The World's Fair and Technology: 8 Amazing Highlights

Ahead of next month's 2010 World Expo in Shanghai, we explore tech innovations--from the telephone to touchscreens--that premiered during the Fair's sprawling 159-year history

Parker Pen Pals: Computerized Match Making

At the 1964 New York World’s Fair, Parker Pens provided a novel service for the time: Its pavilion used a computer to connect personalities on opposite sides of the world. You could jot down contact details, along with numbered interest selections, and (perhaps) get connected with a distant but like-minded person. Jump-cut to today, and we have eHarmony, complete with a 258-question inquisition into each participant's character.

Paper image credit: Worldsfairphotos.com

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