Some very smart people here have mentioned mobile phones. Some other smart people have made the point that the original mobile phones predate the Apple II. Inde

Some very smart people here have mentioned mobile phones. Some other smart people have made the point that the original mobile phones predate the Apple II. Indeed, car phones go back way far in history but have more in common (historically) with radios. There are three revolutionary things about mobile phones that came after the Apple II: SMS (1984/5) GPRS (1997) The ubiquity of mobile phones (late 90s to mid 2000s) with data services. The technology itself is rarely revolutionary (although developers of HIV treatment drugs may disagree - this also came after the Apple II). The thing that makes it revolutionary is what happens when it reaches ubiquity. Mobile phones with data used to be amazing things. I still remember using a Nokia Communicator for the first time, over an incredible 9.6k link from almost anywhere with GSM coverage. These days your average person in the street probably couldn't tell you whether they were on GSM, HSPDA or Wifi (my wife certainly can't, other than sometimes her phone goes 'slow'). That's what's revolutionary about mobile phones, that they're no longer magical and part of everyone's day.