This Day in Geek History: October 5
1999
According to a report published by MmWire, the results of a recently concluded Fairfield Research study shows that Sega’s Dreamcast sales figures appear to be significantly cutting into Nintendo’s N64 sales. However, PlayStation sales appear to be unaffected.
Apple Computer unveils a new line of iMac computers with prices starting as low as US$999. The new computers include a new iMac, iMac DV, and iMac DV Special Edition that is housed in a graphite-colored case. Apple also begins offering version 9 of its Macintosh operating system for US$99.
At the Microprocessor Forum is held in San Jose, California, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) announces the first details of its own x86 64-bit architecture, as well as its future system bus, Lightning Data Transport. Both will be implemented in AMD’s eighth-generation microprocessor, which will be backward-compatible with Intel 32-bit x86 architecture processors. Code-name: Sledgehammer
Yahoo! launches Yahoo! Wallet.
2000
Microsoft accuses the Federal government of attempting to “short-circuit the appellate process” while Microsoft seeks more time to appeal a ruling by a federal judge to break up the company.
2002
IBM announces that, in the ten years since introducing the first ThinkPad computer, it has sold fifteen million units.
2003
Microsoft releases a wireless network adapter for the Xbox. Price: US$140
2004
Bill Gross, the founder of Overture and a pioneer in the field of paid search services, relaunches the Snap search engine with a new, completely transparent business model that allows the public to view advertiser interactions, company revenues, and traffic volume. Snap features advanced sorting features that differentiate from other engines, which tend to make searching as simple as possible. Visit the official Snap website.
2005
ATI introduces the Radeon X1000 series of graphics cards, the first to use the Radeon R520 core referred to by ATI as an “Ultra Threaded Dispatch Processor”. This new core employs a strategy of attempting to streamline the Radeon line, rather than simply increasing its number of processing unit, as previous models had. Visit the official ATI. website.
2006
Google launches Google Code Search, a free beta product that allows users to search for open-source code on the Internet. Visit the official Google Code Search website.
2009
The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issues new guidelines requiring bloggers to disclose cash or in-kind payments received in exchange for reviews. [1] Read the official FTC press release. Read the new guidelines.
2011
Following a prolonged battled with battle with pancreatic cancer, Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, dies of pancreatic cancer at age 56. Over the course of the following week, the internet will be flooded by the emotional outpouring of Apple fans mourning Jobs’ death. Popular technology journalist Robert X. Cringely speculates that Jobs’ impending death was the reason Apple introduced the iPhone 4S rather then a next-gen iPhone 5 the previous day. Read the official Apple press release. Read Cringely’s speculation.
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