1898
Scientific American runs the first magazine advertisement for an automobile, place by the world’s largest automobile factor The Winton Motor Car Company of Cleveland, Ohio. The ad invites readers to “dispense with a horse.”
1930
Radio Corporation of America (RCA) installs a large-screen television system at an RKO cinema in Schenectady, NY. The screen is five feet high.
1932
Walt Disney releases the film Flowers and Trees, the first short film to use the full-color three-strip Technicolor process. It will go on to become the first animation to win an Academy Award.
1935
The first ten Penguin books, paperback reprints of titles previously published as hardbacks, are issued by publisher Allan Lane. Each title was priced at just sixpence each, the price of a pack of cigarettes, and features the Penguin brand image and a standardized cover design. The titles include works by Ernest Hemingway, Andre Maurois, and Agatha Christie. The covers are color-coded: blue for biography, green for crime, and orange for fiction. Despite industry skepticism, Penguin sales will reach three million copies in the first year. Penguin paperback books represent an early step in the popularization of affordable paperback books that will become the norm off after World War II.
1946
A V-2 rocket (No. 9) fueled by alcohol and liquid oxygen becomes the first test rocket to reach an altitude of 100 miles (167km). It is launched at White Sands, New Mexico.
1954
The Television Act 1954, authorizing the introduction of commercial television in the UK, receives the Royal Assent.
1959
Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore file a patent application for a semiconductor integrated circuit based on the planar process on behalf of the Fairchild semiconductor Corp. The patent application will be challenged by a Texas Instruments (TI) application on behalf of Jack Kilby, but in 1969, the courts will rule in favor of Noyce.
1971
Astronauts David Scott and James Irwin on Lunar module, Falcon, land with first Lunar Rover on Mare Imbrium on the Moon during the course of the Apollo 15 mission.
1979
The Lisa Project is launched with the objective of developing a US$2,000 with all the functionality of the Apple III with a target release of March 1981. The project is led by Ken Rothmuller.
1982
The software applications bundled with the Apple Lisa finally operate together under the machine’s operating system for the first time.
1986
Buena Vista Pictures releases the sci-fi film Flight of the Navigator, directed by Randal Kleiser and starring Joey Cramer, Paul Mall, Veronica Cartwright, Cliff De Young, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matt Adler, Howard Hesseman, and Albie Whitaker, to 952 US theaters. A twelve year old boy disappears in 1978, only to return in 1986. In the eight years that have passed, David hasn’t aged a day. Elsewhere, a flying saucer is found, entangled in power lines. The film will gross US$3,115,097 domestically in its opening weekend. IMDB listing
Infocom makes Releases 59 of the interactive fiction game Leather Goddesses of Phobos available for personal computers.
Tandy announced the Color Computer 3, featuring 128K of RAM (upgradeable to 512K), output to a composite video monitor or analog RGB monitor, and a paged memory management unit which breaks up the 6809’s 64k address space into 8×8K chunks. This model is meant to compete with the Commodore Amiga and Atari ST systems.
1991
IBM, Motorola, and Apple’s PowerPC announce an alliance to produce PowerPC processors.
1993
Bec releases the scrolling shooter Uchuu no Kishi: Tekkaman Blade for the Super Famicom in Japan.
Video System Co., Ltd. releases the vertical-scrolling shooter Sonic Wings for the Super Famicom in Japan.
1994
The Software Toolworks releases the racing game MegaRace for the Sega CD. (ESRB: MA-13)
1996
Atari Corporation hosts a special meeting of stockholders in the offices of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. in Palo Alto, California. The meeting only takes about four to six minutes to vote on the merger between Atari Corporation and JTS Corporation. The outcome of the vote is approximately forty-two million votes in favor of the merger and about eleven thousand votes against, ratifying the decision. The new parent company will take on the JTS name while Atari will be designated a JTS subsidiary. Upon the conclusion of the meeting, Sam Tramiel arranges to pick up the severance checks for himself and his siblings. Jack Tramiel, former chief executive officer (CEO) of Atari Corporation, agrees to remain in order to assist the companies with smoothly transition.
1998
Enix releases the role-playing game Star Ocean: The Second Story for the PlayStation in Japan. The game will go on to sell 724,000 copies in Japan alone.
Motorola releases the 333, 366, and 400 MHz PowerPC processors. The processors will be used in the upcoming PowerMac G3 Pro line, as well as a revamped PowerBook G3. The chips consume far less energy than the older, slower G3s.
The website of the University of Derby’s School of Art & Design is hacked by “fObic”. View an archived version of the defaced website.
1999
Artisan Entertainment releases The Blair Witch Project, directed by Daniel Myrick and starring Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard, and Michael C. Williams, to 1,101 US theaters. Produced on a budget of US$60,000, the film will gross US$29,207,381 domestically in its opening weekend. IMDB listing
Nintendo releases Mario Golf for the Nintendo 64 in the US. ESRB: E (Everyone)
Rockstar releases the racing game Monster Truck Madness 64 for the Nintendo 64 in the US. ESRB: E (Everyone)
The Stargate SG-1 episode “Point of View” first airs. In it, a Carter and Kawalsky from an alternate reality use the mirror from the episode “There But For the Grace of God,” come to the SGC from an Earth that has been invaded by the Goa’uld. SG-1 saves the alternate reality Earth by contacting the Asgard in the other reality. GateWorld entry
2000
Midway releases the fighting game Mortal Kombat: Special Forces for the PlayStation in North America. ESRB: M (Mature)
2001
Nintendo releases the Pokémon Crystal video game for the Game Boy Color in the US. ESRB: E (Everyone)
2002
Del Rey publishes the fantasy novel The Fifth Sorceress by Robert Newcomb as a hardcover. (ISBN-13: 978-0345448927) The book is the first in the Chronicles of Blood and Stone series. Visit this author’s official website. Length: 608 pages
Majesco Entertainment releases the flight simulator Gun Metal for the Xbox in the UK.
Namco releases the fighting game Soul Calibur II to arcades.
Sega releases Virtua Tennis 2 for the PlayStation 2 in the US. ESRB: E (Everyone)
2003
EA Games releases the real time strategy game Aliens versus Predator: Extinction for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The game can be played from the viewpoint of the Aliens, Predators, or Marines. Visit the game’s official website.
2004
Jcx.Software releases VS.Php, a text editor, for Microsoft Windows. Visit the application’s official website.
The Stargate Atlantis episode “Thirty-Eight Minutes” first airs. In it, Sheppard’s puddle jumper races to Atlantis, only to become lodged in the Stargate. Now, the team only has thirty-eight minutes until the Stargate automatically dis-engages, and the jumper is cut in two, leaving them to suffocate in outer space. GateWorld entry
Touchstone Pictures releases the suspense film The Village, directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Joaquin Phoenix, and Adrien Brody, to 3,730 US theaters. An isolated town confronts the astonishing truth that lies just outside its borders. At first glance, this village seems picture perfect, but this close-knit community lives with the frightening knowledge that creatures reside in the surrounding woods. The evil and foreboding force is so unnerving that none dare venture beyond the borders of the village and into the woods. But when curious, headstrong Lucius Hunt plans to step beyond the boundaries of the town and into the unknown, his bold move threatens to forever change the future of the village. Produced on a budget of US$60 million, the film will gross US$50,746,142 domestically in its opening weekend. IMDB listing
Ubisoft releases the stealth-based game Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow for the GameCube in Europe. Visit the game’s official website. PEGI: 12+
2007
Nintendo releases the puzzle game Picross DS for the Nintendo DS in North America. Visit the game’s official website. ESRB: E (Everyone)
Nintendo releases the sports game Mario Strikers Charged for the Wii in North America. Visit the game’s official website. ESRB: E10+ (Everyone)
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