Innovation

Tech nostalgia: The top 10 innovations of the 1980s

By // May 15, 2015, 5:00 AM PST // connerforrest

Image 1 of 10

  • The IBM PC

    The IBM PC, also known as model number 5150, was released in 1981 and changed the business world forever. This machine helped standardize the burgeoning computer market and led to a host of third-party manufacturers for the platform. The IBM PC had everyone asking the now infamous question, "Is it PC compatible?"


    Click here to see more PCs from the early 1980s.

    Image: IBM

  • The cellular phone

    The first consumer cell phone, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X, hit the market in 1984. Despite its massive cost and low battery life, demand was high and there was a waiting list for people wanting to buy the phone.

    Image: Motorola

  • Microsoft Windows

    When it first launched in 1985, Windows was basically an extension of MS-DOS. Although it was slow to gain popularity at first, Windows eventually became one of the most popular operating systems of all time.

    Image: Microsoft

  • The Apple Macintosh

    A few days after its famous Ridley Scott-directed ad aired at the 1984 Super Bowl, the Apple Macintosh went on sale. It was one of the first commercially-available computers that didn't solely rely on a text-based interface.


    Click here to see more PCs from the late 1980s.

    Image: Apple

  • Compact discs

    Sony and Philips are credited with the creation of the Red Book CD-DA, which was first published in 1980. It set the foundation for the future of the compact disc. The first music album to be released on the format was Billy Joel's 52nd Street.

    Image: Conner Forrest/TechRepublic

  • Nintendo Entertainment System

    In 1983, the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) was released as the Famicom. After its subsequent release in North America in 1985, demand for the system exploded. The NES revolutionized console-based gaming. Later, in 1989, the Nintendo Gameboy was released, which changed the face of handheld gaming as well.

    Image: Nintendo

  • Space Shuttle Columbia

    The Space Shuttle Columbia made its maiden voyage on April 12, 1981 with the STS-1 mission. The Columbia completed nearly 30 missions before its tragic disintegration in 2003.

    Image: NASA

  • High definition television

    The first broadcast of an analog HD television program occurred in June 1989.

    Image: Conner Forrest/TechRepublic

  • Camcorders

    The Betamovie BMC-100 was the first consumer camcorder, released by Sony in the early 1980s. The Betamovie recorded to Betamax, but once VHS camcorders became more popular the Betamovie series died out.

    Image: Sony

  • Roland TR-808

    The TR-808 wasn't the first programmable drum machine, but it was the most influential. The 808 was key in early hip-hop, electronica, and house music, and it is still widely used today. The title of Kanye West’s 808s and Heartbreak album was a reference to the TR-808.

    Image: Roland Corporation

The IBM PC

The IBM PC, also known as model number 5150, was released in 1981 and changed the business world forever. This machine helped standardize the burgeoning computer market and led to a host of third-party manufacturers for the platform. The IBM PC had everyone asking the now infamous question, "Is it PC compatible?"


Click here to see more PCs from the early 1980s.

Image: IBM

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By Conner Forrest

Conner Forrest is a Senior Editor for TechRepublic. He covers enterprise technology and is interested in the convergence of tech and culture.