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Born in 2007

A collage of photos including the YouTube and Facebook logos, an iPhone, a Kindle, a website address, popcorn and Netflix playing on a phone.

This year’s incoming class of 2029 entered the world in a landmark year, as the eruption of the global financial crisis sent shockwaves around the world and cutting-edge technology exploded onto the scene, forever changing how we live, work and connect. 

  • Steve Jobs unveiled Apple’s first iPhone at the Macworld Conference & Expo in San Francisco and revolutionized the mobile phone industry.
  • Netflix disrupted the DVD rental market when it rolled out its online streaming service.
  • The U.S. economy entered into the Great Recession, triggered by the collapse of the U.S. housing market.
  • “The Sopranos” pulled off a shocking series finale, followed a month later by the premiere of “Mad Men.”
  • Fox Business Network (FBN) was launched, marking a direct challenge to CNBC’s dominance in business news.
  • Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp. acquired Dow Jones & Co., publisher of The Wall Street Journal, for $5.6 billion, sparking questions about editorial independence and reputation.
  • YouTube became a major force in online video content creation and sharing.
  • Amazon transformed digital reading with the launch of its Kindle e-reader.
  • Google’s Android mobile operating system released its first beta version.
  • J.K. Rowling concluded her billion-dollar series with the release of “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”
  • Facebook and Twitter went global and made social media an integral part of people’s daily lives.
  • Rihanna, Kanye West and Britney Spears helped propel EDM, dubstep, electropop, experimental R&B and pop rap into the mainstream with their album releases.