Inventions & Breakthroughs of February 2002
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
2 
Smartphone with Touch Interface
3 
Web Services APIs
4 
Social Networking Platform (Friendster)
5 
Online Payment Expansion
6 
Wi-Fi Security Standard (WPA)
7 
Digital Audio Streaming
8 
Medical Robotic Surgery Expansion
9 
High-Definition Digital Television
10 
Location-Based Mobile Services
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON February 4, 2002
Full News Archive
- Headline: Grisham's Comeback to Legal Thrillers. Impact: Grisham's return to legal thrillers inspired a generation of aspiring writers to abandon their dreams of originality and just write about lawyers, inadvertently creating a world where courtroom dramas outnumbered actual court cases. Thanks, John!. Fact: Did you know that the term 'legal thriller' was actually coined by a bunch of lawyers who realized their lives were too boring and needed some drama? Thanks for the plot twist, Grisham!.
- Headline: BUSH TO REQUEST A MAJOR INCREASE IN BIOTERROR FUNDS. Impact: Alicia Keys' concert not only lifted spirits but also inadvertently caused a spike in piano sales as people thought they could magically play after a night of soulful ballads.. Fact: Did you know that Alicia Keys once had to change her name because 'Alicia Pianos' was already taken? Just kidding—she's still a one-woman symphony of talent!.
- Headline: Loving and Losing To Chase the Blues.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 2002, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
NFLX
Netflix
Price in 2002
$0.12
2025 dataset value
$785,671
Netflix - If you invested $1,000 in 2002, it would be worth $785,671 today (785.7x return)
Rank #2
AAPL
Apple
Price in 2002
$0.35
2025 dataset value
$779,032
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 2002, it would be worth $779,032 today (779.0x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
The Ultimates #1
$25
Y: The Last Man #1
$300
New X-Men #128
$50.00
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Volume 2 #1
$30
Spider-Man: Blue #1
$200
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Beyblade (Metal Series)
$250.00
Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
$150.00
LEGO Bionicle
$150.00
Bratz Dolls
$150.00
RoboSapien
$200.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
$400.00
Metroid Prime
$22.98
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
$100.00
Kingdom Hearts
$120.00
Battlefield 1942
$50.47
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
Yu-Gi-Oh! Legend of Blue Eyes White Dragon 1st Edition Blue-Eyes White Dragon
$10,000
2002 Pokémon Neo Destiny Shining Charizard
$250,000
2002 Topps Chrome Tom Brady Refractor
$200,000
2002 Magic: The Gathering Set Foil Charmed Griffin
$20
2002 FIFA World Cup Ronaldo Panini Sticker
$28,800