1882
The world’s first commercial hydroelectric power plant (later known as Appleton Edison Light Company) begins operation on the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin, United States. Powered by a water wheel, a single dynamo provides 12.5 kilowatts, just enough for 180 lights of ten candlepower each which will light Rogers’ home, the plant itself, and a nearby building. Appleton paper manufacturer H.F. Rogers had been inspired by Thomas Edison’s plans for a steam-powered electricity production station in New York. He had financial support from a personal friend of Edison’s and two other men.
1889
The Bundy Manufacturing Co., a maker of time recording equipment, is incorporated. It is the first of many components that eventually became the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company, Inc. (C-T-R), which will later become International Business Machines Corporation (IBM).
1890
Thomas Alva Edison is granted a patent for telegraphy, a phonograph, a phonograph-recorder, a “Method of Making Phonograph Blanks,” a “Propelling Device for Electrical Cars,” and a phonogram blank. (US No. 437422 -9)
1915
A memorandum from David Sarnoff, contracts manager of the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), to Edward J Nally, vice-president and general manager of the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America, proposes the idea of a “Radio Music Box” as a multi-frequency radio receiver that would become a “household utility.” This may be the first conception of the radio that will later be commonly used in households and cars.
1929
An early manned rocket-powered flight is made by German auto maker Fritz von Opel. His Sander RAK 1 is a glider powered by sixteen fifty pound thrust rockets. In it, Opel makes a successful flight of seventy-five seconds spanning nearly two miles near Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany.
1941
John Mauchly writes to John Atanasoff suggesting a cooperative effort to develop the first electronic computer. The offer will be declined, and the two will later enter into a bitter dispute as to who will receive credit for the creating the first computer. Eventually, the matter will be taken to court where a judge will rule in favor of Dr. Atanasoff.
1948
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) freezes all television broadcast license applications pending further study of technical developments, most notably the development of color transmissions. Interference between adjacent stations’ transmitters has become a major issue. The intended six-month moratorium, which will lasts for four years, won’t affect the scant thirty-seven stations already operating or the eighty-six stations licensed and under construction, but three hundred pending applications are delayed.
1954
The world’s first submarine with a nuclear reactor, the “USS Nautilus,” is commissioned by the U.S. Navy at Groton, Connecticut. Its nuclear reactor eliminates the diesel engines which had limited submarines’ range and speed, along with the need for diesel fuel storage spaces and the need to surface periodically to recharge batteries. Nautilus can dive longer, faster, and deeper than any previous submarine. It was launched January 17, 1954, and it will be decommissioned in 1980. During its service, the Nautilus will continually break records.
1969
Radio Corporation of America (RCA) demonstrates the HoloTape video playback system, before its audio component had yet been completed. This appears to be a rushed response to the Electronic Video Recording (EVR) system developed by CBS. RCA was working on a film-based video playback system when EVR, backed by its rival, CBS, was unveiled. Like EVR, the system uses an electron beam recording (EBR) to make a master recording on a plastic tape. A second tape is coated with a photoresist that hardens in proportion to its exposure to light. A laser beam passed through a beam-splitter to direct one stream through the master recording and the other directly to the photoresist tape. The interference patterns created at the intersection of the two beams was recorded on the second tape, from which the unhardened photoresist was then removed. The resultant holographic tape was nickel-plated to produce a duplication master. This is passed through rollers in contact with blank vinyl tape to replicate the holographic pattern. A low-power laser read the tape in the consumer player. The system will later become the first to bear the name SelectaVision but was abandoned by RCA three years later in favor of magnetic tape technology (the VCR).
1980
Bill Gates, Bob O’Rear, and Steve Ballmer meet with IBM representatives in Boca Raton, Florida, to deliver a report. They propose that Microsoft be put in charge of the entire software development process for IBM’s new microcomputer, including providing the main operating system to run on the computer. Bill Gates insists on maintaining rights to the DOS, receiving royalty payments rather than a lump sum.
Commodore International announces the CBM 8032 computer with 96KB RAM.
Xerox publishes the specifications for Ethernet networks, which the company developed along with Digital Equipment Corporation and Intel.
1982
H. Ross Perot and Jay Colburn complete the first circumnavigation of the world in a helicopter, the Spirit of Texas. Their journey began 29 days, 3 hours, and 8 minutes earlier on September 1. For their trip around the world, which began and ended in Fort Worth, Texas, Perot and Coburn flew a Long Ranger with full navigation equipment, survival gear, and emergency survival equipment. Pop-out floats were added, and a 151 gallon auxiliary fuel tank in place of the rear seat was installed to enable the Spirit of Texas to fly eight hours without refueling. An Allison 250-C28B turbine engine performed flawlessly for 246.5 hours of the flight, flying more than ten hours a day, over open ocean, barren desert, and tropical rain forest with an average ground speed of 117 mph.
1985
Digital Research announces that it will modify its GEM (Graphical Environment Manager) operating system to avoid claims by Apple Computer of violating its copyrights. Digital Research will also pay Apple an undisclosed sum, and develop software for Apple computers.
Microsoft releases Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh 512K.
1988
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) announces the shipment of its three millionth PS/2 personal computer. The PS/2 is the successor to the IBM PC, PC/XT, and PC/AT systems. The PS/2 uses the Micro Channel Architecture, a bus format incompatible with IBM’s open Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) standard adopted by clone manufacturers. IBM introduced PS/2 machines just the year before, making the 3½ inch floppy disk drive and video graphics array standard for IBM computers and compatibles. The PS/2 is the first IBM computer to use the Intel 80386 processor. IBM released a new operating system, OS/2, at the same time, allowing the use of a mouse with IBM computers for the first time.
Namco releases the roleplaying game (RPG) Tales of Destiny for the PlayStation. ESRB: T (Teen) Price: US$49.95
1990
Sunsoft releases the roleplaying game (RPG) The Final Fantasy Legend for the Game Boy in North America. The game follows the story of four heroes that attempt to scale a tower at the center of the world, which supposedly leads to paradise. The four heroes controlled by the player may be one of three character classes, two of which may have different genders and one of which contains many subsets.
1991
David Cole, head of the Windows development team at Microsoft, sends an email to another executive stating that a “bug” inside Windows would “put competitor’s (software) on a treadmill (and) should surely crash at some point…”. Cole warns that the existence of the bug must be kept secret. The message is in direct response to rival operating systems being developed.
The Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “Darmok” first airs. In it, Picard struggles to communicate with an alien Captain who speaks in metaphors, before an invisible beast tries to kill them both. Memory Alpha entry
1993
3DO reports a net loss of US$36.9 million (US$1.90 share) for the six month period ending September 30. 3DO announces its intention to releases a second public offering of stock.
1994
The defense attorneys of David LaMacchia ask the US District Court of Massachusetts to dismiss the case against him. LaMacchia is accused of running a Piracy BBS on MIT Servers and has been indicted for Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud in the first case of its kind.
1995
The USA Video & PC Game Mall Tour ‘95 opens their fourth stop, to be held Saturday, September 30 and Sunday, October 1, at the Shannon Southpark Mall in Union City, Georgia.
Sony announces that 120,000 units of the PlayStation have been sold in the US to date.
1996
Miacomet is formed as a limited liability company in Massachusetts to develop Real Feel simulator peripherals for computers and video games.
Psygnosis releases the racing game Formula 1 for the PlayStation in the US. ESRB Kids To Adults
Virgin Interactive releases the helicopter combat simulator Black Dawn for the PlayStation in the US. ESRB: Teen
1997
Capcom releases the Resident Evil Director’s Cut video game for the PlayStation in the US.
Microsoft releases Internet Explorer 4.0 Final Release for Windows 95 and Windows NT.
The website of ValuJet Airlines is anonymously hacked.
1998
Accolade releases Test Drive: Off-Road 2 for the PlayStation in the US. Price: US$39.95
Apple Inc. announces that 278,000 units of the iMac systems have been sold during the first six weeks of system’s availability.
Creative Labs files a suit against Aureal Semiconductor seeking injunctive relief and damages for alleged false advertising and related claims. This suit is unrelated to another suit filed by Creative against Aureal in February alleging patent infringements.
Interplay releases the platform game Wild 9 for the PlayStation in North America. The game bears a striking resemblance to Shiny’s Earthworm Jim. ESRB: T (Teen)
1999
Blogger’s Note: This is popularly cited as the date of the
Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines hack by “Sarin”, but research into contemporary media archive reveals that the incident actually occurred on Thursday, August 26, 1999.
Amazon.com opens zShops and adds half a million products in an online mall environment.
The Cleveland Freenet closes down permanently. One of the world’s oldest and longest running Atari fourms, the Atari SIG, had worked within the framework of the Freenet and is also shut down.
International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) introduces optional ThinkPad i notebook case covers in “Sirius Red,” “Andromeda Green,” “Mars Red Metallic,” “Terra Green Metallic,” “Eclipse Blue Metallic,” “Lunar Gray Metallic.” or “Polaris Blue.” Price: US$29.99
Konami releases the stealth action game Metal Gear Solid: VR Missions for the PlayStation in North America. ESRB: Mature (M)
Namco releases Pac-Man World for the PlayStation in the United States. Price: US$47.99
Nintendo of America, Inc. announces that it has been awarded a United States patent for its in-flight video game system. (US No. 5,959,596) The system enables airline passengers to play video games hosted by participating airlines while traveling.
Sega Enterprises Ltd. announces the establishment of Sega of America, Inc. as a wholly owned subsidiary dedicated to the North American sales and support for the Sega Dreamcast. At the same time, Sega Enterprises transfers Dreamcast-related network operations to the International Investment Corporation (IIC).
Sony Computer Entertainment of America (SCEA) releases the roleplaying game (RPG) Grandia for the PlayStation in the US.
SquareSoft releases Final Fantasy Anthology for the PlayStation in North America. The compilation includes Final Fantasy V and Final Fantasy VI, which is known as Final Fantasy III in North America. Visit the game’s official website.
Version 4.7 of the Netscape Communicator web browser for personal computers is released. This version features Netscape Radio and Winamp 2.5.
2000
The Vintage Computer Festival (VCF4.0) is held Saturday, September 30 through Sunday, October 1 at the Parkside Hall in the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, California. Visit the event’s official website.
SPACE.com, a space and astronomy news website, announces that it will lay off twenty-two employees, which is about twenty percent of its work force.
2001
The sci-fi television series Alias, created by J. J. Abrams and starring Jennifer Garner, premieres on the ABC network with the episode “Truth Be Told.” The series will run for five episodes and 105 episodes, until May 22, 2006. TV.com entry
2002
A draft of the Fortran 2000 programming language is released.
Enix releases the roleplaying game (RPG) Grandia Xtreme for the PlayStation 2 in North America. ESRB: Teen
Nintendo releases Star Fox Adventures for the GameCube in PAL regions. Visit the game’s official website. PEGI: 3+ OFLC: G8+
Version 5.0 of the Java 2 programming language is released.
Version 8.0 of the Red Hat Linux operating system, “Psyche”, is released. Visit the system’s official website.
2003
Microsoft Game Studios releases the first-person shooter Halo: Combat Evolved for personal computers in the US. ESRB: Mature (M)
Universal Pictures releases the sci-fi action film Timecop 2: The Berlin Decision, directed by Steve Boyum and starring Jason Scott Lee, Thomas Ian Griffith, Mary Page Keller, John Beck, and Tava Smiley, direct to video in the US. Brandon Miller, a Time Enforcement Commission (TEC) operative, believes that he has a responsibility to change history hoping to make the world a better place, but another TEC operative, Ryan Chan, stops him, killing the woman he loves in the process. Two years later, Miller escapes from prison and sets out to eliminate all TEC operatives by killing their ancestors. Eventually, Ryan is the only remaining agent left to stop Miller. IMDB listing Running Time: 1 hr 21 mins
2004
Microsoft ends support for Windows XP operating systems without a service pack (RTM).
2005
California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signs a bill into law that makes Phishing a civil offense, leaving violators liable for actual damages or US$500,000 per violation, whichever is greater. The law, while widely criticized for being “too little, too late,” is nonetheless the first effort of its kind to address the issue of widespread email fraud.
Spike and 505 Game Street release the survival horror game Michigan: Report from Hell for the PlayStation 2 in Europe. The game is unique in that it is played almost entirely from the perspective of a cameraman looking though the viewfinder of a camera. The game is lost if the player runs out of film before completing each mission.
Ubisoft release the first-person shooter Far Cry Instincts for the XBox and XBox 360 in Europe. Visit the game’s official website. PEGI: 16+ USK: Not free for minors
2006
Alpha Video premieres the independent film The Death of Poe, directed by Mark Redfield and starring Mark Redfield, Kevin G. Shinnick, Jennifer Rouse, and Tony Tsendeas, at the Festival of Fantastic Films in Manchester, United Kingdom. The film tells the story of the mysterious disappearance and death of the American author Edgar Allan Poe in 1849 Baltimore. The film is black and white with a number of color sequences. IMDB listing Running Time: 1 hr 20 mins
Wall To Wall airs the biographical made-for-television-movie HG Wells: War with the World, directed by James Kent and starring Michael Sheen, Sally Hawkins, and Kenneth Jay, on the BBC. It tells the true story of HG Wells, the prophetic writer and father of modern science fiction. IMDB listing
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