25 technologies that have changed the world

You may even be using one to read this article. Wi-Fi has become essential to our personal and professional lives. The smartphone and the internet we use today wouldn't have been possible without wireless communication technologies such as Wi-Fi. In 1995 if you wanted to "surf" the internet at home, you had to chain yourself to a network cable like it was an extension cord. In 1997, Wi-Fi was invented and released for consumer use.