Innovation

Tech nostalgia: The top 10 innovations of the 2000s

By // May 1, 2015, 5:00 AM PST // connerforrest

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  • The iPhone

    The decade spanning from 2000 - 2009 was one of many technological firsts. Here are 10 innovations that made an impact.

    Originally introduced in 2007, the iPhone was one of the first smartphones to make use of a multi-touch interface. After its release, the iPhone set the standard for future smartphone design and usability.

    Image: Apple

  • Facebook

    Famously started in a Harvard dorm room in 2004, Facebook eventually rose to the top of the heap of social networking sites in the 2000s. The company has expanded far beyond its original concept and is now a multi-billion dollar business.

    Image: James Martin/CNET

  • Camera phones

    The introduction of the camera phone in 2000 was an innovation that changed the daily lives of millions of people around the world. It allowed people to instantly take photos and videos, and dealt a major blow to the digital camera industry.

    Image: Motorola

  • The iPod

    The iPod was famously billed as the device that would put "1,000 songs in your pocket." With a focus on design and user experience, the iPod became the front-runner in portable MP3 players.

    Image: Apple

  • Blu-ray Disc

    The Blu-ray Disc began as a research project in the early 2000s, but eventually became one of the go-to formats for high-definition video. The disc technology is capable of storing 1080p video and high definition audio.

    Image: Sarah Tew/CNET

  • YouTube

    Born from the PayPal Mafia in 2005, YouTube is the world's most popular video sharing site. In 2006, YouTube was bought by Google for $1.65 billion.

    Image: Nicole Cozma/CNET

  • Twitter

    Twitter launched in 2006, offering 140-character messages called "tweets." The service has grown dramatically and has helped redefine how people communicate online.

    Image: James Martin/CNET

  • The Amazon Kindle

    In 2007, Amazon released the original Amazon Kindle e-book reader. While not the first of its kind, the Kindle led the charge to popularizing e-books and e-readers.

    Image: Bill Detwiler/TechRepublic

  • Skype

    Skype was one of the most important products in the history of video and Wi-Fi calling. The company was founded in 2003 and has changed ownership a few times, most recently being acquired by Microsoft.

    Image: Skype

  • Wikipedia

    Launched in January 2001, Wikipedia played a major role in defining the concept and purpose of user-generated content. There are now 200 versions of Wikipedia and millions of articles.

    Image: Wikipedia

The iPhone

The decade spanning from 2000 - 2009 was one of many technological firsts. Here are 10 innovations that made an impact.

Originally introduced in 2007, the iPhone was one of the first smartphones to make use of a multi-touch interface. After its release, the iPhone set the standard for future smartphone design and usability.

Image: Apple

Related Topics:

Innovation Hardware Digital Transformation Artificial Intelligence Internet of Things Smart Cities

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.