Milestones and Inventions | Answers

The answers to my earlier post are shown in bold below.

Pony Express map, by William Henry. Wikipedia
  1. 18 months—The Pony Express, a horse-and-rider relay system, operated for 18 months between Missouri and California, delivering mail in 10 days. Despite its short lifespan and financial failure, it demonstrated the feasibility of a transcontinental communication system.
    Osborne 1 portable computer. Wikipedia
  2. Osborne 1—The Osborne 1, released in 1981, was the first commercially successful portable computer. It weighed 24.5 lb (11.1 kg) and cost US$1,795 (equivalent to $6,273 in April 2025).
    Westland PV.3 at Martlesham in December 1931 before Everest expedition modifications. Wikipedia
  3. 1933—In April 1933, two Westland aircraft piloted by Douglas Douglas-Hamilton and David McIntyre flew over Mount Everest, financed by Lucy, Lady Houston. The expedition, led by Peregrine Fellowes, aimed to promote British aviation and was made possible by technological advancements in aircraft engines during World War I.
    National Palace of Culture, Sofia. Wikipedia
  4. Sofia—Sofia, liberated from Ottoman rule by Russian troops in 1878, became Bulgaria’s capital in 1879. Its population was 11,649 at the time of liberation.
  5. 1973—Motorola produced the first handheld mobile phone, weighing 2 kilograms and offering 30 minutes of talk time. It was commercially launched in the US in October 1983.
Dr. Martin Cooper, the inventor of the cell phone, with DynaTAC prototype from 1973, in 2007. Wikipedia
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Author: Scott F

As a retired trivia writer, editor and quiz compiler, I wholeheartedly agree with Bertrand Russell’s quote: “There’s much pleasure to be gained in useless knowledge.” Trivia of all sorts has always fascinated me, and for many years, I’ve written and compiled trivia for various media, including traditional TV and radio quiz shows, newspapers and magazines, apps, and other digital platforms.

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