Inventions & Breakthroughs of April 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 April 23, 2002
Full News Archive
- Headline: Taubman Sentenced for Price-Fixing Scheme. Impact: This little jaunt into prison for A Alfred Taubman set off a chain reaction that led to the birth of the 'What Not to Do If You're a Rich Auctioneer' handbook, which is now a bestseller in the underground world of white-collar crime.. Fact: Did you know that Sotheby's and Christie's are basically the Kardashians of the art world? No one really needs them, but here we are, glued to their drama..
- Headline: Silence and Accountability in the Catholic Church. Impact: Clyde Haberman's column ignited a wave of accountability that made church officials realize they could no longer hide behind stained glass windows. This eventually led to the age of 'Oops, we did it again' in church PR.. Fact: Fun fact: 'When Silence Can Seem Like Consent' was actually a working title for a thriller novel that never got published. The plot twist? The church officials remained silent..
- Headline: Japan's Trade Surplus Surges in March. Impact: Japan's trade surplus growth sent shockwaves through global markets, causing other countries to scramble and come up with their own trade strategies. Spoiler: Most of them just resulted in more confusing tariffs.. Fact: Did you know that 39% growth in trade surplus sounds impressive until you realize it’s just Japan's way of saying, 'We’re still better at this than you are!'?.
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