A gadget or electronic device is a device that has a specific purpose and function, generally of small proportions, practical and at the same time novel. Gadgets tend to be more ingenious in design than current technology.
History Of The Word Gadget
A gadget is a small tool, like a machine that has a particular function but is often considered a novelty.
The origins of the word “gadget” date back to the 19th century, however, the etymology of the word is in dispute. A widely circulated story holds that the word was “made up” when the Gadget, Gauthier & Cie company, the person responsible for the construction of the embossing of the Statue of Liberty in 1886, made a small-scale version of the monument and called it it’s business; however this is contradicted by evidence that the word was already used in nautical circles before, and the fact that it did not become popular, at least in the US, until after World War I.
Other sources cite a derivation from the and that has been applied to various parts of a trigger mechanism, or the French word gagée, a small tool or accessory.
Another curious fact is that the first atomic bomb was nicknamed “the gadget” by the scientists of the Manhattan Project.
In the software industry, “gadget” refers to computer programs that provide services without the need for a separate application to start each one, but instead run in an environment that manages multiple gadgets. There are various implementations based on software development techniques, such as JavaScript.
The first documented use of the term gadget in the context of software engineering was in 1985 by the developers of the Amiga operating system.
Currently, the use of the term gadget to designate consumer electronic devices, such as smartphones, tablets, and other latest technology devices, is widely recognized.
Top Ten Gadgets
In the last 50 years, many gadgets have emerged, according to the design of each section, utility, and innovation when going out the window, he related a list with the best ten gadgets of recent years:
Sony Walkman TPS-L2 (1979) – Thirty years after its appearance on the market, the music notebook was the first to incorporate [[radio, cassette player and use [[small headphones. Throughout its history, it has sold more than 330 million units, making it the most representative gadget of the last 5 decades.
Ipod (2001) – This music player has undoubtedly become one of the most popular on the market; Its sale ushered in a new era of digital audio and portable players. The first generation of this device was sold in 5 Gigas, becoming 9 years later the prelude to the so-called iPhone.
TiVo HDR110 (1999) – He pioneered the digital recording of video content in the late 1990s; The functionality of this device allows you to date not only to store the data on a hard disk but also to make it easy for users to watch a television show as many times as they want, leaving out the old VHS recorders.
PalmPilot 1000 (1996) – It is considered the first PDAs created by the Palm firm; Its design and technology allowed it to work as an efficient personal data assistant, saving information as an electronic diary. It had the ability to sync with the PC or [[Mac and used a Motorola 68328 processor.
Sony CDP-101 (1982) – This device was the first compact disc player to come onto the market in the 1980s; It had the ability to reproduce digital sound, revolutionizing the industry and way of listening to music.
Motorola StarTAC (1996) – It was one of the first cell phone models to implement the folder style as well as to implement the “vibrate” option; Its design has been in the anteroom of current mobiles. It featured a monochrome LED / LCD display.
Atari (1977) – Also known as the 2600 model, this video game revolutionized the console industry thanks to the graphics used in its games; In addition, it incorporated the cartridges and a joystick as a control. Titles like Space Invaders or Pacman became popular thanks to this gadget.
Polaroid SX-70 (1972) – This camera was the first of its kind; It had the ability to capture images and print them instantly. Its compact design allowed its owners to transport it almost anywhere. It is currently considered an invaluable and collectible item.
M-Systems DiskOnKey (2000) – The appearance of this information storage device symbolized the end of floppy disks. The first USB flash drives to be sold were 8 and 32 Megs, making it easier to save data and transfer it from one computer to another.
Regency TR-1 (1954) – It was one of the first devices marketed to use transistors; This radio was used by many young people in the late 1950s to listen to Rock music. It was sold in various colors including red, gray, and copper.
Some Examples Of Gadgets
Many technological devices of reduced size can be considered gadgets, as is the case of mobile phones, remote controls, iPods, PDAs, calculators, watches, etc.
Also, Google has its sidebar with many (virtual) gadgets that can be used with the Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac, and GNU Linux operating systems.
The pen (mechanical pencil), the wrench, the comb, the fork, among many others, also fit within the less technological definition.
It is also used to designate all accessories used by popular race and marathon runners who are not rated as must-haves.
