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What a difference 20 years makes. On the surface, society in 2004 looks nearly identical to the world today. But on closer inspection, the innovations of our culture are apparent. Countless products, services, and things exist in 2024 that weren’t yet invented in the early 2000s. Today, we’re examining what’s changed our lives (for better or worse) over the last two decades. Here are 15 Things That Didnt Exist 20 Years Ago That Are Used Every Day.
1. Ridesharing Services
It’s hard to fathom how we managed to get from point A to point B without ridesharing services. Platforms like Uber and Lyft have recently become synonymous with convenient travel, and the invention of these apps seems like they came at the right time. In the early 2000s, if you didn’t drive, then unless you lived in a high-density metropolitan area and had easy access to taxis, you were often out of luck when you wanted a night out on the town.
2. Smartphones
Believe it or not, we didn’t enter the age of smartphones until the 2007 release of the original iPhone. Cell phones before then were more than capable of accessing data, communicating, and accessing the World Wide Web, but phones didn’t truly become “smart” until Apple changed how we used them, spawning an industry of copycats. It’s unfathomable to think how difficult life would be without these pocket-sized supercomputers on us at all times.
3. Hashtags
For better or worse, grouping like-minded messages online can be credited to one man: Chris Messina. While working in product development, he came up with the idea of using the “#” symbol to connect messages across Twitter. The rest, as they say, is history. The hashtag is so commonplace in 2024 that it seems crazy to think about a time without it.
4. Google Maps
If you’re anything like me, you distinctly remember going on road trips with nothing but a full tank of gas, a car full of friends, and a handful of printed-out directions from MapQuest. Thankfully, one vital aspect of traveling has changed for the better, thanks to navigation apps like Google Maps. Getting driving directions has never been easier, thanks to GPS-equipped smartphones offering turn-by-turn navigation. (Don’t worry; you’ll still miss an exit occasionally. Some things never change.)
5. Practical Electric Vehicles
While electric vehicles have been around in relatively primitive form before the early 2000s, forward-thinking manufacturers like Tesla have brought EVs to the mainstream. Whether people like it or not, society is trending away from gasoline-powered vehicles. Although these pricey vehicles are out of reach for most people’s budgets, conventional wisdom suggests they’ll become more affordable in the upcoming years.
6. Netflix
Netflix has been a pillar of home entertainment for so long that it’s challenging to imagine life before it was invented. In the early 2000s, movie night consisted of going to Blockbuster and spending hours perusing their selection with your loved ones before begrudgingly settling on a movie nobody really wanted to watch. Netflix brought the “movie rental” experience to us, and I consider it one of the greatest inventions ever.
7. Wikipedia
The crowd-sourced open encyclopedia debuted in January 2001, changing how we learned about countless topics. Before Wikipedia, a person had to go to the library or thumb through a physical encyclopedia, which could be a lesson in frustration. Wikipedia is one of the most frequently used websites due to its popularity among anybody seeking verifiable knowledge.
8. Gmail
Before Gmail became the only email provider that mattered, the internet was littered with barebones web-based email providers like Hotmail, Yahoo Mail, and whatever terrible iteration AOL worked on at any given moment. In 2024, nearly 2 billion people have Gmail accounts, which serve as a gateway for the rest of Google’s popular suite of services. From students to professionals (and everyone in between), having a Gmail address is synonymous with the status quo.
9. Music Streaming Platforms
Remember when we used to trudge to the local record store and buy physical media like suckers? Remember when we used to download our favorite music illegally? Remember when we used to legally purchase individual songs from iTunes? Thankfully, those days are long gone. In 2024, streaming any song you like on-demand from services like Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music will be affordable and effortless. What a time to be alive.
10. Airbnb
Airbnb changed how the general public booked vacations, putting a severe dent into the revenues of the hotel industry in the process. Airbnb came on the scene in 2008 and allowed direct home rentals through an easily navigated smartphone app and website. Although the current iteration of Airbnb has pros and cons, nobody can deny the company’s influence on the rental market. They changed the game permanently. Let’s cross our fingers that they eliminate excessive cleaning fees for good.
11. Facebook
Facebook is everywhere. What started as an innocuous social network for college students has become a cultural pillar. Billions of people use Facebook every day. You know something is successful when our parents use it. Despite many crying foul at Facebook’s methods to make money and keep people using their service, it’s still popular today. It’s woven into countless lives, and there’s no turning back.
12. Android Operating System
Is there anything Android isn’t part of, from our cars’ infotainment screens to our smartphones to our laptops? Google’s ambitious attempt to revolutionize handheld operating systems paid off in a big way; billions of devices run Android every day, and in the smartphone space, Android is often neck-and-neck with Apple’s iOS in popularity. As an avid Android user, I’m amazed at the OS’s security, ease of use, and extensive customization options.
13. Amazon Prime
I’ll be honest: Amazon Prime feels like it’s been part of my life since birth. However, it only debuted in 2005, boasting a membership option offering free, fast shipping for millions of Amazon-sold products. In 2024, it’s a powerhouse subscription service, offering great shipping deals, streaming music and entertainment, and countless other valuable amenities. I can’t imagine my life without Amazon Prime, and doubt I’m alone in thinking that.
14. Bluetooth
Many will be surprised to read that Bitcoin has hardly existed for 15 years. It debuted in 2009 and is currently enjoying great success as the most accessible piece of crypto on the market. Whether you believe in the long-term viability of Bitcoin is another story. Many consider it to be imaginary internet money, while others think it represents the next generation of money.
15. Xbox
Given Microsoft’s massive success with Xbox, it’s hard to remember a time before it existed. It offers a high-end home video game experience to millions of people. Xbox debuted in 2001 and has become synonymous with a fun, engaging video game ecosystem focusing on multiplayer action. It routinely battles Sony’s PlayStation console for supremacy in the home console market, and gamers benefit from the rivalry.
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