1982 - 1991
1982 Flat screen TV
Sony launch the first flat screen TV and the first CD player Sony in 1982.
1982 32-bit desktop computer
Hewlett Packard introduces the HP 9000, computer with 32-bit "superchip" based on the desktop mainframe computers of the 1960s.
1982 Channel 4 launched
Although established to cater for minorities, within a month of its launch the Government complains about "bad language, political bias and many other undesirable qualities".
1983 Pocket TV
The first Sinclair flat screen pocket TV set goes on sale in the UK
1983 Apple Macintosh
Apple Computer announces the Macintosh,128K CPU speed of 8 Mhz, has a 3.5" floppy drive and used Mac OS 1.0. In 1984 it cost $2,495.
1984 Greenhouse effect
Growing concern from scientists that carbon dioxide, produced by burning fossil fuels, is affecting the climate. The gas traps the sun's heat and the amount in the atmosphere is growing.
1985 Personal music player
First personal CD disc player is launched in Japan, Sony D-50.
1985 Electric Vehicle
Clive Sinclair launches one of the first production electric vehicles in the UK, Sinclair C5.
1985 CD-ROM agreement
Sony and Philips produced the standard for Compact Disc Read Only Memory (CD-ROM) computer discs would use the same technology as the audio CD.
1986 NICAM stereo
Near Instantaneous Companded Audio Multiplex or NICAM to you and me, was developed by BBC engineers. It was accepted in 1986 by the Government as the standard for all UK stereo broadcasts.
1986 Chernobyl disaster
Russia nuclear reactor catches fire in the world's worst civil nuclear disaster. Substantial amounts of radioactivity released.
1987 Phone boxes
Conservationists up in arms as BT announces replacement of traditional red telephone boxes.
1988 Fiber-optic communication
The first transatlantic fiber-optic cable carrying up to 37,000 telephone transmissions and began to replace satellites for telephone communication.
1990 First writable CD
Sony introduces the first writable CD and also Digital Audio Tape (DAT).
1991 New optical format
Sony develops the MiniDisc (MD), a small compact optical disk.
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