Inventions & Breakthroughs of February 1984
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Graphical User Interface Computer (Macintosh)
2 
Inkjet Printer (Consumer)
3 
Medical DNA Fingerprinting
4 
Compact Laptop Computer
5 
Digital Music Synthesizer
6 
Video Cassette Rental System
7 
Speech-to-Text Software
8 
Advanced Prosthetic Limb Control
9 
Optical Fiber Network Expansion
10 
Personal Desktop Publishing
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON February 17, 1984
Full News Archive
- Headline: Intrigue in 1930s London's Underworld. Impact: The jewel thief's antics inspired countless heist films, leading to a world obsessed with crime capers. Eventually, this obsession caused a spike in fashion trends featuring black turtlenecks and berets, resulting in very confused hipsters in coffee shops.. Fact: Did you know that the actual jewel thieves in London were just looking for a good cup of tea, but got sidetracked by shiny objects? Priorities, right?.
- Headline: Malle's 'Crackers' Screening Featuring Sutherland. Impact: The inept thieves' misadventures prompted a generation of would-be criminals to reconsider their life choices, leading to an unexpected boom in community college crime prevention courses. Thanks, Donald!. Fact: Fun fact: The only thing these thieves successfully stole was the audience's time and dignity. Bravo!.
- Headline: Footloose: Dance Revolution on the Farm. Impact: This rural dance-off established a precedent for small-town musicals, eventually leading to 'Dancing with the Stars' where even the cows got their 15 minutes of fame. Moo-ving, isn't it?. Fact: Did you know that 'Footloose' was originally going to be called 'Footsore'? I guess they thought it sounded too much like a podiatrist's nightmare..
- Headline: FILM: 'BLAME IT ON RIO'. Impact: This film's questionable relationships sparked a debate on age gaps that reverberates through time, influencing countless rom-coms and awkward family dinners for generations. Thanks for that!. Fact: Did you know that after this film, parents everywhere took 'not dating your friends' daughters' to a whole new level? It’s the ultimate family drama!.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 1984, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
WMT
Walmart
Price in 1984
$0.23
2025 dataset value
$490,961
Walmart - If you invested $1,000 in 1984, it would be worth $490,961 today (491.0x return)
Rank #2
JNJ
Johnson & Johnson
Price in 1984
$0.94
2025 dataset value
$222,603
Johnson & Johnson - If you invested $1,000 in 1984, it would be worth $222,603 today (222.6x return)
Rank #3
MCD
McDonald's
Price in 1984
$1.18
2025 dataset value
$271,190
McDonald's - If you invested $1,000 in 1984, it would be worth $271,190 today (271.2x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles #1
$100,000
Secret Wars #8
$150
The New Teen Titans #1
$200
Saga of the Swamp Thing #25
$60
Marvel Super Heroes Secret Wars #1
$300
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Transformers
$1,200.00
Cabbage Patch Kids
$150.00
Voltron
$200.00
Masters of the Universe: He-Man
$150.00
G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero
$143.75
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Tetris
$1,000.00
Duck Hunt
$275.00
Marble Madness
$100.00
Boulder Dash
$100.00
Kung-Fu Master
$200.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Don Mattingly Rookie Card #8
$3,000
Dan Marino Rookie Card #123
$30,000
John Elway Rookie Card #63
$15,250
Darryl Strawberry Rookie Card #182
$200
Hulk Hogan Rookie Card #1
$41,000