Technology can be very interesting. Here are some very fascinating mind-blowing facts about technology that you probably didn’t know. Be warned, some of them will seem unbelievable.

1. Gmail was once called Garfield Mail

Before Google launched its mail service, Gmail was a free email service offered on Garfield’s official website. People generally just called it Gmail because it was an easier name to call the service. Google’s Gmail as we know it now celebrated its 15th birthday on 1st April 2019. It has indeed come a long way from the days of Garfield mail service.

 

2. New Zealand on sale online

In 2006, an Australian man attempted to sell New Zealand on eBay. The bid went up to $3,000 before the online store found out. They realised the man did not have sale rights for the country and shut the bidding down.

 

3. Apple had a third founder

It was not public knowledge that Apple had a third founder because he gave up early. Ronald Wayne sold his stake at the company in 1976 for a sum of $800. This was way before Apple became the tech giant that it is now. Regret would be a functional word here.

 

4. No one wanted to buy Google

Google did not always have the internet sensation reputation that it has now. The company had such a rough patch at some point that the founders decided to sell it. Larry Page‎ and Sergey Brin offered to sell the company to the internet portal, Excite, for less than $1 million in 1999. The portal turned them down. It turned out to be a good thing for them.

 

5. AOL was once the king of Internetville

AOL was the Google of the 1990s. The company produced 50% of Software CDs that allowed people to install the company’s software on their computers. The tide has now turned, and AOL is now just another group of web pages.

 

6. 3D Printing was invented in the 1980s

3D technology is actually not as new as a lot of us think. Charles Hull created a model of the Stereolithography machine in 1983. He then filed for a patent three years later. Now, 3D technology can help build robots, cars and gadgets.

 

7. Microsoft is building an underwater data centre

Project Natick is a Microsoft initiative aimed at building and running a data centre submerged in the ocean. This is in a bid to make data centres more efficient and eco-friendly. They also think this will solve the huge problem of keeping the centres cool as it will form a natural cooling system.

 

8. Samsung produces weapons

Samsung does not only deal only with gadget production. They are also a full-time weapon manufacturer that uses the most up-to-date technology to support peace and security. It makes surveillance, aeronautics, automation and weapons technology. Since its launch into the defense industry in 1983 under the name Samsung Techwin, it has developed and produced artillery systems.

 

9. Nine coding languages were produced by women

Women have been in tech since technology inventions have become a thing. They have, however, rarely been credited or recognised for their work and contributions. There are nine coding languages in technology invented by women. Some of them are BBC Basic, Coq, Formac and Logo.

 

10. Emojis and emotions have no correlation

The word emotions have no place or link in the formation of the word, emoji. The word emoji comes from the Japanese words e which means “picture” and Moji which means “character.” Japanese artist Shigetaka Kurita created the first emoji in 1999.