Inventions & Breakthroughs of December 2003
Gadgets, lab surprises, odd bets, and future-shocks from this slice of the calendar.
1 
Social Media Platform (MySpace)
2 
Voice Search Technology
3 
Electric Hybrid Vehicle (Prius)
4 
Online Video Streaming Platform
5 
3D Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
6 
Wi-Fi Home Routers
7 
Open-Source Web Browser (Firefox)
8 
Digital Rights Management Systems
9 
Medical Electronic Health Records
10 
Spam Filtering Algorithms
The Sounds of
Popular recordings and roots/country selections associated with the year
HEADLINES ON December 11, 2003
Full News Archive
- Headline: Kitchens: From Cooking to Computing Spaces. Impact: Had the kitchen not transformed into a tech hub, we might still be cooking on stone tablets and sending smoke signals instead of texts. So, thank you, broadband, for preventing us from becoming cavemen again.. Fact: Did you know that before this kitchen revolution, the only thing you could do in a kitchen was complain about your burnt toast? Now, it's a full-blown tech center where you can simultaneously ruin dinner and your Wi-Fi signal!.
- Headline: Comparing Multifunctional Cellphone Operating Systems. Impact: This search for the 'superphone' led to the creation of devices that now dominate our lives, making us all practically cyborgs. In a few decades, we’ll probably be merging with our phones entirely. Can’t wait for the inevitable smartphone-human hybrids!. Fact: Did you know that back then, the biggest question was whether your phone could play Snake? Now, we’re arguing over who can take the best selfies and post them on Instagram—priorities, right?.
Wall Street Time Machine
The Right Call: If you'd invested $1,000 in any one of these companies in 2003, here's what the stored 2025 dataset estimates.
Rank #1
AAPL
Apple
Price in 2003
$0.22
2025 dataset value
$1,226,446
Apple - If you invested $1,000 in 2003, it would be worth $1,226,446 today (1226.4x return)
🦸 Top 5 Comics
The Walking Dead #1
$75
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Volume II #3
$50
Y: The Last Man #10
$80
1602 #1
$30
Green Arrow #26
$150
🧸 Top 5 Toys
Beyblade: Metal Fusion
$300.00
Yu-Gi-Oh! Trading Card Game
$300.00
RoboSapien
$200.00
Bratz Dolls
$150.00
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 Series)
$200.00
🎮 Top 5 Video Games
The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker
$150.00
Call of Duty
$100.25
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
$609.50
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
$60.00
Mario Kart: Double Dash!!
$80.00
⚾ Top 5 Trading Cards
LeBron James 2003-04 Topps Chrome Rookie Card #111
$250,000
2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James Rookie Patch Auto #78
$2,400,000
2003-04 Topps Chrome Refractor Dwyane Wade Rookie Card #114
$1,504.99
2003-04 Upper Deck SP Authentic Carmelo Anthony Rookie Auto #148
$19,544
2003-04 Fleer Ultra Gold Medallion LeBron James Rookie Card #171
$800