The Great Geek Manual

1884
The first long-distance telephone phone call is made between Boston, Massachusetts and New York City by branch managers of the American Bell Telephone Company. While sound is carried satisfactorily over the line, maintaining a clear connection over long distance will remain extremely difficulty into the turn of the century.

1899
Guglielmo Marconi receives the first wireless signal transmitted across the English Channel, between Boulogne, France and his ship-to-shore station at the South Foreland Lighthouse outside Dover, England. The signal is a test held at the request of the French Government, which is considering licensing the invention in France, and it is observed by representatives of the French government at both stations.

1956
Southern Bell, which serves Georgia, Florida, and the Carolinas, installs its five-millionth telephone in the office of the governor of Georgia.

1961
The first mobile computer center, a UNIVAC Solid-State 90 computer loaded into a motor van, is used by the Douglas Aircraft Corporation in Charlotte, North Carolina. The mobile center was created by Remington Rand UNIVAC, a division of Sperry Rand.

1969
Mariner 7 is launched on a mission to Mars.

1972
The Soviet space probe Venera 8 is launched on a mission to Venus.

1976
Bill Gates, age 20, gives the opening address at the First Annual World Altair Computer Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

1982
The Jerry Buckner and Gary Garcia album Pac-Man Fever peaks at the number nine position on the pop singles charts. Read the lyrics of Pac-Man Fever.

1989
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Royale” first airs. (No. 212) In it, Data, Riker, and Worf investigate the wreckage of an old Earth ship and a mysterious structure the Enterprise discovers on the surface of a gas giant. During the course of the away mission, they are trapped in a casino reconstructed from a poorly written Earth novel, without any evident method of escape. Memory Alpha entry

1990
Sierra Entertainment, developers of such popular game franchises as Leisure Suit Larry and Space Quest, acquires Dynamix, developer of Ghostbusters II and Motocross. Visit the official Sierra website.

1991
Acclaim releases Ironsword: Wizards & Warriors II for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) in Europe.

Broderbund Software and Sierra Online cancel their proposed merger, just three weeks after announcing the proposed merger.

1992
France decree a ban on television advertising by book publishers, cinemas, film distributors, and periodical press.

Microsoft releases version 4.0 of Microsoft Excel for Windows in the US. Visit the official Microsoft Excel website. Price: US$495

1993
The light from the supernova which will be designated SN 1993J in the M81 galaxy first reaches Earth over a distance of approximately twelve million light years.

1994
The Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode “Blood Oath” first airs. (No. 439) In it, three Klingons with whom Curzpn Dax once sware a blood oath come to the station, seeking assistance in reaping an old debt. Memory Alpha entry

1995
Intel releases the 120MHz version of the Pentium processor. Visit the official Intel website.

1996
Twenty-three year old Harvard graduates Tony Hsieh and Sanjay Madin found LinkExchange, a popular internet advertising cooperative. In November 1998 LinkExchange will be acquired by Microsoft for US$265 million. Visit the official LinkExchange website.

1997
Gateway 2000, Inc. announces that the company has made an offer to acquire the assets of Amiga Technologies, a pioneer in multimedia solutions and operating systems technology, including all patents, trademarks and trade names. Amiga is a subsidiary of ESCOM AG, a German-based computer manufacturer that entered bankruptcy in July of 1996. Amiga Technologies will be renamed Amiga International, and the company will be operated as a separate business unit under its current president, Petro Tyschtschenko. The acquisition will be finalized May 16. Visit the official Amiga website.

1998
Nintendo releases the platform game Kirby’s Dream Land 3 for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System (SNES) in the US. ESRB: KA (Kids to Adults)

1999
Electronic Arts (EA) releases the baseball game Triple Play 2000 for the Nintendo 64 and PlayStation in the US. ESRB: E (Everyone)

2000
3dfx Interactive, Inc., a leader in the development and marketing of 3D technology for personal computers, announces plans to acquire the privately-held GigaPixel Corporation, which specializes in the design, development, and licensing of 3D core technology, for US$186 million. GigaPixel technology will make it possible for the 3dfx Interactive to produce 3D displays with relatively low memory bandwidth and low power requirements without high costs.

Electronics Arts Inc., Nintendo of America, and Sega Enterprises, Ltd. file a suit in United States District Court against Yahoo! alleging that Yahoo! knowingly hosts and profits from online auctions of illegally pirated video games.

The website of the World Football Foundation is hacked by “bl4f”. View an archived version of the defaced website.

2001
Eidos Interactive releases the real-time strategy (RTS) game Three Kingdoms: Fate of the Dragon for personal computers.

2002
Sony announces it will begin selling its Clié PEG-NR70 and PEG-NR70V in the US in early May, Price: US$500 and US$600 respectively

The Star Trek: Enterprise episode “Acquisition” first airs. (No. 119) In it, a party of Ferengi hijack the Enterprise, and Archer, T’Pol, and Trip must regain control. Memory Alpha entry

2003
Konami releases the stealth action game Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty for Windows in North America. ESRB: M (Mature)

Microsoft reduces the number of messages people using its free Hotmail webmail service can send daily from five hundred to one hundred in an attempt to discourage spammers from using Hotmail accounts to send unwanted messages. Visit the official Hotmail website.

2006
Klei Entertainment Inc. releases the puzzle game Eets for Windows and the Xbox 360 in the US. Visit the game’s official website.

THQ releases the real-time tactics game Full Spectrum Warrior: Ten Hammers for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in the US. The game is the sequel to the Full Spectrum Warrior. ESRB: M (Mature)

2007
Adobe Systems releases Adobe Contribute CS3 (4.1) for the Mac OS X and Windows. Visit the official Contribute website.

Adobe Systems releases the html editor Adobe Dreamweaver CS3 (9.) for the Mac OS X and Windows. Visit the official Dreamweaver website.

Crave Entertainment releases the simulation game Purr Pals for the Nintendo DS in the US. ESRB: E (Everyone)

Disney Interactive releases Meet the Robinsons for personal computers, the Game Boy Advance, GameCube, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Wii, and Xbox 360 in the US. ESRB: E10+ (Everyone)

Eos publishes the fantasy novel Into a Dark Realm by Raymond E. Feist as a hardcover. (ISBN-13: 978-0060792800) It is the second book in The Darkwar Saga. Visit the author’s official website. Length: 336 pages

Microsoft announces that the card game UNO has become the first Xbox Live Arcade game to exceed one million downloads. The game was released on May 9, 2006, and a download code for the game was included with twelve-month Xbox Live Vision subscriptions. Visit the game’s official website. Price: US$5 (400 Microsoft Points)

Nintendo releases the classic platform game Donkey Kong Jr. Math for the Virtual Console in Japan. ESRB: KA (Kids to Adults)

Reflexive Entertainment releases the puzzle game Monarch: The Butterfly King for personal computers. ESRB: E (Everyone)