1675
Leibniz introduces the long s (∫) to denote an integral in mathematical equations.
1878
Willigot T. Odhner is granted a patent for a calculating machine that performs multiplications with repeated additions. The patent is a modified and compact version of the Gottfried von Leibniz stepped wheel.
1945
The first ball point pen available in the US, the Reynolds’ Rocket pen, goes on sale at Gimbels Department Stores in New York for US$12.95. The item is an immediate success, selling US$100,000 worth in the first day on the market alone. The design is that of Laszlo Biró, discovered by Chicago businessman Milton Reynolds, while in Buenos Aires on unrelated business. He saw the Biro pen in a store and recognized the pen’s sales potential. He brought samples of the product back to America and, ignoring the patent rights of the Argentine manufacturer, the Eversharp Company, he began manufacturing the product four months later. The pens are extremely unreliable but incredibly popular. By 1948, the price of ink pens will drop to less than fifty cents, and Reynolds’ company will fail in 1951.
1956
The first hard disk drive is created at International Business Machines (IBM) by a team lead by Reynold B. Johnson. The IBM 305 RAMAC (Random Access Method of Accounting and Control) holds 5MB of data on fifty 24-inch disks which spin at 1,200 rpm at a cost of about US$10,000 per megabyte. IBM leased the computers for US$3,200 per month.
1981
The Amusement Machine Operators of America (AMOA) Show is held Thursday, October 29 through Saturday, October 31 at the Conrad Hilton Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The Atari exhibit features Asteroids, Centipede, and Tempest.
1983
In the October 29, 1983 issue of the New York Times Andrew Pollack writes a multi-page article entitled “Retreat set by Texas Instruments,” in which he details the withdrawal of Texas Instruments from the personal computer market and the demise of the TI 99/4A. Read the article online.
1988
Sega releases the rail shooter Space Harrier II for the Sega Genesis in Japan.
Sega releases the Sega Mega Drive 16-bit video game console in Japan. Price: ¥21,000
Sega releases the shooting game Super Thunder Blade for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan.
1990
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Legacy” first airs. (No. 406) In it, Tasha Yar’s sister Ishara seeks to restore order on their conflict-ridden colony world. Memory Alpha entry
1991
The space probe Galileo becomes the first human object to fly past an asteroid, as it makes its closest approach to Gaspra at a distance of 1,604km at a speed of 5 mi/sec (8 km/sec). Gaspra is about 20km long and orbits the Sun in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. During the pass, the probe takes the first close-up photographs of an asteroid
1993
Capcom releases Mega Man IV as Rockman World 4 for the Game Boy in Japan.
The Council of the European Communities signs a directive to increase the term of a copyright’s protection to seventy years past the author’s death, an increase of twenty years for most countries.
1995
The Space: Above and Beyond episode “Eyes” first airs. (No. 07) In it, during an effort to get West to help with an assassination plot, the young marine is told that high-ranking Earth officials knew about the aliens before the colonists were sent to the Vesta Colony.
1996
MatriDigm Corporation files for three patents on technology to reconfigure corporate based computers for post year 2000 dating.
Maxtor Corporation announces the DiamondMax line of hard drives, featuring capacities of 5.1GB. Visit the company’s official website.
Sun Microsystems launches Java Enterprise Computing and announces JavaStation network computers.
William Henry Gates III and his colleague, Steven Ballmer, donate US$20 million to Harvard University for the purpose of building a computer sciences center. Twenty years prior, Gates dropped out of Harvard to found Microsoft. The name of the new facility will be “Maxwell Dworkin” in the honor of Beatrice Dworkin Ballmer and Mary Maxwell Gates, the donors’ mothers.
1998
International Business Machines (IBM) introduces the Aptiva personal computer, featuring a IBM 300 Performance MMX processor, 32MB RAM, a 3.2 GB hard drive, a 24x CD-ROM drive, a modem, and the Lotus SmartSuite. IBM is the first major American computer maker to release a computer for less than US$600. US$599
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) releases Legend of Legaia for the PlayStation in Japan.
US astronaut John Glenn, age 77, is launched into space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. Glenn first made history in 1962 as the first American to orbit the Earth. Now, as a member of the STS-95 crew, he serves as a Payload Specialist, carrying out studies on the commonalities between the effects of space flight and aging. The mission will end nine days later on November 7, 1998, after 134 orbits, traveling 3.6 million miles in 213 hours and 44 minutes. His original flight only lasted four about five hours.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a software “glitch” related to the implementation of a new mutual-fund system at the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASDAQ) is causing incorrect information to be released related to daily changes in some mutual funds’ net asset values.
1999
Brad Silverberg leaves Microsoft, after nine years. He has served as vice president for the applications and the Internet client group. He also headed the team responsible for Windows 3.1 and Internet Explorer.
Warner Bros. releases the horror film House on Haunted Hill, directed by William Malone and starring Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Peter Gallagher, Chris Kattan, Ali Larter, Bridgette Wilson, Max Perlich, to 2,710 theaters US theaters. A millionaire offers a group of strangers one million dollars to spend the night in a haunted house with a horrifying past. Produced on a budget of US$37 million, it will gross US$15,946,032 domestically in its opening weekend. IMDB listing MPAA Rating: R Running Time: 1 hr 35 mins
2001
The Andromeda episode “Last Call at the Broken Hammer” first airs. (No. 27-205) In it, Dylan and crew attempt to find a long-lost Commonwealth leader and bring her back into the fold, but the first must survive the Caldaren’s onslaught.
Rockstar San Diego releases the racing game Smuggler’s Run 2 for the Playstation 2. Players take the role of a smuggler trying to deliver illegal cargo to a variety of destinations using several different types of vehicles to make deliveries in a given amount of time. The game was originally set in Afghanistan, but following the attacks on the World Trade Center and the subsequent invasion of Afghanistan, the developers changed the setting to the deserts of Georgia instead. Visit the game’s official website. ESRB: T
SNK Playmore of Japan, best known for producing NeoGeo arcade and home games, shuts down the company.
2002
Activision releases the versus fighting game X-Men: Next Dimension for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. ESRB: Teen (T)
Konami releases the music game DDRMAX: Dance Dance Revolution for the PlayStation 2 in the US. It is the fourth home version of Dance Dance Revolution to be released in the US. Visit the game’s official website. ESRB: Everyone (E)
Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard officially unveils the Media Center PC, featuring the Windows XP Media Center Edition operating system and digital video recorder.
Sega releases the Phantasy Star Online: Episode I & II for the GameCube in the US. The game can be played offline in single-player mode, or online against other players for US$9 per month. ESRB Rating: E Price: US$39.99
Ubisoft releases the racing game Pro Rally 2002 for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in Europe.
2003
Activision releases the first-person shooter (FPS) Call of Duty for Mac OS and Windows in North America. Visit the game’s official website. ESRB: Teen (T)
LucasArts releases Gladius for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox in the US. Visit the game’s official website. ESRB: Teen (T)
The Star Trek: Enterprise episode “The Shipment” first airs. (No. 307) In it, the Enterprise discovers a Xindi mining outpost where components of the Xindi superweapon are being assembled. Memory Alpha entry
2004
Capcom releases the versus fighting game compilation Street Fighter Anniversary Collection for the Xbox in Europe. The compilation includes Hyper Street Fighter II: The Anniversary Edition and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. Visit the game’s official website.
THQ releases The Incredibles for Mac OS and Windows in North America. It is based on the animated film of the same title. Visit the game’s official website. ESRB: Teen
2006
THQ releases the expansion pack Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War: Dark Crusade for the real-time strategy (RTS) game Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War for personal computers in Australia. It is the second expansion for the game, but, unlike its predecessor, Winter Assault, it can also be played as a standalone game. It includes two races, the Tau Empire and the Necrons. Visit the game’s official website.
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