Hey there, it's Kathy. I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to History of the 90s

early and ad-free on Amazon music included with Prime.

Like every single year in the 90s, 1996 was jam-packed with unforgettable events and cultural moments.

It was still an era when the world seems smaller and a little bit slower,

because without social media, news stories lasted longer and dominated headlines for weeks and

months as information came to us in dribs and drabs. I'm Kathy Kinsora, and this is History of the

90s, a podcast about a decade that changed the world.

In this episode, we're going to dig a little deeper into the stories that captured our attention 30 years ago.

These are 10 of the most memorable events from 1996.

Number 10. The first flip phone hits shelves and the future fits in your pockets.

When the Motorola StarTack went on sale on January 6, 1996, it completely changed the game.

The little black flip phone was about four inches long and weighed

just over three ounces, which Motorola claimed made it the smallest and lightest cell phone in the

world. Prior to its debut, the most portable option was the Nokia 909, which weighed just under

a pound and was shaped like a candy bar, which was at least better

than the bag phone. It came in a large carrying case with a massive battery pack, and the whole

thing weighed about three pounds. So it's no surprise that Motorola referred to the StarTac in

promotional material as a wearable cellular phone.

Clip it to a waistband holster and you were good to go.

That is if you could afford this innovative new technology.

In 1996, the StarTac cost $1,000, and all you got was the ability to make phone calls.

This was no smartphone.

...