History in Your Pocket...

"The Impact of Innovation and Invention in the Modern Era" is the current, and very interesting, exhibit at the Temecula Valley Museum.

What does a typewriter, a calendar and a video player have in common? Now all can be carried in your pocket, a possibility that was inconceivable when most of the objects featured in this exhibit were invented. The common daily features contained in a modern smartphone have a vast history full of inspiration and innovation.
This exhibit made me really think about the true power of the smartphone (which I've tried to resist but now have embraced).














I never knew about the Kodak Party Flash Camera. Interestingly, it was released in 1976 and became the direct competitor with Polaroid's instant camera. Soon after its release, Polaroid sued them for patent violation. A $150 million settlement was reached in 1985 and Kodak created a buy-back program for owners of the camera that they could no longer buy film for.


This 6-digit pocket mathematical aid helped the user with addition and subtraction. Created in West Germany, the calculator's number sliders are moved into position with a metal stylus and can be reset by pulling on the reset bar located at the top of the unit. Wild right?




I really loved that many of the artifacts are from local Temeculans. This Golden West Spiral Notepad was used in 1956 and donated by the Roripaugh Estate, a family intertwined with the history of the local Vail Ranch. Skimming through reveals that it was primarily used for crunching numbers and short, non-descript reminders. The other small notepads also come from the same collection.



We own this Temopoly Game (actually two different editions). I'm going to have to dust it off and see how many of the original business still exist.

While I still use paper calendars, shoot photos with a real camera, tell time with a wristwatch, write in notebooks, and play board games, the technology found in my pocket, is still mind-blowingly awesome and this exhibit really helped me to appreciate all the work that went into the smartphone so many of us take for granted.

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