My Science School

          Most of us who use laptops and PCs would be familiar with the brand Dell. But how many of you know that the computer giant Dell was started by a then University student from Austin?

          In 1984, Michael Dell started his business in a dormitory in the University of Texas. He began with providing customized upgrades for PCs. When his business turned profitable, he dropped out of college to build PCs of his own. A year later, he released Turbo PC, his first design. His initial sales were through advertisements and mails. Dell also provided good customer support, sending technicians to service PCs and implementing a policy of risk-free returns. Dell went public in 1988 and the years that followed were a success saga by itself.

          Dell’s first colour notebook computer went on sale in 1991 and in 1994; Dell was the first company to offer long-lasting lithium-ion batteries. In the beginning of the 21st century, Dell’s product line expanded to include televisions, printers, DJ digital audio players, digital cameras, and a variety of computer-related products and the company was renamed as Dell Inc. in 2003.

Picture Credit : Google

 

          Jobs was forced out of the company over disagreements with John Scully, Apple’s CEO. This happened in 1985, right after the success of Macintosh. But this did not shatter him. He went on to found another computer and software company, NeXT Inc. that later bought Apple. A sweet revenge indeed!

          Apple showed a steady growth after Steve Jobs bought the company. The 1990s were a period of rapid growth. The company introduced newer versions of Macintosh and also launched the PowerBook, the earliest version of Apple’s laptop. Most of the iconic products of Apple were released after that including the iMac, and iPhone. The first iPhone was released in 2007. It came with many innovative features and was an instant success in the market. The subsequent years witnessed the release of newer, better models.

Picture Credit : Google

          Steve Jobs is more like a household name for anyone who knows about computers. But have you heard of Steve Wozniak., Jobs’s friend? The Steves began a start-up in a garage in California that grew to be one of the most successful companies in the world- Apple Inc.

         Both Jobs and Wozniak were college dropouts who wanted to develop a user-friendly personal computer. Wozniak’s work resulted in the development of Apple 1, their first model. This happened in 1976. A year later, they introduced Apple 2, their next PC. Though some of their models were not well received, they never stopped working hard.

          It was in 1984 that they introduced Macintosh, a PC with a built-in screen and mouse. This Product changed the way computers began to be used. Later, they went on to produce laptops, iPods and iPhones.

          Though Panasonic was known as a brand much before, it began to be known as a company only in 2008. Panasonic is the new name of Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

          Konosuke Matsushita started Panasonic in 1918. Twenty-three -year old Matsushita had two workers- his young wife and her 15-year old brother. Their business started with fan insulator plates. The product was reliable and cheaper than the others available in the market. By the end of the year, he had twenty employees.

          The journey was not so easy for Matsushita. His business was affected by the World War, but he made a fortune out of the post-War boom. From 1945 through 1959, Panasonic began producing black-and-white TVs, washing machines, refrigerators, radios, rice cookers and home air conditioners. By 1950, the company expanded globally.

          The company changed its name to Panasonic in 2008 and teamed up with Tesla in 2014. Panasonic is now a global technology leader.

Picture Credit : Google

          Though Canon possessed advanced technology, the company had a weak marketing section. Their success in engineering was countered by weak marketing strategies. This affected their products.

          In 1972, Canon developed the “liquid dry” copying system, the first of its kind in the market. Instead of selling the new product on their own, Canon licensed the technology to other manufacturers because the company doubted its competence in the market. This wasted a huge opportunity for profit. Things changed when Ryuzaburo Kaku stepped in.

          Kaku joined Canon as the managing director who changed the company’s management and marketing strategies, including TV commercials and faster development of newer technologies. By the 1970s and 1980s Canon launched a range of new products like EOS (electronic optical system) and autofocus SLR that brought them back into profitable business.

Picture Credit : Google

          Canon, the company that produces some of the world’s best cameras was started by a gynecologist. Back in 1933, Takeshi Mitarai, a gynecologist worked to develop cameras for medical use.

          Mitarai began the Precision Optical Instruments Laboratory for this, but the applications of their first major product extended well beyond the medical field. In 1934, they made Kwanon, Japan’s first 35 millimetre camera.

          Years later, they came out with Japan’s first indirect X-ray camera. Though their products were successful in the market, the Second World War hindered their growth. But another war provided an international break-through for Canon. It was during the Korean War that people recognized the quality of the Japanese lenses.

          Soon, the company began making huge profits. Its name changed to Canon Camera Company Inc in 1947. Canon continued to grow and in 1959, it became the first company in the world to manufacture an 8-millimetre camera with a built-in zoom lens. The company branched out to manufacture other products including the all-electronic hand-held calculator, electronic typewriter and plain-paper copier.

Picture Credit : Google

          It was 1886. Robert Bosch was neither rich, nor famous when he began his work to produce magnetos -a machine that provides current for ignition- in a workshop in his backyard.

          A year later, he came up with his first low voltage magneto for gas engines. In a few years, Bosch became the supplier of reliable ignition machinery within the industry. They rose to a global stature in 1897 and became a corporation in 1917.

         The company also started making windshield wipers and car radios. During the Second World War, they had to produce accessories for German Luftwaffe aircraft. During the war years, no new German tank was ever made without the starter elements from the Bosch factory.

          Apart from automobile accessories, as well as power tools, additional products like household appliances, helped Bosch achieve long-term stability.

          Bosch is credited with the development of a range of important inventions like the oxygen sensor, the electric motor control, the traction control system, the xenon light for cars, the electronic stability control and the direct fuel injection.

Picture Credit : Google

          The Tsar of Russia chose Philips to light up his palace as they produced reliable and cost-effective electric bulbs.

          In 1891, Frederik Philip decided to fund his son Gerard’s dream project to make quality light bulbs for everyone who needed them and thus, Philips was born. After twenty five years of production of carbon filament bulbs, Philips gained royal recognition after which they decided to branch out.

          The company was concerned about the well-being of people and soon got into the medical field, producing X-ray radiation equipment. Around the same time, they began producing radios. The work experience with radios helped them in the manufacture of television. Their product line diversified and started to include Philishave- the revolutionary electric shaver, CDs, DVDs, and so on.

          By the 1990s, Philips channelled their attention towards healthcare. They also produce a range of products like electric kettle, trimmers, and hair straighteners.

Picture Credit : Google

          Nokia introduced the world’s first mobile phone. The company took shape in 1865 in Finland. Fredrik Ides-tam started his business with a paper mill. Later, he branched out to electronics. In 1979, Nokia joined hands with Finnish TV maker Salora to develop the world’s first international cellular network- the Nordic Mobile Telephone (NMT) service.

          Five years later Nokia launched the Mobira Cityman, the first mobile phone. Though heavy and overpriced, it soon became a status symbol and Nokia made huge profits. The iconic Nokia ringtone was released in 1994 with the launch of Nokia 2100. By 1998, the company’s turnover increased by a massive 500 per cent. But, things began to change by 2007. The company started to run at a loss and was later acquired by Microsoft. Still, Nokia is remembered for some of the most memorable phones.

Picture Credit : Google

          Samsung entered the electronics industry in 1969; it first produced black-and-white televisions which helped to establish it as a major brand, not only in Korea, but overseas as well. The decades that followed were marked with rapid expansion. Samsung came out with a range of products including refrigerators, computers, washing machines, microwave ovens and fax machines that helped the company in securing a position in the global market.

          Their mobile phone business began to invest heavily in research and development throughout the 1980s. The 2000s were a game changer for Samsung. Samsung’s Galaxy smartphone series hit the market. Soon, the series became the company’s most-praised product and frequently topped the annual lists of the best-selling smartphones in the world. The Galaxy series expanded into tablets in 2010.

Picture Credit : Google

         Samsung started off as a grocery trading store in 1938. Lee Byung-Chull, the founder began his business by trading noodles, dried fish and vegetables. After the Korean War, he started a textile mill, thereby expanding his business. From the beginning, his strategy was to diversify and expand. Soon, he stepped into construction work, logistics and insurance and Lee met with success in all his endeavours.

          The Korean economy would suffer a major backlash if Samsung decides to leave business forever. Samsung is branched out into four major sections including electronics, engineering, construction, and most high-tech products. Samsung Group now have their presence in almost eighty fields including textiles, ship building, aerospace manufacture, oil mining, construction works, high-polymer chemicals, genetic engineering tools, telecommunications and nanotechnology.

Picture Credit : Google

          The tape recorder was just a starter in Sony’s menu. In 1957, Sony introduced the world’s first direct-view portable TV, the TV8-30. They kept modifying their television designs for better performance, but the best was yet to come.

          In 1979, Sony launched a product that changed their history and revolutionized music- Sony Walkman. It answered the need for a portable personal sound stereo. The new stereo came with headphones, so that one could listen to music anywhere without disturbing others. As the product hit the market, every music lover dreamt of owning a Walkman.

          Walkman was followed by Discman, a portable CD player, Handycam, High Definition Handycam, an upgraded version of Handycam and many others. Sony is also a major player in the music and film industries. Sony Music and Sony Pictures divisions dominate the world entertainment industry.

Picture Credit : Google

          When Masaru Ibuka and Akio Morita started their business from scratch, they did not possess anything except the readiness to work hard. It was 1946 and Japan had still not recovered from the effects of war. Their drive for success came from this national situation. The two started their company Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering Corp. in a bombed out departmental store.

          Both Ibuka and Morita were friends from the army. Ibuka was a genius in product development and Morita had commendable management skills. They began with making electric rice cookers which was not so successful. After some experiments, they came out with a tape recorder. The Japanese loved this invention and the sales sky-rocketed. As they decided to go international in 1958, they changed the company’s name to Sony, a combination of ‘sonus’ the Latin word for sound and the American word ‘sonny’.

Picture Credit : Google

               It all began in 1893, with Caleb Bradham inventing a new formula for a sweetened drink. His new drink was initially called ‘Brad’s drink’. As the business caught on, he looked for a quirkier name and settled with Pepsi-Cola.

               Though Pepsi-Cola was a successful brand, Caleb Bradham eventually went bankrupt. The company, after passing through the hands of several investors was finally bought by Charles G Guth. This happened in 1931 and after years of hardships, Pepsi made an amazing comeback in the 1960s.

                Pepsi became the first US product to be produced and sold within the USSR in 1974. The company diversified further with the purchase of Pizza Hut Inc., Taco Bell Inc., KFC and Seven-Up International. The brand was later renamed as PepsiCo and acquired more brands including Tropicana, Quaker, Lipton and Gatorade. PepsiCo now serves beverages and snacks to the whole world.

Picture Credit : Google