· James Bayliss · Fun Facts · 2 min read
WTF Tech Facts – The Funniest Moments in Tech History
From a coffee pot becoming the first webcam star to Google’s first server being built from LEGO, here are the funniest and weirdest facts in tech history.
🤯 WTF Tech Facts
Technology has given us groundbreaking inventions, but it’s also produced some downright hilarious stories. Here are some of the funniest and weirdest facts in tech history.
☕ The First Webcam Was for Coffee
In 1991, researchers at Cambridge University set up a webcam to monitor a coffee pot so they wouldn’t waste trips to find it empty.
🪲 The First Computer Bug Was an Actual Bug
In 1947, computer scientist Grace Hopper found a moth trapped inside the Harvard Mark II computer. This gave rise to the term “debugging.”
🏎️ Bill Gates’ Speeding Ticket
In the 1970s, Bill Gates was caught speeding in a Porsche 911. The ticket listed the car’s owner as “Microsoft.”
🧱 Google’s First Storage Was Made of LEGO
Larry Page and Sergey Brin built Google’s first server housing out of LEGO bricks in 1996. Functional and colorful!
🃏 Nintendo Started with Playing Cards
Founded in 1889, Nintendo originally made “hanafuda” playing cards before pivoting to video games a century later.
🧻 Nokia Made Toilet Paper
Before becoming famous for indestructible phones, Nokia manufactured all sorts of products — including toilet paper and rubber boots.
🍚 Sony’s First Product Was a Rice Cooker
Sony’s very first product in the 1940s was an electric rice cooker. The only problem? It burned most of the rice.
🍏 Apple’s First Logo Was Isaac Newton
Before the bitten apple, Apple’s first logo in 1976 featured a highly detailed image of Isaac Newton under an apple tree.
🎄 The First Text Message Said “Merry Christmas”
The first SMS message was sent in 1992 by Neil Papworth. It simply read “Merry Christmas.”
🖥️ The First Domain Name Was Symbolics.com
The very first domain name, symbolics.com, was registered in 1985 — and it’s still online today as a digital relic.
🌟 Wrap-Up
Tech history isn’t just about progress — it’s full of quirky, funny moments that remind us technology is built by humans (with all their quirks). Next time someone mentions debugging, LEGO servers, or coffee webcams, you’ll have the perfect story to tell.
