The floppy disk was considered a revolutionary device at the time for it's portability which provided a new and easy physical means of transporting data from computer to computer. However, today the floppy disk is going the way of the dinosaurs as newer portable media becomes available and many computer systems no longer have a floppy disk drive as standard gear. Photo of flippy disk provided by Freephotos.

• History of Computers

The year 1953 saw the development of IBM's first commercially successful general-purpose computer. Inventor, Thomas Johnson Watson Junior wanted to contribute a "defense calculator" to aid in the United Nations' policing of Korea after the Korean War. However, one obstacle Watson Junior had to overcome was in convincing his father, Thomas Johnson Watson Senior (the CEO of IBM) that computers would not harm IBM's card processing business. The 701s were incompatible with IBM's punched card processing equipment, at that time a big moneymaker for IBM. Illustration of IBM 701 EDPM Control Board by Mary Bellis

• History of Computers

The arcade game Pong was created by Nolan Bushnell in 1972. Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney started Atari (a term from the Japanese game Go) that same year, becoming one of the first manufacturers of home video game systems. Photographer Kevin Winter: Getty Images

In my opinion, Ray Kurzweil is a futurist full of confidence that technology will save us and the planet. And I want to live in Ray Kurzweil's vision of the future with its promise of immortality and computers smarter than human beings. Hmm.. just like Battleship Galattica?

Ray Kurzweil is also an inventor, prize-winning author, and nanotechnology advocate. Matter of fact I had the pleasure of attending the very first nanotechnology business alliance conference in NYC years ago, where Ray Kurzweil was a key speaker and guest of honor. If you ever get a chance do take out one of his books from your local library.

Photocredit: Inventor Raymond Kurzweil attends a screening and panel discussion of Transcendent Man - a new documentary about inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil - Getty Images/Andrew H. Walker