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Period: to
Pre-modern Era
-
Vacuum Cleaner
made daily cleaning of household messes easier and less time consuming -
Band-Aid
provided sterile at home bandage dressings that were easily accessible -
Television
provided visual home news and entertainment -
Frozen Food
fresh vegetables, fruits, seafoods, and meat were flash-frozen to be used at a later date -
Aerosol Sprays
commercialized pressurized sprays, such as disinfectants, for home use -
Popup Toaster
made toasting breads easy and convenient -
Adhesive Tape
initially gained popularity during the Great Depression as a cheap home repair tool -
Microwave Oven
revolutionized cooking by making it quicker and easier to prepare and reheat foods -
Velcro
made fastening of apparel, especially children’s, easier -
Disposable Diaper
made diapering infants and toddlers more convenient -
Credit Card
produced so that consumers could have just one credit card to use at multiple stores as opposed to having many different store cards -
Period: to
Modern Era
-
Super Glue
has many purposes, but can be used as a great household tool for adhesive repair -
Non-stick Teflon
allows food to cook or brown without the food sticking to the pan -
Permanent-press Fabric
allows fabric to resist wrinkles and hold shape, is especially useful for collard shirts -
Smoke Alarm
indicates the presence of smoke or fire within the home -
Handheld Calculator
convenienced basic arithmetic for home or personal use -
Food Processor
small kitchen appliance used to make the repetitive tasks in food preparation, such as chopping or mixing, easier -
Personal Computer
initially were used for basic calculations and simple games -
Cellular Phone
made communication accessible wherever the consumer was, they were typically installed in a car due to the size of the unit -
Bluetooth
provided a platform for data to be exchanged wirelessly between devices -
GPS
provided real-time directions and made travel easier for the average family -
Period: to
Post-modern Era
-
Camera Phone
combined two heavily used products, the cellular phone and the digital camera, into one product -
Roomba
with the invention of the robot vacuum cleaner, small messes and daily dust could be cleaned while the consumer is performing another task -
Skype
made video communication over the computer readily accessible, was extremely convenient for parents who were deployed or on business trips to see their families -
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser
made cleaning anything from smudges on shoes to crayon on wall simple and easy -
Wi-Fi
wireless internet became more accessible to the general public -
YouTube
provided a platform where videos containing tutorials, information, and entertainment could be shared and viewed -
iPhone
the first generation iPhone combined communication, entertainment, and life management in one handheld device that could be personalized to fit the user’s needs -
Dyson Air Multiplier
a bladeless fan that makes cooling off the home environment safer for the household
