1953 and 2012 – gadgets then and now

Televisions – Philips TX1422 and Philips 50PFL7956T

Another product introduced in the Queen’s coronation year, the Philips TX1422 looks like the archetypal old-fashioned television, all beautifully polished wood, a tiny curved screen and Bakelite dials.

Philips is still making tellies 60 years later, albeit a lot larger. The £2,000, 50-inch Philips 50PFL7956T is a 21:9 ultra-widescreen model with 3D, Ambilight and basically more technology than a moon lander. And compare its ultra-narrow frame to the giant wooden box of its predecessor!