Smartphones, possibly
although I suspect there were smart phones around before the iPhone, but MP3 players were around (and better) before the iPod, I had one, it was very nice thank you.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:44, 3 replies, latest was 14 years ago)

I had a Rio, which I loved
but they went bust
( Naked Ape call me Caitlyn, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:46, Reply)

Creative MP3 players
were, and possibly are awesome. The aluminium fag packet I had was better (for my tastes anyway) than an iPod and far cheaper.
( CQ Knows the truth, all of it., Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:48, Reply)

I had an Archos 10 Jukebox
I loved it. But mp3 players as a concept didn't truly take off until after Apple got in there. Same with phones. I can't remember the exact quote but around the time of the first iPhone release there was a company statement from Nokia along the lines of, "We're not worried, we're the biggest phone maker in the world, we know what our customers want." No they didn't! Apple raise the bar in pretty much every area they try to go for.

I've never bought an Apple product and I doubt I ever will but I appreciate what they've done for technology.
( djtrialprice, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 11:53, Reply)

They didn't invent the MP3, they didn't even invent the MP3 player.
But they turned it into a viable product for the masses and attached an ecosystem to it that allowed for people to get hold of the music legally and fairly.
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Thu 6 Oct 2011, 13:08, Reply)