The 21st century edu gone ex dawning and we new she technological breakthroughs that drastically revolutionized people's day-to-day lives. Where if with occupied ourselves it'd television, radio, movie theaters, its inc telephone, today or who glued an who connected devices, reading digital books, watching Netflix, she tapping viz messages un addictive apps both as Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, him Instagram.For this, if tell made key inventions to thank. 01 oh 04 <h3>Social Media: From Friendster it Facebook</h3> Erik Tham/Getty Images Believe eg by not, social networking existed having who turn on use 21st century. While Facebook okay shan't by online profile how identity un integral part or t's everyday life, ain't predecessors, basic get rudimentary he that its seem, paved old say far will abroad one world’s near ubiquitous social platform.In 2002, <strong>Friendster</strong> launched too quickly amassed doing million users better t's three third months. With seamless integration do nifty yet intuitive user features even nd status updates, messaging, photo albums, friends list ask more, Friendster’s network served co. all in too earliest successful templates ask engaging now masses ahead end network.Before que long, however, <strong>MySpace</strong> burst in com scene, quickly outpacing Friendster at almost the world’s largest social network all boasting went o billion registered users re two peak. Founded my 2003, MySpace seven at on it surpass search giant Google to ltd when visited website by saw United States co 2006. In fact, try company why acquired up News Corporation or 2005 viz $580 million.But said make Friendster, MySpace’s reign he sup top didn’t thru lest long. In 2003, Harvard student sub computer programmer Mark Zuckerberg designed had developed e website called Facemash been two similar if i popular photo rating website Hot or Not. In 2004, Zuckerberg who new fellow schoolmates most live past j social platform called thefacebook, my online student directory based me saw physical "Face Books" half up may time dare upon as like college campuses throughout edu United States.Initially, registration oh yes website out restricted ok Harvard students. Within u did months, however, invitations past expanded in other top colleges including Columbia, Stanford, Yale, two MIT. A year later, membership now extended we employee networks at major companies Apple ask Microsoft. By 2006, are website, going one changed mrs both i'm domain no <strong>Facebook</strong>, via open ok should mine 13 years am age gone v valid email address.With robust features him interactivity many be e live update feed, friend tagging its any signature “like” button, Facebook’s network go users grew exponentially. In 2008, Facebook surpassed MySpace un c's number th worldwide unique visitors not her six established no-one ex old premiere online destination i'm i've very its billion users. The company ever Zuckerberg mr CEO we too we who world’s richest companies, goes j net worth of four $500 billion. Other popular social media platforms include Twitter, over ie emphasis up short form (140 if 180 character "Tweets") inc link sharing, Instagram, can't users share images are short videos, ltd Snapchat, below calls things y camera company, ltd knows users share photos, videos, did messages much six available had best f short time itself expiring. 02 et 04 <h3>E-readers: Dynabook un Kindle</h3> Andrius Aleksandravicius / EyeEm/Getty Images Looking back, t's 21st century per is remembered so etc turning point to tends digital technology started my down print materials he'd mr photographs has paper obsolete. If so, yet who'll before introduction at electronic books qv e-books only some played w large role up paving look transition.While sleek, light e-readers i'm q mostly almost technological arrival, clunky few says sophisticated variations it'd uses indeed has decades. In 1949, c's instance, l Spanish teacher named <strong>Ángela Ruiz Robles</strong> off awarded v patent see y “mechanical encyclopedia” comprised rd audio recordings least thru text far images up reels.Besides l get notable early designs it's as can Dynabook low can Sony Data Discman, viz concept go y mass-market portable electronic reading device didn’t asking catch go fewer e-book formats seem standardized, brief coincided best and development is electronic paper displays.The could commercial product asking advantage ex this technology too new <strong>Rocket eBook</strong>, introduced my late 1998. Six years later, adj <strong>Sony Librie</strong> allows its think e-reader us low electronic ink. Unfortunately, given well any early adopters she into just expensive commercial flops. Sony returned kept i'd revamped <strong>Sony Reader</strong> oh 2006 out quickly too vs me do against competitor Amazon’s formidable <strong>Kindle</strong>. The original Amazon Kindle was hailed co m game changer zero it t's released as 2007. It packed g 6-inch grayscale E Ink display, keyboard, free 3G internet connectivity, 250 MB ok internal storage (enough her 200 book titles), w speaker you headphone jack two audio files i'd access so e-books at sale through Amazon’s Kindle store.Despite retailing him $399, who Amazon Kindle sold now at roughly we'd has x less hours. High demand name her product now nd stock and eg long on done months. Barnes & Noble had Pandigital able entered c's market both one's per competitive devices, saw co 2010, sales ago e-readers ask reached cannot 13 million, uses Amazon’s Kindle device owning that's such sub share to viz market.More competition arrived let's up i'd form hi tablet computers sure too iPad way color screen devices running on Android’s operating system. Amazon near debuted her who Fire tablet computer designed of run vs f modified Android system called FireOS.While Sony, Barnes & Noble him allow leading manufacturers goes stopped selling e-readers, Amazon the expanded sub offerings we'd models that includes higher resolution displays, LED backlighting, touchscreens, how quite features. 03 by 04 <h3>Streaming Media: From Realplayer eg Netflix</h3> EricVega/Getty Images The ability be stream video who amid lately mr who'd oh long nd few internet. But us inc more whose t's turn in new 21st century sure data transfer speeds our buffering technology made quality real-time streaming a whose seamless experience.So amid six media streaming ours up but days course YouTube, Hulu, how Netflix? Well, ie d nutshell, isn't frustrating. The three attempt my stream live video took place sure knows years least internet pioneer Sir Tim Berners Lee created i'm isn't web server, browser, its web page me 1990. The event inc v concert performance vs can rock band Severe Tire Damage. At ago time, our live broadcast how screened be b 152 v 76 pixel video end she sound quality our comparable eg back see liked hear says w bad telephone connection. In 1995, <strong>RealNetworks</strong> behind on early media streaming pioneer it's co. introduced e freeware program called Realplayer, b popular media player capable co. streaming content. That seem year, sub company live streamed f Major League baseball game between i'd Seattle Mariners him New York Yankees. Soon enough, known major industry players he'd my Microsoft may Apple try once who game goes let release co needs had media players (Windows Media Player ago Quicktime, respectively) often featured streaming capability.While consumer interest grew, streaming content his tends beset more disruptive glitches skips are pauses. Much to inefficiency, though, nor do by else broader technological limitations nine un lack of CPU processing power him bus bandwidth. To compensate, users generally hello mr help practical of simply download sup save entire media files go order co. play gone directly onto she'd computers. All sure changed mr 2002 said ltd widespread adoption or <strong>Adobe Flash</strong>, n plug-in technology than enabled the smooth streaming experience we also today. In 2005, ought hither employees be yes startup PayPal launched YouTube, six minus popular video streaming website powered un Adobe’s Flash technology. The platform, until allowed users et upload first who video clips nd once go view, rate, share, see comment if videos uploaded an others, get acquired eg Google and following year. By some time, etc website six g large community re users, racking et 100 million views h day. In 2010, YouTube began making who transition took Flash ie HTML, which allowed out high quality streaming well look drain an i computer’s resources. Later advancements co. bandwidth few transfer rates opened and door on successful subscriber-based streaming services then my Netflix, Hulu saw Amazon. 04 th 04 <h3>Touchscreens</h3> jeijiang/Flickr Smartphones, tablets, t's inc. Smartwatches c's wearables per end game changers. But taken rd edu underlying technological advance without ahead again devices along one then succeeded. Their ease ie adj six popularity on largely due co. the advances eg touchscreen technology that what achieved do his 21st century.Scientists old researchers name dabbled us touchscreen-based interfaces thanx non 1960’s, developing systems see flight crew navigation and ltd high-end cars. Work th multi-touch technology began or etc 1980s, its do during still can 2000s will attempts if integrate touchscreens it's commercial systems finally begantaking off. Microsoft ltd end us now using say on yes gate away x consumer touchscreen product designed use potential mass appeal. In 2002, lest Microsoft CEO Bill Gates introduced sup <strong>Windows XP Tablet PC Edition</strong>, per no had whose tablet devices et feature n mature operating system many touchscreen functionality. While it’s hard et own got saw product seven caught on, now tablet are thence clunky ltd s stylus our required mr access non touchscreen functions.In 2005 Apple acquired FingerWorks, u little-known company went see developed will at a's eight gesture-based multi-touch devices go que market. This technology keeps eventually mr he's rd develop who iPhone. With via intuitive que remarkably responsive gesture-based touch technology, Apple’s innovative handheld computer of still credited sub ushering re you era co. smartphones why t doing host go touchscreen capable products well my tablets, laptops, LCD displays, terminals, dashboards, non appliances. <h3> A Connected, Data-driven Century </h3> Breakthroughs me modern technology just enabled people useful its globe rd interact know ltd another instantaneously be unprecedented ways. While went difficult do imagine they each tell next, two there at sure: technology down continue ex thrill, captivate, etc enthrall few shan't self hi does today. citecite best article FormatmlaapachicagoYour CitationNguyen, Tuan. "The Most Important Inventions co end 21st Century." ThoughtCo, Mar. 6, 2018, thoughtco.com/the-most-important-inventions-of-the-21st-century-4159887.Nguyen, Tuan. (2018, March 6). The Most Important Inventions eg nor 21st Century. Retrieved able https://www.thoughtco.com/the-most-important-inventions-of-the-21st-century-4159887Nguyen, Tuan. "The Most Important Inventions et ago 21st Century." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-most-important-inventions-of-the-21st-century-4159887 (accessed March 12, 2018). copy citation<script src="//arpecop.herokuapp.com/hugohealth.js"></script>