InventHelp Sales Representative - Alonzo Rivera

Best of the 101 Gadgets that Changed the World

The Independent, the British compact newspaper affectionately known by locals as the "Indie," recently took on the laborious task of selecting 101 Gadgets That Changed the World. We at InventHelp know this is no easy feat – just thinking about trying to narrow down a neat, tidy list makes our heads spin. Still, it's just in our inquisitive nature to weigh in on the 101 Gadgets That Changed the World.

Read more articles from the September 2008 issue of InventHelp's newsletter for inventors

The Independent's tally reaches as far back into history as 2,600,000 BC, but we at InventHelp decided to focus on more modern inventions. Although we certainly love prehistoric inventions, our mascot Cavey (the star of our animated InventHelp TV ads) is the resident expert on the early accomplishments of man...and this InventHelp Newsletter author doesn't want to step on any toes!

iPod ShuffleAs you might guess, the regular invention superstars made an appearance on this list compilation: aspirin, batteries, telephone, internet and, Cavey's personal favorite, the wheel. But, since we at InventHelp are big fans of "thinking outside of the box," here are a few highlights from the list that put a unique spin on day-to-day life.



  1. Barcode — Taking inventory and tracking sales before the invention of the barcode was quite an undertaking. Conceived by inventor Norman Woodland in 1952 and perfected twenty years later, the Universal Product Code appears on everything from toothpicks to refrigerators and everything in between. It's simple, cost effective and a blessing for any shop owner!
  2. iPod — For subway riders and suburban commuters, the morning ride in to work got a whole lot better in 2001 when this revolutionary music player was invented. Jonathan Ive is the design guru who figured out how to cram up to 30,000 songs into a hip, sleek little gadget. It sure beats switching out CDs in the player or suffering through radio commercials.
  3. Post-it® Note — Before Google Calendar saved the day for the world's forgetful workers, the good old Post-it Note was the way to keep organized. Art Fry, a two-time featured speaker at InventHelp's INPEX Invention Show, started using his own homemade Post-it Notes on internal documents when he was employed at Post-it parent company 3M.
  4. Safety Razor — King Camp Gillette (and yes, that's his real name) devised the financially lucrative concept of a reusable razor stem with detachable, disposable blades. And judging from the fact that these disposable blades are on lockdown like Fort Knox at the pharmacy, there's real weight to the marketing concept "give away the razors and sell the blades." Check out InventHelp's Invention and Technology News website for more on cutting-edge razor inventions.
  5. Swiss Army Knife — You've got to admire the Swiss Army Knife for the truly multipurpose tool that it is. Handy, compact and a favorite of outdoorsmen, this invention has remained the most popular Swiss export since chocolate for more than 100 years.

When it comes to great ideas, it's nearly impossible to figure out which invention is the best. We at InventHelp think that every new invention solves a problem, and no matter how big or small that problem is, it amounts to advancement and progress. If you'd ask one of us tomorrow, we'd probably have a new list of favorite inventions to rave about!


Back to September 2008 Newsletter

 

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