20th Century Technology

Magnetic Tape
Originally designed as an adhesive, magnetic tape first recorded sound in the 1920s and led ultimately to numerous popular appliances. The reel-to-reel recorder was born in the 1950s, leading to audio cassettes and portable cassette players such as the ubiquitous Sony Walkman, an instant smash after its 1979 debut. Images can also be recorded on magnetic tape, whose legacy includes the handycam and VCR.

• The Voting Machines of America