by giving it more uses. Although you can do paper work, send emails, and do your homework on a laptop, you can also take pictures, edit pictures, set alarms, touch the screen, and even FaceTime your friends.

Laptops went from 5-inch screens and 24 pounds to 12-inch screens and 2 pounds. Laptops have evolved a lot since 1981 and continue to evolve. Soon our technology will be even more advanced and we will be able to do things that we thought weren't possible back in the 1980's.

Maeve C.

11/21/2016 07:39:53 pm

I think that the invention that has contributed the most to digital society was the laptop. I think that computers and laptops have contributed the most because they are machines that grant access to things such as the internet, they store data, and can be used to communicate with one another. Computers can direct us to the internet which is another invention that has changed the world, but things like computers connect people to greater things. Computers can store data such as contacts, projects, writing, photos, music, etc. They can be used to communicate between each other. They contain email applications, or FaceTime, or messages, no matter what it is, they provide a way of communication.

To pave the way for future achievements such as the laptop, there must have been something before it. The first fully functioning computer was called the ENIAC. It was invented by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania, in 1946. It took up about 1,800 square feet and used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, weighing almost 50 tons. About 35 years later, the first laptop was created by Adam Osborne in 1981. It was called the Osborne 1. It was priced at $1,795, which was something extremely expensive then, as it would be now. Back then these adaptations and new degrees of computers were revolutionary.

I think that computers have impacted Americans greatly over time. Computers have been used for educational, government, personal, and job related purposes. We use computers almost every day to submit assignments, receive assignments, comment on each others work, give lessons, and give presentations. The government or the FBI have teams of people whom are fairly familiar with computers who can stop hackers, and trace criminals to solve many crimes. People who have their own computers use them for many different purposes. On laptops peel can store photos, contacts, and communicate with people as I stated before. Jobs in the medical fields use technology such as computers to keep track of prescriptions, they schedule visits, they can be there to search symptoms or diseases for patients. Personally I use computers to the majority of my schoolwork. I store family photos, movies, all my music, and sometimes I FaceTime on it. I also use computers for searching the internet, researching for projects, or just watching videos on youtube. As I have presented some of the reasons why I think computers have have a huge impact on the world, I hope you have begun to believe the same.

Amahri G

11/21/2016 07:42:11 pm

An important part of digital revolution are computers and laptops. My reasoning for this is that so many companies, corps., and facilities are becoming more organized. They have started digitizing their information, files, and documents. Making these more accessible and easy to find. Before then people were diving into their storage cabinets looking for that one presentation or essay they prepared. Now people are using google docs, prezi, google slides, google spread sheet, etc. for their work.

An example of this change would be my doctor's office. My doctor who retired this year, walks into the room with a laptop and starts going on with the appointment while me and my mom just stared at the laptop. He then eventually explained how they transferred all the files in the doctors office into the laptop. Which is a big change and he isn't fumbling through the portfolio anymore. Though he still complains how bad he isn't used to technology.

Tessah A.

11/21/2016 07:58:01 pm

I think one of the greatest inventions of the Digital Revolution is the camera.The first camera was invented in 1685 by Johann Zahn but the first photo click was done in 1814 by Joseph Nicphore Niepce. You would't necessarily think of the camera being a everyday necessity in average life of anyone but it has managed to do something that we sometimes can't: capture memories.

Sometimes when I am bored,I go through all my old photos and see things that I have long since forgotten: whether it be four years ago or ten years ago.

Tessah A.

11/21/2016 08:09:43 pm

I accidentally posted my blog without finishing but completing my thoughts: I think that something that is handheld and so fragile but can hold something so precious is honestly tremendously cool. I guess I take some bias to this invention considering my "obsession" with it. I think the camera has not really opened new opportunities for new technology. I think the most you can do for camera is improve it.

Sophia A.

11/21/2016 09:32:19 pm

Great point about capturing memories. Especially the part that you added about how something so small could be precious. Nice.

Deijah PP.

11/21/2016 09:20:26 pm

The invention that I think made the greatest contribution to modern society is the cellphone. I think the cellphone is a great invention because it lets people from around the world talk to people anywhere. Instead of waiting for letters or mail to arrive(some people like that) with just a push of a button we could talk to anyone at anytime. Lets say you had a relative that lived in India, Asia, etc. instead of waiting to send them letters or waiting to receive on all you have to do is call or text them and you can a response right away(if they respond quickly).

The cellphone was invented in on April 3, 1973. That is 43 years ago! Think of the time they had to spend to perfect and make the cellphone to what it was at that time. The cellphone has changed lives for Americans because like I said before it lets people talk to anyone anytime any place. It also allows people to look tings up, play music, watch movies/videos at anytime with a touch of a button. It helps people if they are in a emergency to call someone if they need help/assistance.

The cellphone changed my life because it lets me call my friends if I am stuck on homework or anything else in my life. It changed my life by letting me talk to relatives that don't live around the corner or down the street(or even the same city or state or country). Having a cellphone lets me express my self using funny filters, showing small clips of my life, and showing important and inspirational things online in a snap(sometime random funny things).

Cellphones can make new things that can help us in the future and they already have. Something that has been helpful to parents(not so much the children sometimes) are phone that have trackers so your parent can find you. If you ever went missing at least your parents would know where you are and where to find you. Something else that cellphones had a part of are the apple watches. Cellphones evolved from big bulky boxes with antennas and buttons to watches, headphone, etc.

In conclusion I think cellphones were a amazing invention that is inspiring and spawning new creations and inventions. Without cellphones our lives would be different and maybe less complicated but a little boring and not as exciting. Living without the funny filters or the funny inspirational videos or photos. Without this this life would be different and who know what it would be like without those devices.

Derik T.

11/21/2016 09:24:12 pm

Personally I feel like the invention that has contributed the most to our society is the average cellphone invented in 1973. The cellphone started out as a bulky brick-like phone that didn't have that many uses. All you could do was put in the number and hope someone on the other side will pick up. If they didn't you weren't even able to leave a voice mail. It has basically went through many stages becoming thinner, bigger, or even smaller. Becoming more and more complex over time. If you ever called someone and they didn't pick up, you can just leave a voicemail telling them to call back. You can even email someone that's anywhere in the world at the speed of light. Same with texting, you can send a quick message saying what ever you want. If there was ever an emergency you could just call 911 for help so that you don't have to wait hours for anyone to notice. You could also talk to family whenever you want to or even make important business calls. It helps me by being able to communicate with friends and family. For instance I might have to text a friend to see what we are supposed to do for an homework assignment. I could even call a family member to see how they're doing. I believe it may cause more inventions to be made by having people from different parts of the world be able to communicate with each other. Thus helping them to work together on making a new invention.

Sophia A.

11/21/2016 09:29:08 pm

I think that the invention of the laptop is one of many great contributions to modern society. Although there are others amongst this invention, the laptop was life changing to many because it was a portable computer. This invention allowed people to share information, store information, go on the internet, and communicate.

The first laptop that was invented was called the Osborne 1 and was invented by Adam Osborne in 1981. Adam Osborne was part of the company Osborne Computers. This laptop was $1,795 and came with $1,500 worth of programmes. After this invention came out, it was a huge success. Since it was the first anyone has heard of this new portable computer, it made a lot of money. After this initially hit the markets, like many other things, companies copied their idea and soon came out with their own versions of the original portable computers. These other companies was IBM, Compaq, and NEC.

The original computer was much larger than these portable ones. Those were much heavier and did not look the same. After the laptop were invented, the weight of hem dropped to 5 pounds and the screen looked different. I think life for Americans because it became easier to communicate and share information with other people. I also think that it made American life easier because it also allowed people to use the internet outside of the house.It changed my life personally because instead of staying downstairs to do all my homework and watch videos downstairs, I can easily bring a laptop to anywhere I feel like working.

Since everything has potential to be altered or made better, the laptop, although it still has kind of the same look to it as the original, has been changed to switch into a tablet or to switch the direction of the keyboard.

Jaden L.

11/21/2016 11:20:29 pm

In my opinion I believe the greatest contribution to modern society was the typewriter. I know it may not seem to fit in the category compared to other blogs on phones, computers, the internet, etc. but it was actually one the first devices created in the beginning of the digital age. Before you keep scrolling and don’t want to comment on this, (minus Mr. Husband who has to grade this) just hear me out.

The typewriter was originally created in 1575 and was reinvented multiple different times in it's years, but in 1873 the first commercially successful typewriter came into mass production. The 1873 typewriter was created by Christopher Sholes, Carlos Glidden and Samuel Soule. Ever wonder why a traditional keyboard is not in alphabetic order. This is because when creating the keyboard for the Typewriter they found when typing they could not go very fast do to the spacing of the letters. To increase speed of typing they changed the order into a keyboard that gave enough spacing for a each letter for easy to reach, fast typing keyboard. Since then it has just stuck and is continued on until this day.

The typewriter changed the life of Americans significantly. Before typewriters everything was done by hand or a printing press which would take a long amount of time. Then the typewriter was created suddenly people were buying a machine that could type faster than they could write. You would see them everywhere, houses, storefronts, schools it was like an invasion. They were not just used for decoration or the occasional story idea, they were used for actual work. Police used them to write out reports, they were used in courts for faster shorthand to record of the events of the court, the press used them to write rough drafts of articles. Anywhere you looked you would see and it was like this until the early 90’s when they started to die out. Even so typewriters were a big part of American culture for almost a century.

It has changed my life completely because of whiteout it many things may not have been thought of until a later date. The typewriter is consider to some as the grandfather of computers. Therefore without the typewriters we may not have computers now or even in the future. Without computers I wouldn’t be able to write this blog, nevertheless post it. So in a way the typewriter affects me by creating the idea of a computer to now give me the advantages I have now.

The typewriter has been the base for many different inventions over the years, including updates of itself. Other typewriters have been electric typewriters, printer typewriters and even know there are digital typewriters that connect to your device. It’s keyboard style ( referred to as QWERTY) is carried on today on our own devices. It was a big influence for the stenography machine used in courts nowadays. The typewriter was a big milestone for the country that helped jumpstart the digital age. But hey, that's just my opinion.

Fiona R

11/22/2016 11:32:25 am

I think the greatest and most beneficial invention created was the internet. It allows people from all around the world to communicate with each other in so many different ways. I also think it can also occupy by your time, be your job, or it can help you meet a new friend. It was created in 1990 when computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee invented the World Wide Web.

Carina S.

11/22/2016 05:15:20 pm

That's true. On social media, you can meet people from all around the world and even befriend them. It occupies a lot of my (and others') time too.

Ger L.

11/29/2016 08:16:33 pm

Yes, I agree. The Internet is the greatest and most beneficial, because of the impact that it has caused us humans. It has changed our lives for the better. It makes everything much more easier for ourselves.

Carina S.

11/22/2016 05:13:10 pm

I think one of the greatest inventions of the modern day is the computer. I don't know about anyone else, but a lot of things in my life require a computer, mainly school. I honestly can't remember what life was like without these devices. I think that computers will eventually evolve into something greater like a computer that can transport us into different dimensions/worlds. Maybe even prove or disprove the multiverse theory.

Yasira P.

11/29/2016 07:30:53 pm

I feel like the email was a digital invention that changed the world. With email you can cancel a plan last minute, share information etc within seconds. Now you won't have to write a letter then mail it and wait a week or two for the person to reply back. With email we can communicate easier with each other like texting.

Email was first used in the 1960s - 1970s.It is said to be created by Ray Tomlinson in 1972. By 1974 it was used for hundreds of military users. By 1976 Email had really taken off. The first important way of emailing was called SMTP(simple message transfer protocol).

The email changed America significantly. Now people could communicate with someone halfway across the world, in another state or even in Antarctica. Emails were even allowed to be read offline if you didn't have internet. The email would save to your computer so it could later be read. You then could prepare your response without Internet. It also changed AmErica because businesses sometimes supply each other with certain materials. If you needed a certain material or amount you could let someone know in 1 second and have response in the next. This allowed businesses to stay up to date with inventory, supplies etc. Emails also helped family communicate easier. If a relative died you wouldn't get a letter a week later saying they died they could receive it in a day or two and make it in time for the funeral.

It has changed my life because I don't always have the time to call people. I could easily send them an email. Also if I ordered something from a company and the wrong thing comes, I could easily email them and have a refund in the next day or so. Also texting may not have even been invented without email. Email is basically t sting. I think it was the base of it too. A lot of people use texting nowadays because it has been really easy to communicate with just like emails.

Ger L.

11/29/2016 08:13:40 pm

I feel like the greatest invention to ever be made was the smartphone. The reason I feel like this was a great invention was because it changed the way how we contacted each other. It made it easier for us to use the internet, social media, and easier for us to message each other. It was first invented in 1997 and completely changed the way how we looked at technology. It didn't just change are lives, it improved it, and made it worse. So, it is a good and bad thing that smartphones were made.

The reason why I said that it had an good and bad impact is because smartphones has made it for us to contact easier and get in touch we other people. The bad side of it, is that, it has made us humans lazy. Today kids have smartphones already, smartphones has caused us to not be so active as we were back then. Smartphones haven't just changed our lives, but it changed the way how the world works.

Digital Revolution

Leave a Reply.

Author

Archives

Categories