Fire becomes controllable and is in widespread use.

The wheel, often in pairs, becomes useful in transportation.

The Baltimore and Ohio RR, designed by Charles Carril, is the first railroad built in the US for passengers and freight. Carril was the richest American at the time.

Sir Joseph Swan of England, chemist and electrician, invents the carbon filament.

Franz Ressel, inventor of the screw propeller, achieves 6 knots.

Phillip H. Colomb, a British naval officer, devises signaling system.

Michael Faraday discovers electromagnetic induction, the action of induced electrical current in a wire crossing lines of magnetic force.

S. H. Christie devises the Wheatstone bridge for comparison of electrical properties.

K.A. Steinheil of Munich shows that using an earth ground could dispense with one of two wires used in overland telegraphy. He looked forward to a time when the second wire could be eliminated, and "wireless" telegraphy could be used.

Joseph Henry calls attention to oscillatory discharges of a Leyden Jar, or condenser.

Samuel F.B. Morse sends the first message of any distance by Telegraph - about 40 miles. The message: "What hath God wrought!" The wired Telegraph and Morse code are the first long distance, instant communication system the world has known.

Faraday suggests that light and electricity may be different manifestations of the same force.

Thomas Edison begins work as a telegraph operator wandering throughout the South and the Midwest.

James Clerk Maxwell formulates Maxwell's Equations, which account for the actions of electromagnetic waves.

Mahlon Loomis transmits wireless telegraph messages between two mountains in Virginia, but never obtaines financial backing to develop his idea.

Thomas Edison finishes his years as a traveling telegraph operator and patents his first invention, an electric vote recorder.

Air brakes put a stop to runaway trains. Fast moving trains were a wonder of the early 19th Century. Getting them started was no problem; getting them to stop was.

Karl Ferdinand Braun discovers one way conduction in metal sulfide crystals.

Barbed wire from the plains of the Wild West was used as a means of cattle containment.

Werner Siemens shows that electricity travels along a wire with a velocity approximately equal to that of light.

Along with his assistant Thomas A. Watson, Alexander Graham Bell constructed instruments that transmitted recognizable voice-like sounds.

Alexander Graham Bell demonstrates the telephone.

Thomas Edison establishes laboratory at Menlo Park, New Jersey.

The combustion engine is invented, using fuel directly to power the engine rather than steam.

Thomas A. Edison, capturing sound on cylinders makes the first recording -- "Mary had a little lamb."

Thomas Edison invents the phonograph and a carbon transmitter for use in a telephone receiver.

The first telephone company, Bell Telephone Company, was founded.

Thomas Edison develops the first truly successful electric incandescent light.

The Berlin Academy of Sciences offers a prize to the scientist who can show that a changing electric field generates an electric field, and vice-versa. The challenge is taken up by, among others, Heinrich Hertz.

Marine officer Henry Fleuss decides to devise a breathing apparatus that could be used for long periods underwater. This is the birth of SCUBA.

The Edison Effect is discovered while Thomas Edison was trying to find a way to keep the inside of his electric lights free of soot. By placing a metal plate inside the bulb and connecting a wire to it, he actually created the first diode! Unfortunately, he did not realize the implications, or did not take time to pursue them because of other interests at the time.

Thomas Edison patents the Fuse.

Edouard Branly begins his work investigating the transmission of nerve impulses. His research over the next several years will result in what will later be called the coherer, a device for detecting Hertzian waves.

Professor Amos Dolbear of Tufts College obtains a patent for an induction method of wireless telegraph.

Heinrich Hertz proves Maxwell's theory that electricity can travel through space in waves. He goes on to show that these waves share the same physical properties as light.

Chichester Bell and Charles Tainter patent an improved phonograph called the graphophone.

Edison develops his own improved phonograph in response.

Thomas Edison forms Edison General Electric, and invents the kinetograph, an early motion picture camera.

Toothpaste is invented.

Michael Pupin studies low-pressure vacuum tube discharges, and invents an electrical resonator. At his death in 1935 he held 34 patents, most used in telephony and telegraphy.

The pilot Otto Lilienthal makes the first successful unpowered flight ever recorded. He flew 15 meters in the heavier-than-air glider he had invented.

Thomas Edison receives a patent for wireless telegraphy.

Thomas Edison sells his interest in the electricity companies with the formation of General Electric by the merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston.

Guglielmo Marconi reads about Heinrich Hertz's discovery of electromagnetic waves.

Marconi succeeds in signaling across the family estate, a distance of about 1.2 miles, by radio.

Marconi transports his wireless invention to England. Upon entry to the country, nervous customs officials smash his apparatus under suspicion that it may be part of an Italian anarchist plot.

Nikola Tesla introduces the use of a rotary gap for his spark transmitter.

Marconi takes out patents in England for wireless telegraphy.

Joseph John Thompson discovers the existence of the electron.

The Marconi Company is formed in England.

The first (WLSR) was set by Count Gaston of France - speed of 39 mph.

Marconi installs the world's first commercial radio service on Rathlin Island off the coast of Ireland.

Marconi installs wireless equipment on three British battleships.

Nathan B. Stubblefield reportedly transmits voice messages by wireless.

Marconi transmitted radio signals across the English Channel and then from England to the United States.

Marconi arrives in New York with his wireless equipment to issue radio reports on a yacht race.

Reginald Fessenden theorizes that an alternator, as developed by Tesla, could generate an electromagnetic wave able to carry voice and music. He uses a spark generator to send the human voice the distance of about one mile.

Karl Ferdinand Braun introduces the use of a crystal detector as part of a wireless receiver.

Reginald Fessenden invents the Electrolytic Detector, and forms the National Electric Signaling Company.

The magnetic detector is invented by Marconi.

The DeForest Wireless Telegraph Company is formed.

The Wright Brothers fly for 12 seconds at Kitty Hawk, NC.

John Ambrose Fleming serves as a scientific consultant to the Marconi company, and designs a new detector for wireless signals, and invents the first vacuum tube, a two element rectifier, using one of Edison's electric light bulbs.

Henry Ford introduces his revolutionary assembly-line methods, making the automobile affordable.

Bakelite, the precursor to plastic, is invented.

Medical researcher Paul Ehrlich conceptualizes his magic bullet, a drug or compound that would attack an infection but leave the patient unharmed. This is the first example of chemotherapy.

DeForest broadcasts Enrico Caruso from the stage of the Metropolitan.

Young radio amateurs are building receivers with whatever parts are available. Although headphones can be purchased, many public telephone booths become inoperative.

1912

Edwin Armstrong invents regeneration. "Edwin Armstrong found the radio telephone talking like a hair-lipped man and left it singing like a nightingale."

The ocean liner "Titanic" hits an iceberg and sinks. The wireless distress was heard 58 miles away by the liner "Carpathia". Those who made it into lifeboats were rescued 3 1/2 hours later. There were 705 lives saved.

Congress passes the Radio Act of 1912 to prevent amateur radio operators from interfering with government stations.

John H. Hammond Jr. develops equipment to remotely control vessels by radio up to three miles away. Later, many of his patents were sold to the U.S. military for use in radio guidance in weapons delivery systems.

Armstrong applies for a patent to use a vacuum tube as an oscillator.

Hiram Percy Maxim founds the American Radio Relay League.

War breaks out in Europe, and Amateur licenses are suspended in almost all foreign countries.

The first transcontinental telephone call is made, from New York to San Francisco, by Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas A. Watson.

First German aerial bombing of Britain by two Zeppelins, opening up a new era in the exploitation of aeronautics.

Naval Observatory requests Eastman Kodak to develop an aerial camera with high-speed lens suitable for photography at 1,000 or 2,000 yards' altitude.

Robert H. Goddard proves validity of rocket propulsion principles in a vacuum at Clark University, Worcester, Mass.

French employ first air-to-air combat rockets.

Plane-to-plane radio is demonstrated over North Island, Calif., at a distance of about 2 miles.

Robert H. Goddard experiments with liquid oxygen and various liquid hydrocarbons, including gasoline and liquid propane, as rocket fuel, under a grant by Clark University.

Westinghouse builds a 100 watt radio station, KDKA, in a little shack atop its nine story factory in Pittsburgh.

On November 2, 1920, Frank Conrad and Donald Little broadcast election returns from 8:00pm till after Midnight on KDKA, an event that is credited with starting a rush to build stations and purchase receivers. The late 1920 acclaim radio as the newest form of entertainment for the home.

Radio experimenters spent over 2 Million dollars for radio parts in 1920.

The "C" battery is introduced.

First air-to-air refueling made when Wesley May stepped from wing of one aircraft to that of another with a 5-gallon can of gasoline strapped to his back.

Westinghouse sets up radio stations WJZ (soon to become WABC) in Newark, N.J. KYW in Chicago, Ill., and WBZ in Springfield, MA. WJZ broadcasts a Baseball World series game, pitch by pitch, getting the information by telephone.

Navy's first aircraft carrier, U.S.S. Langley, was commissioned at Norfolk, Va.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber acquired Zeppelin rights for manufacture of rigid airships.

President Harding has a radio installed at the White House.

The first Network broadcast was made, as WEAF, WJAR and WMAF are linked by phone.

Edwin Armstrong invents the first 'Portable' radio, a wedding gift to his wife.

A new industry begins to take shape -- the radio repairman.

Pratt & Whitney produced first Wasp engine, a nine-cylinder radial air-cooled engine of about 400 hp at 1,800 rpm.

First successful demonstration of television by C. F. Jenkens in United States and J. L. Baird in England was made in early 1920's.

May 20-21: Charles A. Lindbergh completes The first solo nonstop transatlantic flight, New York to Paris. This was a major milestone in awakening the Nation to the full potentialities of aviation.

Dr. Robert H. Goddard exhibites the very first modern rocket design.

A liquid-fueled, 11-foot rocket, fired by Robert Goddard at Auburn, Mass., carries a small camera, thermometer, and a barometer, which were recovered intact after the flight.

Rollei introduces twin-Lens Reflex camera. It is lightweight and highly versatile.

The Galvin Manufacturing Corporation produces the first practical and affordable auto radio. They were sold and installed as an accessory by independent automotive distributors and dealers. Paul Galvin coins the name Motorola for the company's new products, linking the ideas of motion and radio.

Many historians consider Charles Babbage the true inventors of the digital computer and Augusta Ada Byron the first computer programmer. Their analytical engine had numerous features of a modern computer, and today’s computers incorporate many of its concepts.

Thomas Edison dies on October 18 at age eighty-four.

RCA, The Radio Corporation of America, markets the Radiola 80, one of the most famous of all receivers.

RCA and NBC broadcast a television test screen that amazes viewers: Felix the Cat.

Boeing 247, the first "modern-type" airliner, flies, as does the Douglas DC-1, forerunner of the famed DC-3.

Armstrong develops his theory to use FM.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is created by congress.

The Electric Guitar, basically a wired acoustic guitar, is introduced.

May 6: German dirigible Hindenburg is destroyed at Lakehurst, N.J., an event that ordained the death of the large dirigibles.

World's scheduled airlines carried 2,500,000 passengers in 1937.

English aviation enthusiast Frank Whittle invents the world's first jet engine, the TurboJet. Two years later, the Germans fly the first jet airplane.

Chester Floyd Carlson achieves "dry writing," or xerography. Carlson went on to Xerox.

Dave Packard & Bill Hewlett form Partnership on January 1, 1939. A coin toss decides the company name.

The first transatlantic passenger service is brought to life by Pan American Airways with a Boeing four-engine Yankee Clipper.

Albert Einstein and others spark interest in President Roosevelt regarding the potential military importance of uranium.

Igor I. Sikorsky makes initial flights with the first successful single-main-rotor helicopter.

The accidental discovery of Polythene, a long chain of small molecules with excellent electrical insulating properties, leads British scientists to early plastic.

Dr. Heinz von Diringshofen of Berlin, Germany studies the effect of weightlessness during flight maneuvers with a high performance aircraft.

April 15: Igor Sikorsky pilots a Vought-Sikorsky in the first officially recorded single-rotor helicopter flight longer than an hour in the Western Hemisphere. Flying time,:1 hour 5 minutes 14.5 seconds, in Stratford, Conn.

July 1: First commercial television broadcast over WNBT, New York. Color TV is soon demonstrated.

First nuclear chain reaction is successfully accomplished at the University of Chicago.

British mathematician and science fiction writer Arthur C. Clark suggests using satellites to relay radio signals.

Enrico Fermi figures out how to unlock the energy of atomic power.

Hewlett Packard enters the microwave field with signal generators developed for the Naval Research Laboratory and a radar-jamming device.

German aircraft launched first HS-293 radio-controlled glide bomb against British ship in Bay of Biscay, the beginning of guided-missile warfare.

Col. Floyd B. Wood, Maj. Harry Wexler, and Lt. Frank Reckord in a DOUGLAS A-20 make a successful flight into a hurricane for scientific data.

July 16: First test atomic devise exploded in New Mexico.

August 6: First atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

August 9: Second atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki.

X-ray medical imaging techniques let us look inside the human body safely.

March 22: First American rocket to escape earth's atmosphere, the JPL-Ordnance Wac, reaches 50-mile height after a launch from White Sands Proving Ground.

First U.S. airborne infrared tests by USAAF.

13 engineers, instrument technicians, and technical observers were ordered TDY from Langley Laboratory to the Air Force test facility at Muroc, Calif., to assist in the X-1 flight research program. Named as the NACA Muroc Flight Test Unit, this group under Walter Williams was the origin of the NASA Flight Research Center at Edwards, Calif.

Signal Corps by radio-echo transmissions between the Earth and the Moon, prove radio transmission across space was feasible with moderate power.

John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Schockley of Bell Labs file for a patent on the first transistor.

The Navy releases photographs of the earth's surface, taken from altitudes between 60 and 70 miles by cameras installed in rockets.

A complaint is filed against IBM, alleging monopolistic practices in its computer business in violation of the Sherman Act.

Transistors are placed in service in Bell Telephone System network as part of long-distance dialing service.

First hydrogen device exploded at AEC Eniwetok proving ground.

Sony markets the first miniature transistor radio.

10 thousand Transistors are manufactured, mostly for government and research.

Research on 1-million-pound thrust plus engine begins at Rocketdyne.

Jacqueline Cochran becomes the first woman to fly faster than the speed of sound, in a F-86.

Minneapolis-Honeywell Regulator Co. develops the power transistor (20 watts).

The Voice of America steps up broadcasts to behind the 'Iron Curtain".

First atomic-power submarine, U.S.S. Nautilus, launched at Groton, Conn.

First launching of a three-stage rocket vehicle consisting of two Nike boosters in tandem and a Deacon rocket.

Bell Laboratory announces invention of the silicon solar battery.

The first voice earth-to-earth messages are sent using the moon as a reflector of radio signals

IBM demonstrates the first large transistorized calculator.

Texas Instruments produces the first commercial silicon transistor.

Magnetic tape is demonstrated for recording television pictures by RCA.

English inventor Christopher Cockerell unveils his Hovercraft, demonstrating that vehicles could be made to float, or hover, over both land and water surfaces.

First solar-powered telephone call made by customer of regular Bell System service. During this year, fully transistorized radios and phonographs were placed on the market.

IBM invents the computer Hard Drive.

Transistorized automatic pilot developed for USAF by Bendix Aviation.

Dec. 5^th: Dr. Emmit Brown invents the Flux Capacitor, making time travel a possibility.

The pager is invented. Hospitals are among the first to use this new communications device.

The first Jupiter A launching, by ABMA at Cape Canaveral, Fla.

A U.S. District Court makes a final judgement on the complaint against IBM filed in January 1952 regarding monopolistic practices. IBM signs a "consent decree", placing limitations on how it conducts business with respect to "electronic data processing machines". Sound familiar?

The first transistorized computer is completed, the TX-O (Transistorized Experimental computer), at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

The Nobel Prize in physics is awarded to John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley for their work on the transistor.

SPUTNIK I, the first man-made earth satellite, is launched by U.S.S.R. and remained in orbit until January 4, 1958. President Eisenhower in a White House press release congratulated the Soviet scientists on the SPUTNIK launch.

Speed record for a transcontinental passenger flight was established when a Boeing 707 jet transport, with 42 passengers and a crew of 10, flew 2,335 miles from Seattle to Washington in 3 hours and 48 minutes.

SPUTNIK II, the world's second manmade satellite, launched by U.S.S.R. and remained in orbit until April 13, 1958, carrying a dog named "Laika." It was the first vehicle to carry a living organism into orbit.

First successful test firing of USAF Atlas ICBM, the missile landing in the target area after a flight of some 500 miles, on the 54th anniversary of the Wright brothers' first flight.

First full-scale production of electricity for commercial use by civilian nuclear power station, at Shippingport, Pa.

Kenneth Olsen founds Digital Equipment Corporation.

First integrated circuit (IC) demonstrated by inventor Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments.

Stereo records reach the marketplace.

EXPLORER I, first U.S. earth satellite, launched by modified Jupiter-C rocket.

Eisenhower's Christmas message beamed from PROJECT SCORE satellite in orbit, the first voice beamed in from space. New voice and teletype messages were received and rebroadcast on command by PROJECT SCORE satellite, and a series of experiments were continued in subsequent days.

Hi-Fi sound reproduction is a growing interest.

Texas Instruments and Fairchild Semiconductor both announce the integrated circuit.

Pioneer V, space probe, successfully launched to measure radiation and magnetic fields between Earth and Venus.

The Tape Cart (Soon to become the 8-Track Tape) is introduced.

First known weather observation satellite, TIROS I (Television Infra-Red Observation Satellite), launched into orbit by Thor-Able, and takes pictures of earth's cloud cover on a global scale from 450 miles above until June 29. TIROS I was hailed as ushering in "a new era of meteorological observing."

IBM develops the first automatic mass-production facility for transistors in New York.

FM stereo broadcasting is authorized.

Dr. Carl Sagan, of the University of California, suggested that the seeding of the atmosphere of Venus with algae might alter its atmosphere to support human life.

April 12: U.S.S.R. announced that Maj. Yuri A. Gagarin had successfully orbited the Earth in a 108-minute flight in a 5-ton Vostok (East), the first man to make a successful orbital flight through space.

May 5th: Freedom 7, manned Mercury spacecraft carrying Astronaut Alan B. Shepard, Jr., as pilot, was launched from Cape Canaveral, to an altitude of 115.696 miles and a range of 302 miles. It was the first American manned space flight.

May 25: At NASA press conference following President Kennedy's call to Congress for an accelerated space program, NASA Administrator Webb pointed out that the task of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to Earth could be executed before the end of the decade.

Teletype ships its Model 33 keyboard and punched-tape terminal, used for input and output on many early microcomputers.

The satellite Telstar transmits video images across the Atlantic.

Rachel Carson's book, the "Silent Spring", alerts the world to the ecological cost of unchecked industrial evolution, giving birth to Environmental Protection Agency.

Ivan Sutherland creates the first computer graphics system, Sketchpad.

Digital Equipment sells its first minicomputer to the Atomic Energy Council of Canada.

The Emergency Broadcasting System is developed.

The cassette tape is introduced.

The first communications satellite is placed in geo-synchronous orbit.

The World Land Speed Record of 400 mph set by the Spirit of America at the Bonneville Salt Flats

John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz develop the BASIC programming language at Dartmouth College.

In a joint program with Ford and RCA, Motorola designs and manufactures the first 8-track tape players for the automotive market.

HP's first computer (the HP 2116A) is designed as a controller for some of the company's test and measurement instruments.

Steven Gray founds the Amateur Computer Society, and begins publishing the ACS Newsletter. Some consider this to be the birth of personal computing.

IBM introduces the first disk storage system, the IBM RAMAC 305. It holds 5 MB of data on 50 2-foot wide platters.

The first Consumer Electronics Show is held in New York City.

IBM builds the first floppy disk.

TI nvents the electronic hand-held

Dolby noise reduction is introduced.

The world's first desktop scientific calculator is introduced: The HP 9100A.

Douglas C. Engelbart, of the Stanford Research Institute, demonstrates his computer mouse, introducing windowed collaborative computer applications at the Joint Computer Conference in San Francisco's Civic Center.

Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore leave Fairchild Semiconductors to create Intel Corporation.

Astronaut Neil Armstrong's first words from the Moon are relayed to Earth by a transponder designed and manufactured by Motorola. Astronauts send the first live pictures and audio from the moon.

Advanced Micro Devices Incorporated is founded.

Intel's Marcian (Ted) Hoff designs the first microprocessor.

Intel announces a 1 KB RAM chip, which has a significantly larger capacity than any previously produced memory chip.

Xerox opens the Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) to create the Xerox Alto computer, first to use a graphical user interface.

Intel creates the 1103 chip, the first generally available DRAM memory chip.

Intel ships copies of the 4004 microprocessor to Busicom.

Steve Wozniak and Bill Fernandez build a computer with lights and switches, from parts rejected by local companies. They call it the Cream Soda Computer.

Niklaus Wirth invents the Pascal programming language.

Intel introduces its 200-KHz 8008 chip, the first 8-bit microprocessor. It accesses 16KB of memory.

Nolan Bushnell founds Atari and ships Pong, the first commercial video game.

Canada's Automatic Electronic Systems introduces the world's first programmable word processor with a video screen, the AES 90. The computer system uses magnetic disks for storage, and a custom-built microprocessor.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen form the Traf-O-Data company. They had developed an 8008-based computer hardware/software system for recording automobile traffic flow on a highway.

5.25 inch diskettes appear.

HP pioneers the era of personal computing with the first scientific hand-held calculator, the HP-35, which makes the engineer's slide rule obsolete.

New FCC rules bring community access television.

Landsat I, the "eye-in-the-sky" satellite, is launched.

Design work is completed on the Micral, the first non-kit computer based on a microprocessor (the Intel 8008).

Gary Kildall writes a simple operating system in his PL/M language. He calls it CP/M (Control Program/Monitor).

Bob Metcalfe invents the Ethernet connectivity system.

The Alto workstation computer is built at Xerox' Palo Alto Research Center. It uses the advanced Smalltalk language, a mouse input device, and the Ethernet technique of linking Alto computers to each other. Less than 2000 are built in total.

September 19th, a 'Pirate Radio' station begins to broadcast from a ship anchored some 3 miles offshore of Cape May, N.J. It was shut down the same day by the FCC.

Creative Computing, the first magazine for home computer enthusiasts, is founded.

Bravo is developed for the Xerox Alto computer. It is the first WYSIWYG word-processing program for a personal computer.

Despite being US$300,000 in debt, Ed Roberts is able to borrow an additional US$65,000 from the bank to complete work on what would be the Altair.

Popular Electronics publishes an article by MITS announcing the Altair 8800 computer for US$439 in kit form. It uses the Intel 8080 processor. The Altair pictured on the cover of the magazine is actually a mock-up, as an actual computer was not available. Les Solomon, publisher of Popular Electronics, receives Altair number 0001.

In a desperate act to save his failing calculator company, MITS company owner Ed Roberts begins building a small computer based on Intel's new 8080 chip, with plans to sell it for the unheardof price of US$500. it for US$40.

Gary Kildall, now with Microcomputer Applications Associates, develops the CP/M operating system for Intel 8080 based systems.

Motorola introduces its 6800 chip, an early 8-bit microprocessor used in microcomputers and industrial and automotive control devices. The 6800 was designed by Chuck Peddle, of Commodore PET fame, and Charlie Melear.

Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie develop the C programming language.

RCA releases the 1802 processor, running at a blazing 6.4 MHz. It is considered one of the first RISC chips,and used on a variety of devices, from video games to NASA space probes.

Lauren Solomon, the 12 year old daughter of Les Solomon, publisher of Popular Electronics, suggests the name "Altair" for Ed Robert's new microcomputer. Altair was the name of where Star Trek's Enterprise was going that night on TV.

Paul Allen meets with Ed Roberts to demonstrate the newly written BASIC interpreter for the Altair. Despite never having touched an Altair before, the BASIC works flawlessly. Bill Gates and Paul Allen license their newly written BASIC to MITS, their first customer. This is the first computer language program written for a personal computer.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen found Micro-Soft (the hyphen is later dropped).

MOS Technology announces the MC6501 at US$20 and the MC6502 at US$25. At this point, the Intel 8080 costs about US$150.

The Southern California Computer Society is formed.

Dick Heiser opens Arrow Head Computer Company, subtitled "The Computer Store", in Los Angeles, selling assembled Altairs, boards, peripherals, and magazines.

The first issue of Byte magazine is published.

The 4th meeting of the Homebrew Computer Club is held at the Peninsula School in Menlo Park. Steve Dompier plays the music "Fool on the Hill" and "Daisy" using the Altair and a radio. The birth of computer music?

Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs finish work on a computer circuit board, that they call the Apple I computer. They form the Apple Computer Company, on April Fool's Day.

Digital Research copyrights CP/M, its industry-standard microcomputer operating system, created by company founder Gary Kildall.

The tradename "Microsoft" is registered.

Bill Gates drops out of Harvard.

Michael Shrayer completes writing Electric Pencil, the first popular word-processing program for microcomputers.

Shugart announces its 5.25 inch "minifloppy" disk drive for US$390.

Fairchild introduces the Channel F, the first programmable (via plug-in cartridges) home video game system. Price: US$170.

U.S. Robotics is founded, in Skokie, Illinois.

MOS Technology ships the 6502 microprocessor. The 6502 was developed by Chuck Peddle.

Warner Communications buys Atari from Nolan Bushnell for US$26 million.

Ted Turner delivers his programming nationwide by satellite.

The Apple Computer Company is incorporated.

A working model of the first Radio Shack computer is demonstrated to company president, Charles Tandy.

Commodore's Chuck Peddle shows the first PET to Radio Shack, hoping to have Radio Shack sell it.

Bill Gates and Paul Allen sign a partnership agreement to officially create the Microsoft company.

Commodore Business Machines, Inc. unveils its PET computer at the West Coast Computer Faire. The PET includes a 6502 CPU, 4KB RAM, 14KB ROM, keyboard, display, and tape drive, for US$600.

Apple Computer introduces the Apple II at the West Coast Computer Faire. The computer features a 6502 CPU, 4KB RAM, 16KB ROM, keyboard, 8-slot motherboard, game paddles, graphics/text interface to color display, and built-in BASIC, for US$1300. It is the first personal computer with color graphics.

Radio Shack (a division of Tandy Corp.) announces the TRS-80 microcomputer, with Z80 CPU, 4KB RAM, 4KB ROM, keyboard, black-and-white video display, and tape cassette for US$600.

At an executive board meeting at Apple Computer, president Mike Markkula lists the floppy disk drive as the company's top goal.

The first issue of Personal Computing is published, by David Bunnell.

Compu-Serv changes its name to CompuServe Incorporated.

Dan Bricklin conceives the VisiCalc spreadsheet program.

The Altair Software Distribution Company changes its name to Peachtree Software.

Atari introduces the Atari Video Computer System (VCS), invented by Jay Minor, soon to be father of the Amiga computer. VCS was later renamed the Atari 2600.

Apple Computer demonstrates its first working prototype Apple II disk drive at the Consumer Electronics Show, in Las Vegas.

The first major microcomputer bulletin board, run by Ward Christensen and Randy Seuss, goes online, in Chicago, Illinois.

Intel introduces the 4.77-MHz 8086 microprocessor. The 16-bit processor is created by two engineers in just three weeks.

The first Personal Computer Expo is held, in New York City.

Epson announces the MX-80 dot matrix printer, which established a new standard in high performance with low price for printers.

Atari announces the Atari 400 and 800 personal computers, using the 6502 microprocessor. The Atari 800 was code-named "Colleen".

Dan Bricklin completes a BASIC program demonstrating his proposed spreadsheet application.

Apple Computer hires Chuck Peddle, designer of the 6502 microprocessor and Commodore's PET.

Personal Software company software publisher Dan Fylstra loans an Apple II to Dan Bricklin to create his

spreadsheet program.

Apple Computer begins work on a supercomputer with a bit-sliced architecture, code-named Lisa.

Taito develops the Space Invaders arcade game in Japan.

Tandy opens its first dedicated computer center.

Scott Adams, the father of interactive fiction, founds Adventure International.

Christopher Curry founds Acorn Computer Ltd. in England.

Bob Frankston and Dan Bricklin found Software Arts.

Magnavox releases the Odyssey2 cartridge-based console game system.

TI Introduces first single-chip speech synthesizer; first product (Speak & Spell™) incorporating low-cost speech synthesis technology.

PBS delivers programming by satellite.

Motorola introduces its first 16-bit microprocessor, the 68000. Capable of completing two million calculations per second, it can be used both to run and to write programs for scientific, data processing, and business applications. The 68000 would later be used for the Apple Macintosh, Commodore-Amiga, and the Atari ST.

In Japan, the world's first cellular phone network is built.

Zilog ships samples of the 16-bit Z8000 processor.

Microsoft 8080 BASIC wins the ICP Million Dollar Award, the first microprocessor product to do so.

Tandy/Radio Shack announces the TRS-80 Model II.

The Source telecommunications service goes online.

Apple Computer introduces the Apple II Plus, with 48KB memory, for US$1195.

Apple Computer introduces its first printer, the Apple Silentype, for US$600. It is a Trendcom Model 200, released under the Apple name.

Intel introduces the 4.77-MHz 8088 microprocessor. It was created as a stepping stone to the 8086, as it operates on 16 bits internally, but supports an 8-bit data bus, to use existing 8-bit device-controlling chips. I

Texas Instruments introduces the TI-99/4 personal computer, for an initial price of US$1500. It uses the TI 9940 16-bit microprocessor.

CompuServe begins a service to computer hobbyists called MicroNET, offering bulletin boards, databases, and games.

Clive Sinclair creates Sinclair Research.

The first Comdex show is held in Las Vegas.

A group of Apple Computer engineers and executives is given a demo of Xerox Palo Alto Research Center's Alto computer system, in exchange for Xerox buying 100,000 Apple Computer shares for US$1 million. Apple engineers would use the Alto's GUI as a model for what is now MacOS.

Atari develops the Asteroids computer game.

Mattel Electronics releases the Intellivision video game system.

Alan Shugart founds Seagate Technologies (hard disk maker), in Scotts Valley, California.

A group of programmers from the Dynamic Modeling Group at MIT incorporates Infocom, the company known best for the Zork interactive fiction games.

Niklaus Wirth invents the Modula-1 programming language.

Atari founder Nolan Bushnell leaves the company to manage Pizza Time Theatre, soon to become Chuck E. Cheese's.

Bob Metcalfe founds 3Com Corporation.

IBM introduces the IBM 3800 laser printer, capable of printing 20,000 lines per minute.

Hayes Microcomputer Products introduces the 110/300 baud Micromodem II for the Apple II, for US$380.

Photographs of Saturn taken by Voyager I are returned to Earth over a distance of one billion miles. Motorola equipment aboard both Voyagers I and II is their major communications link with Earth. Voyager II continues toward a rendezvous with the planets Uranus in 1986, and Neptune in 1989.

Intelsat V relays 12,000 phone calls, 2 color TV channels.

Mike Harvey begins the Nibble magazine for Apple Computer products.

Universal Data Systems announces the 103LP 300bps modem, connecting directly into the phone line, requiring no additional power. Price: US$195.

The first issue of Computer Shopper is published.

Microsoft begins development on an 8086 version of AT&T's UNIX operating system.

Sinclair Research announces the ZX80 computer in the North American market. It uses a 3.25-MHz NEC

Technologies 780-1 8-bit microprocessor, and comes with 1KB RAM and 4KB ROM.

Microsoft Corp. announces its first hardware product, the Z-80 SoftCard for the Apple II. This card gives the Apple II CP/M capability, contributing greatly to Apple Computer's success.

Satellite Software International ships WordPerfect 1.0 for Data General minicomputers.

Seattle Computer Products decides to make their own disk operating system (DOS), due to delays by Digital Research in releasing a CP/M-86 operating system.

Seagate Technologies announces the first Winchester 5.25-inch hard disk drive.

Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Model III. It uses the Zilog Z80 CPU, and is priced from US$700 to US$2500. Followed by the TRS-80 Color Computer. It uses the Motorola 6809E CPU, comes with 4KB RAM, and sells for US$400. And Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Pocket Computer. It features a 24 character display, with 1.9KB of programmable memory. Price is US$230.

IBM asks Bill Gates to write the operating system for their upcoming PC.

QDOS 0.10 (Quick and Dirty Operating System) is shipped by Seattle Computer Products. Even though it had been created in only two man-months, the DOS worked surprisingly well. A week later, the EDLIN line editor was created. EDLIN was supposed to last only six months, before being replaced.

Hal Lashlee and George Tate form Software Plus. The company later changes its name to Ashton-Tate.

Microsoft announces the Microsoft XENIX OS, a portable and commercial version of the UNIX operating system for the Intel 8086, Zilog Z8000, Motorola M68000, and Digital Equipment PDP-11.

William Lowe assembles the members of "Project Chess", known as the "Dirty Dozen", the 12 engineers assembled to design and build the IBM PC, in Boca Raton, Florida.

Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Steve Ballmer meet with IBM in Boca Raton, Florida, to deliver a report to IBM. They propose that Microsoft be put in charge of the entire software development process for IBM's new microcomputer, including converting Seattle Computer Products' SCP-DOS to run on the computer.

Sol Libes quote in Byte magazine's ByteLines: "The 32-bit machine would be 'overkill' for a personal computer."

Atari sponsers the First National (US) Space Invaders Competition, in New York. Bill Heineman of Whittier, California scores 165,200 to win an Asteroids Table Top Video Game.

Infocom releases the Zork adventure game for the TRS-80 and Apple II. In the first nine months, 7,500 copies are sold.

IBM delivers the first PC prototype to Microsoft, so they can begin developing BASIC and the machine's operating system.

Apple Computer becomes a publicly held company, selling 4.6 million shares at US$22 per share. More than 40 Apple employees and investors become instant millionaires.

Logo Computer Systems is formed in Montreal, Canada, to market the public domain language LOGO.

Philips and Sony create the CD-Audio standard for optical disk storage of digital audio.

Apple Computer begins project "Diana", which would become the Apple IIe.

Ken and Roberta Williams start On-Line Systems, developing software for the Apple II.

Digital Research releases CP/M-86 for Intel 8086- and 8088-based systems.

The term RISC (reduced instruction set computer) is coined by Professor David Patterson of the Univ. of California in Berkeley. He designs a microprocessor called RISC I.

CompuServe merges with H&R Block, and renames MicroNET to CompuServe Information Service.

Sony Electronics introduces the 3.5 inch floppy disk and drive, double-sided, double-density, holding up to 875KB unformatted.

Onyx introduces the Onyx C8002 microcomputer. It features a Zilog Z8000 microprocessor, 256KB RAM, tape backup, hard disk, serial ports for eight users, and running Unix, for US$20,000. It is the first microcomputer featuring an implementation of Unix.

Radio Shack ceases production of the TRS-80 Model I, and recalls units from the US market, due to failure to meet new FCC radio-frequency interference regulations.

Commodore announces the VIC-20, with full-size 61-key plus four function key keyboard, 5KB RAM expandable to 32KB, 6502A CPU, 22 character by 23 line text display, and color graphics, for US$300. During its life, production peaks at 9,000 units per day.

Steve Wozniak's private plane crashes, leaving him with a temporary loss of short-term memory, lasting for over a month.

MS-DOS runs for the first time on IBM's prototype microcomputer. The IBM PC is born.

Quote from Tandy president John Roach, regarding IBM's entry into the microcomputer field: "I don't think it's that significant".

Apple Computer runs a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal with a headline that reads "Welcome IBM. Seriously."

The director of Canada' Radiation Protection Bureau declares that video display terminals carry no radiation hazard.

Sinclair unveils the ZX81 in the UK, based on the Z80A microprocessor, for under US$200.

Adam Osborne, of Osborne Computer Corporation, introduces the Osborne 1 Personal Business Computer at the West Coast Computer Faire. It features a Z80A CPU, 5-inch display, 64KB RAM, keyboard, keypad, modem, and two 5.25-inch 100KB disk drives for US$1795. Weight: 24 pounds. It also includes US$1500 worth of software, including CP/M, BASIC, WordStar, and SuperCalc. Osborne anticipated selling 10,000 in total, but sales quickly reached 10,000 in a single month.

Xerox unveils the Star 8010, at the National Computer Conference. Many features that were developed on the Alto are incorported. At a starting price of US$16-17,000, the computer is not a commercial success. During its lifetime, 100,000 units are produced.

Microsoft persuades IBM to introduce its microcomputer with a minimum of 64KB RAM. IBM had planned to only include 16KB.

Microsoft buys all rights to DOS from Seattle Computer Products, and the name MS-DOS is adopted.

The first IBM PCs roll off the assembly lines.

IBM announces the CGA graphics card for the PC, giving 640x200 resolution with 16 colors.

Novell Data Systems hires SuperSet to create software to link computers together to share a hard drive.

Microsoft begins work on a graphical user interface for MS-DOS, initially called Interface Manager, because it would effectively hide the interface between programs and devices like printers and video cards.

Apple Computer introduces its first hard drive, the 5MB ProFile, for US$3500.

A senior scientist at Bell Telephone Laboratories declares that video monitors pose no health hazard due to radiation exposure.

Ashton-Tate ships dBASE II, the early industry-standard database program.

At COMDEX, Tecmar introduces 20 add-on peripherals for the IBM PC, the first such third-party developer.

National Semiconductor announces the 32000 chip, the first commercial 32-bit microprocessor. The 32000 family includes CPUs and peripheral chips.

David Bunnell starts PC Magazine, in San Francisco.

Hayes Microcomputer Products advertises the Smartmodem 300, which becomes the industry standard.

College professor James Clark found Silicon Graphics, Inc.

Hayes Microcomputers Products employee Dale Heatherington develops the +++ escape sequence for modems.

Vector Graphic Inc. unveils the first personal computer with a built-in hard disk drive, for US$7950.

Apple Computer signs a secret agreement with Apple Corps Limited (the record company started by the Beatles), allowing Apple Computer to use the "Apple" name for its business. Apple Computer agrees not to market audio/video products with recording or playback capabilities.

Apple Computer prohibits mail-order sales of Apple computers, claiming there is no provision for customer education or services.

The SCSI interface is born.

A.M. Stereo is first authorized in the United States. Five competing systems struggle for dominance, but the FCC refuses to settle on a standard.

After many years of development, the Motorola's first cellular system will begin commercial operation in 1983.

The US Justice Department throws out the antitrust lawsuit filed against IBM 13 years ago.

Commodore announces the Commodore 64. It becomes the best selling computer of all time, with estimated sales of 17-22 million units. It is the first personal computer with an integrated sound synthesizer chip and color graphics for under $300.

Commodore introduces the VIC Modem, a 300bps cartridge modem designed on a paper napkin at a local diner.

Texas Instruments introduces a peripheral expansion unit for the TI-99/4, for US$250.

Pocket computers, from companies such as Sony and Radio Shake, gain in popularity.

Microsoft signs an agreement with Apple Computer, for Microsoft to develop applications for the Macintosh, currently in development.

Timex agrees to market the Sinclair Research home computer line in North America.

IBM splits its Personal Computer development team into three groups: one to work on the PC XT, one to develop the PCjr, and one to start work on the PC AT.

Compaq Computer Corporation is founded by Rod Canion, Jim Harris, and Bill Murto, all former senior managers of Texas Instruments.

Intel introduces the 6-MHz 80286 microprocessor.

Sun Microsystems is founded.

Mitch Kapor founds Lotus Development Corporation.

Future Computing Inc. quote: "CP/M 2.2 is extremely important, and the Z80 chip will live forever because of it."

Dynalogic introduces the Hyperion microcomputer at the Spring COMDEX in Atlantic City. The Hyperion is the first IBM-compatible portable microcomputer.

Columbia Data Products release the first IBM PC clone, the MPC.

Commodore Business Machines introduces the C128 microcomputer.

Bill Gates hires James Towne, a manager from Tektronix, as first president of Microsoft.

Boston's Computer Museum, devoted to documenting and displaying the evolution of computer technology, is incorporated.

Hercules announces the Hercules Graphics Card (HGC or HGA), with monochrome graphics at 720x348 resolution.

On-Line Systems changes its name to Sierra On-Line.

Lotus Development announces the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet program at Comdex in Las Vegas.

Franklin shows off a prototype of the Franklin Ace 1200, an Apple II compatible, at Comdex.

VisiCorp announces the VisiOn graphical user interface at the Fall 1982 Comdex. This GUI was another stong influence behind today's graphical operating systems.

Satellite Software International ships WordPerfect 2.0 for DOS, for US$500.

The IEEE Standards Board passes the IEEE 696/S-100 bus standard.

Apple Computer becomes the first personal computer company to reach US$1 billion in annual sales.

Microsoft receives its first Macintosh prototype from Apple, for use in developing software for the machine.

At the National Association of Music Manufacturers convention, a group of electronic music companies agree to establish a set of digital transmission standards for electronic music. A year later, MIDI is born.

Advanced Micro Devices and Intel sign a technology exchange agreement centering on Intel's x86 microprocessor architecture.

Andrew Fluegelman begins distributing his PC-Talk communications software, the first copyrighted program distributed as shareware.

General Videotex Corporation begins the Delphi online service.

Robert Lissner begins work on Apple Pie, which would be marketed by Apple Computer as AppleWorks for the Apple II.

Personal Software changes its name to VisiCorp.

Mouse Systems Corporation is founded.

Mouse Systems introduces the first commercial mouse for the IBM PC.

Cellular phone network starts in U.S.

The World Land Speed Record of 633 mph by Richard Noble took the crown back to England.

Extex introduces the 2000 Piggyback Computer, a keyboard add-on for the Atari 2600, with 8KB BASIC and 3KB RAM, for US$100.

Apple Computer officially unveils the Lisa computer. It features a 5-MHz 68000 microprocessor, 1MB RAM, 2MB ROM, a 12-inch B/W monitor, 720x364 graphics, dual 5.25-inch 860KB floppy drives, and a 5MB Profile hard drive. It is slow, but innovative. Its initial price is US$10,000. The Lisa is based on the Xerox Star System, and cost Apple Computer US$50 million to develop. It is the first personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI). The software for it cost Apple Computer US$100 million to develop. "Lisa" stands for Local Integrated Software Architecture. During its lifetime, 100,000 units are produced.

AT&T announces Unix System V.

Apple Computer introduces the Apple IIe..

Commodore's sales of VIC-20s reaches 1,000,000.

Commodore introduces the SX-64, the first color portable computer. Weight is 10.5 kg. It incorporates a 5-inch color monitor and one or two 5.25 inch floppy drive. Price is US$1600.

Time magazine selects the microcomputer as its "Man" of the Year.

Lotus Development ships Lotus 1-2-3 Release 1.0 for MS-DOS. US$1 million was spent on promoting the release.

Ziff-Davis begins publishing A+ magazine for Apple Computer products.

Radio Shack announces its TRS-80 Model 100 portable Computer.

IBM announces the IBM PC XT. It adds a 10 MB hard drive, three more expansion slots, and a serial interface. With 128KB RAM and a 360KB floppy drive, it costs US$5000.

MS-DOS 2.0 for PCs is announced. It was written from scratch, supporting 10 MB hard drives, a tree-structured file system, and 360KB floppy disks.

Microsoft creates a publishing division, Microsoft Press.

Microsoft introduces Multi-Tool Word for DOS (later renamed Microsoft Word) word processing program at Spring Comdex in Atlanta, Georgia.

Microsoft gives a "smoke-and-mirrors" demonstration of Interface Manager, later called Windows.

Lotus Development ships Lotus 1-2-3 Release 1.0A.

Fujitsu shows off first production of 256Kbit memory chips.

Sony Electronics announces the 3.5 inch floppy disk and drive, double-sided, double-density, holding up to 1MB.

Microsoft introduces its first mouse, "The Microsoft Mouse", including card and software, for US$200.

Microsoft quote: "We have a long-term relationship with IBM and have solid plans involving PC-DOS."

The one millionth Apple II is made.

Coleco announces the Coleco Adam at the Summer CES.

Tom Mack releases the first version of RBBS for MS-DOS, the first shareware program for running a BBS.

AT&T Bell Labs designs C++.

Microsoft formally announces Microsoft Windows, at the Plaza Hotel in New York. It is promised for release in April 1984.

Borland International releases Turbo Pascal for CP/M and 8086-based computers.

IBM announces the IBM PCjr, using Intel's 8088, for US$700 for the bare configuration.

Quote from Sierra On-Line founder and president, Ken Williams: "the PCjr is bound to be around for a while".

Quote from Spinnaker Software chairman William Bowman: "We're just sitting here trying to put our PCjrs in a pile and burn them. And the damn things won't burn. That's the only thing IBM did right with it - they made it flameproof."

In an obscure television market somewhere on the Great Plains, Apple Computer runs its "1984" Macintosh ad, solely to make the ad eligible for awards during 1984.

Starcom releases Don Bluth's Dragon's Lair to arcade centers. It is the first laser-disc based arcade game.

Microsoft marketer Rowland Hanson convinces Bill Gates to change the name of Interface Manager to Windows.

Dan Silva, designer of the Xerox Star GIU, along with others from Xerox, leave to form Electronic Arts.

Mattel introduces the Aquarius computer, with 4KB RAM, 8KB ROM, Z80A processor, 40x24 text output to a TV, 80x72 block graphics, in 16 colors. Price is US$160.

Microsoft shows IBM a raw version of Windows. IBM is not interested as they are already developing what would be called TopView.

Wang announces the single in-line memory module (SIMM).

Philips and Sony develop the CD-ROM, as an extension of audio CD technology.

Microsoft, SpectraVideo, and 14 Japanese computer companies announce the MSX specifications for low-end, 8-bit home computers systems.

Computer visionary Joe Cassara touches a Commodore VIC-20 for the first time.

Hewlett Packard pioneers inkjet printing technology with the introduction of the HP ThinkJet printer, and introduces HP LaserJet printer -- the company's most successful single product ever.

The number of Motorola pagers being used in Japan reaches 200,000. The Paging Division occupies a new plant in Boynton Beach, Florida. As the Official Radio Communications Sponsor of the Olympic Games, Motorola provides a radio network comprising more than 10,000 pieces of equipment for the Summer Games in Los Angeles.

Motorola offers the first true 32-bit MC68020 microprocessor device.

Continental US relays of news feeds for stations are available on Ku-Band satellites.

A television set can be worn on the wrist.

Jack Tramiel, founder and president of Commodore, leaves the company to run Atari.

Apple Computer runs its "1984" commercial during the NFL SuperBowl, introducing the Macintosh computer. The ad runs only once, but dozens of news and talk shows replay it, making it one of the most memorable ads in TV history. The ad cost US$1.5 million.

Apple Computer's Steve Jobs introduces the Apple Macintosh at the Flint Center of DeAnza College in Cupertino, California. The Macintosh uses the 8-MHz 32-bit Motorola 68000 CPU, built-in 9-inch B/W screen, 512x342 graphics, 400KB 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, mouse, 128KB RAM, and weighs 20 pounds. Price: US$2500.

Timex withdraws from the home computer business.

Commodore International launches the Commodore PC at the Hanover Fair in Germany.

Silicon Graphics begins shipping its first 3-D graphics workstations.

Ashton-Tate ships dBASE III.

Tom Jennings creates the FidoNet BBS network.

A small joystick company, High Toro, demonstrates a new computer code-named Lorraine (after the CEO's wife). The name is soon changed to Amiga.

Commodore announces the Commodore Plus4, featuring four built-in programs. Poor marketing and lack of 80 column text support hinder sales.

Okidata introduces the Okimate 10 thermal transfer color dot matrix printer, for US$240.

Jack Tramiel, former president of Commodore International, buys a controlling interest in the Atari home computer and video game divisions from Warner Communications, for US$240 million in long-term notes. Warner retains Atari's coin-operated game division and home communications venture Ataritel.

Commodore purchases Amiga Corporation.

IBM announces the PC AT, a 6MHz 80286 computer using PC-DOS 3.0, a 5.25-inch 1.2MB floppy drive, with

256KB RAM, for US$4000, which doesn't include hard drive or monitor/card. With a 20MB hard drive, color card and monitor: US$6700.

IBM announces its PC Network local area network.

IBM announces TopView, a DOS multitasking program.

IBM announces the Enhanced Graphics Adapter (EGA), supporting up to 640x350 resolution in 16 colors.

IBM announces the Professional Graphics Display monitor, for US$1300. The 14-inch monitor will display up to 256 colors (from 4096) simultaneously at 640x480 resolution.

Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh 512K for US$3200. It uses an 8-MHz 68000 processor, and comes with 512 KB RAM, and a 400 KB 3.5-inch floppy drive.

Digital Research announces its Graphics Environment Manager (GEM) icon/desktop user interface for 8086- and DOS-based computers.

Microsoft gives a demonstration of the final version of Windows to IBM. For the third time, IBM is not interested.

Lotus Development officially announces Jazz for the Macintosh, an all-in-one program incorporating a spreadsheet, database, graphics, word processing, and communications.

The 2 millionth Apple II computer is sold.

Tandy introduces the Tandy 1000, for US$1300.

Sierra On-Line releases the game King's Quest, a pioneering graphic adventure.

Apple Computer releases ProDOS.

Apple Computer releases AppleWorks, one of the first integrated software packages, with modules for word processing, database management, and spreadsheet calculations. It was written by Rupert Lissner.

Hewlett-Packard introduces the LaserJet laser printer, featuring 300dpi resolution, for US$3,600.

TI Introduces first 4-megabit DRAM using fully integrated trench memory cell

Sony builds a radio the size of a credit card.

U.S. TV networks begin satellite distribution to affiliates.

Commodore debuts the Commodore-Amiga 1000, creating the basis for personal computer "multimedia" and "plug'n'play" architecture.

Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh Plus.

Eric Graham shows his "Juggler" demo animation on the Amiga, showing the Amiga's capabilities of ray-traced animation merged with digitized sound.

Microsoft releases MS-DOS 3.2. It adds support for 3.5-inch 720 KB floppy disk drives.

The first issue of Amazing Computing for users of the Commodore-Amiga is published.

The First International Conference on CD-ROM is held in Seattle, Washington, hosted by Microsoft.

Microsoft first sells shares to the public, for US$21 per share. The initial public offering raises US$61 million. Bill Gates quickly becomes the world's youngest billionaire.

Compaq Computer joins the Fortune 500 list faster than any company in history.

Compaq Computer ships its 500,000th personal computer.

Satellite Software International changes its name to WordPerfect Corporation.

Byte by Byte releases Sculpt 3-D for the Amiga, the first professional 3-D modeling and animation program to ship for a personal computer.

Intel ships the 80386.

Microsoft announces Works for the Macintosh.

Little-known company Advanced Logic Research announces the first 386-based PC, the Access 386.

Apple Computer introduces the Apple IIGS, with the Apple 3.5 drive, for US$1000. It uses the Western Digital Center W65C816 (65816) microprocessor, operating at 1-MHz or 2.8-MHz.

Quarterdeck Office Systems ships DESQview 1.3.

Steve Jobs decides to use the ill-fated erasable optical disk drives for the first NeXT machine.

WordPerfect ships WordPerfect 4.2 for US$500.

The first AmiEXPO is held, in New York City.

Impulse releases TurboSilver 1.0 for the Amiga.

Ashton-Tate ships the one millionth copy of dBASE.

Aldus PageMaker is released for the PC.

Digital Research introduces its GEM operating environment for MS-DOS.

NexGen begins work on the design of a fifth generation x86 processor.

Motorola announces the 68030 microprocessor. It uses about 300,000 transistors.

Commodore releases Transformer software for the Amiga, which, along with the Commodore 1020 51/4-inch disk drive, provides MS-DOS compatibility.

NEC Home Electronics introduces its NEC JC-1401P3A Multisync monitor, the first multisyncing monitor.

Software Publishing Corporation introduces Harvard Presentation Graphics for the PC.

Gateway 2000 ships its first PC.

Work begins on SCSI-2.

Gentner introduces the first dial-up remote control system for a transmitter.

HBO debuts, scrambling its signals with the help of set-top computers.

Half of all U.S. homes with TV are on cable.

Commodore announces the more expandable Amiga 2000.

Apple Computer introduces the expandable Macintosh SE. It uses a 8-MHz 68000 processor, and comes with 1 MB of RAM. A dual floppy system sells for US$2900. With a 20 MB hard drive, price is about US$3800.

Apple Computer introduces NuBus as the Mac's standard bus.

U.S. Robotics unveils its 9600 bps Courier HST modem, for US$995. BBS sysops can purchase the modem for US$495.

3M introduces the 2-MB high density 3 1/2-inch diskette.

Aegis Development releases VideoScape 3D for the Amiga.

Lotus Development announces it will create new versions of Lotus 1-2-3 for DOS, OS/2 Presentation Manager, the Macintosh, and mainframe computers.

IBM introduces the IBM Personal System/2 (PS/2) line, with IBM's first 386 PC, and 3.5-inch floppy drives as standard. The PS/2 Model 30 uses a 8-MHz 8086, the Model 50 and 60 use the 10-MHz 80286, and the Model 80 uses a 20-MHz 80386.

Guy Kawasaki resigns from Apple Computer.

IBM unveils its Video Graphics Array (VGA) in its Model 50 and higher of the PS/2 line.

IBM introduces its Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) on its Model 50 and higher of the PS/2 line.

Microsoft announces Microsoft Windows 2.0, despite the marketing failure of Windows 1.0.

Microsoft sells its 500,000th mouse.

Microsoft acquires Forethought, maker of the PowerPoint presentation graphics program for the Macintosh.

Sun Microsystems introduces its first SPARC-based system, the Sun-4/260, with 10 MIPS performance.

Apple Computer creates the company Claris, to handle some of Apple Computer's software for the Apple II and Macintosh. Apple Computer owns 82% of the company's stock.

Raymond Lau releases Stuffit file archive utility for the Macintosh, for US$15.

The Association of Shareware Professionals (ASP) is formed.

Ad Lib Incorporated unveils its Ad Lib Personal Computer Music System for US$245. The card provides FM synthesis with 11 simultaneous voices.

IBM discontinues the IBM PC line.

Linus introduces the WriteTop microcomputer, the first pen-based computer. It runs MS-DOS, uses an 8088 processor, and weighs 9 pounds.

Hewlett Packard releases its PaintJet color printer.

An article in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine reports that pregnant women who worked with computer screens for more than 20 hours per week were 80% more likely to suffer miscarriage than women who did not use VDTs.

FCC allows 'Short Spacing' of FM stations

Spectrum Holobyte introduces Tetris for the PC, the first entertainment software imported from the Soviet Union.

WordPerfect ships WordPerfect 5.0 for US$500.

Apple Computer contracts with Quantum Computer Services to create AppleLink, the Apple version of their Qlink online service for Commodore computers.

Steve Jobs of NeXT Inc. unveils the first NeXT computer, at the Davis Symphony Hall in San Francisco. For US$6500, it features: 25-MHz Motorola 68030 processor and 68882 math coprocessor, 8MB RAM, 17-inch monochrome monitor, 256MB read/write magneto-optical drive, and true object-oriented NextStep operating system.

ReadySoft demonstrates its AMAX Macintosh emulator for the Amiga at the World of Commodore show, the first Macintosh emulation program.

Digital Research transforms CP/M into DR DOS. [478.3]

Digital Equipment begins development of a 64-bit microprocessor. The chip will debut as the 150-MHz Alpha 21064 in 1992.

The bus standard used on IBM AT compatibles is given the name Industry Standard Architecture (ISA).

W.H. Sim founds Creative Labs, Inc., in California, USA, a subsidiary of Creative Technology.

U.S. Robotics introduces the Courier Dual Standard modem, supporting both v.32 and HST protocols, and the Courier v.32 modem. Prices are US$1600 and US$1500, respectively.

Tandy announces Thor CD, an erasable compact disk system for music, video, or data.

Hewlett-Packard introduces the HP DeskJet inkjet printer. Price: US$1000.

Adobe ships Adobe Illustrator 88 for the Macintosh.

Aldus ships Aldus FreeHand for the Macintosh.

Novell ships Netware for the Macintosh.

Syquest introduces its SyQuest storage cartridge system to the Macintosh market.

Microsoft's Bill Gates gives a special sneak preview of Microsoft Word 3.0 to several hundred Apple Macintosh computer users, in an auditorium in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Commodore announces that 1 million Amiga computers have been sold.

Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh SE/30, with MS-DOS and OS/2 disk compatibility. It uses a 16-Mhz 68030 processor, and comes with 4-MB RAM and 1.4 MB SuperDrive floppy drive, for US$4370. Price with an 80 MB hard drive is US$6500.

Digital Equipment introduces its first RISC-based workstation, the DECstation 3100, using the 16.7-MHz R2000 MIPS Technologies processor.

At the AmiExpo trade show, Micro Momentum introduces The Journeyman, a portable Amiga computer.

The VESA graphics standard emerges, providing a uniform method of accessing SuperVGA chipsets.

Motorola announces the 68040 microprocessor. It uses about 1.2 million transistors.

Apple Computer introduces 1.4MB floppy drives for the Macintosh.

Atari introduces the Atari TT, featuring a 16-MHz 68030 processor, 2MB RAM, a 3.5-inch floppy drive, and a built-in genlock device.

Apple Computer announces the Macintosh Portable, featuring a 16-MHz Motorola 68000 CMOS processor, 1 MB RAM, 40 MB hard drive, and 1.4 MB SuperDrive, for US$6500.

NeXT ships the first NeXT Computer systems.

IBM signs a deal with NeXT to license the NextStep operating system.

The first exhibition of video graphics and electronic paintings is held at the Cogburn Gallery on the University of Vermont's Burlington campus. The works were all generated on a Commodore-Amiga 1000.

At fall Comdex, IBM strongly endorses Windows for low end PCs, and Microsoft publicly endorses OS/2 as the future platform for higher-end PCs. IBM and Microsoft agree to jointly develop a consistent, full-range of systems software.

Compaq Computer introduces the first EISA PC, the Compaq Systempro.

Lotus Development ships Lotus Notes.

Xerox files a lawsuit challenging the validity of Apple Computer's copyrights covering the Lisa and Macintosh computers' graphical user interface. Xerox claims Apple Computer copied the Xerox Star system interface.

Microsoft ships Word for Windows 1.0.

Quote from a Lotus Development official while demonstrating a new DOS version of Lotus 1-2-3: "We don't see Windows."

The Government Electronics Group of Motorola, supplies radio equipment for the Galileo, Magellan, and Hubble Space Telescope missions. A new 8.5 pound portable Lightweight Satellite Terminal (LST) radio is introduced.

Motorola's third-generation 32-bit microprocessor, the 68040, is adopted by more than 100 customers for applications in their products. The "040" contains 1.2 million transistors, can process 20 million instructions per second, and is compatible with existing software developed for the 68000 family of microprocessors.

HP Introduces HP LaserJet III laser printer.

Hayes Microcomputer Products wins a US$1.4 million lawsuit against Everex, Ven-Tel, and Omnitel, regarding the validity of Hayes' patent on the +++ escape sequence.

Jean-Louis Gassee resigns as president of Apple Products.

Microsoft introduces Russian MS-DOS 4.01 for the Soviet market.

Microsoft introduces and ships Microsoft Windows 3.0. Microsoft spends US$3 million for opening-day marketing, as part of a US$10 million promotional campaign.

The PCMCIA card specification v1.0 is released.

Commodore ships the Amiga A3000 computer.

Nolan Bushnell unveils Commodore's CDTV at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show, the first interactive CD-ROM player.

Phillips introduces the CD-I player.

The US Federal Trade Commission begins an investigation of Microsoft Corp., for alleged monopolistic practices in the PC software market.

Microsoft's sales revenues hit US$1 billion for the past year, the first personal computer software company to do so.

Desktop video production becomes reality when NewTek ships the Video Toaster, a hardware/software video effects tool for the Commodore-Amiga. Price: US$1600.

The PCMCIA card specification v2.0 is announced.

Microsoft Bill Gates quote: "Even for the next ten years, [DOS] will have a significant role to play."

IBM introduces the XGA MCA graphics card, as a replacement for VGA.

PC/GEOS, based on the GEOS graphical operating system for the Commodore 64, with GeoWorks Ensemble, ships.

AT&T makes a US$6 billion hostile takeover bid for NCR.

The Multimedia PC Marketing Council sets the minimum configuration required of a PC to run MPC-class software: 10-MHz 286 processor, 2MB RAM, 30MB hard drive, 16-color VGA, mouse, 8-bit audio card, 150KBps CD-ROM drive.

Microsoft begins shipping the first version of the Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) library for Windows 3.0.

Apple Computer and Microsoft release TrueType font technology.

Quantum Computer Services' Commodore Qlink and AppleLink are renamed America Online.

IBM unveils its new RISC-based workstation line, the RS/6000.

U.S. Robotics introduces the Courier v.32bis modem.

INTV Corp. discontinues production of the Intellivision.

Walt Disney Computer Software releases The Animation Studio for the Amiga, for US$179.

A judge rules that competitors to Intel can use the x86 designation for their processors. Intel decides to find another name for its new processors.

US District Court Judge Vaughn Walker throws out 5 of 6 claims in Xerox' suit against Apple Computer of the Star's system.

Apple Computer discontinues the Macintosh Portable.

RDI announces the availability of Macintosh emulation software for SPARC systems.

Macronix sues Nintendo, claiming Nintendo purposely changed its game machine architecture so that other vendors' cartridges would not work.

IBM spins off its entire printer and typewriter division to a New York investment firm. The company Lexmark is born.

21 companies create the Advanced Computing Environment (ACE) Initiative.

Apple Computer ships its System 7.0 Macintosh operating system, two years after its announcement, for US$100.

Apple Computer announces QuickTime software, for integration of dynamic media for Macintosh computers.

Microsoft releases MS-DOS 5.0. It adds a full-screen editor, undelete and unformat utilities, and task swapping.

Intel introduces the 50-MHz 486 microprocessor. Speed is 41 MIPS. This new 486 employs 0.8-micron technology.

Tandy introduces its low-cost CDR-1000 CD-ROM drive for PCs. At US$400, including drive and controller card, it is about half the price of other CD-ROM drives.

Sega of America ships the Time Traveler holographic video game to arcade centers.

Apple Computer and IBM sign a technology sharing agreement, to integrate the Mac into IBM's enterprise systems, to allow future RISC-based Macs to use IBM's Power PC chip, to work together on common multimedia standards, and to cooperatively produce a new object-oriented operating system.

Symantec ships Norton Desktop for Windows.

Microsoft changes the name of OS/2 v3.0 to Windows NT.

The ban on business is lifted on the Internet.

Insite Technology begins shipping its 21 MB 3.5-inch floppy disk drive to system vendors. The drive uses "floptical" disks, using optical technology to store data.

Sega sues Accolade, claiming that Accolade should pay royalties to Sega for creating Sega titles, and that Accolade's games mislead people into thinking they were produced for or licensed by Sega.

Quote by Aaron Goldberg, of International Data Corp.: "I don't know if anyone has tried to run Windows on a 286 machine, but frankly I'd rather have knitting needles in my eyes.".

Novell buys Digital Research.

S3 introduces the 911 graphics chip, incorporating GUI acceleration with VGA compatibility.

Intel recalls the 50-MHz version of the 486DX microprocessor, due to problems with overheating.

Quote from Alex. Brown & Sons analyst, Mark Stahlman: "(Commodore) is likely to be one of the big success stories of the early 1990s."

Creative Labs introduces the Sound Blaster Pro Deluxe, the first stereo PC sound card.

Hewlett-Packard introduces its first color image scanner, the HP Scanjet IIc. The 400 dpi 24-bit flatbed scanner is priced at about US$2000.

Adobe begins shipping Level 2 PostScript.

Hayes Microcomputer Products announces LANstep, a network operating system for small offices.

Intel begins the design process of its sixth-generation processor.

Apple Computer chairman John Sculley coins the term Personal Digital Assistant, referring to hand-held computers that typically operate via a stylus on a LCD display.

The PowerOpen Association is formed, with the goal of producing specifications for an open software/hardware platform that can run all UNIX, DOS/Windows (via emulation), and Macintosh applications.

Microsoft launches its first TV advertising campaign for Windows.

Intel and Microsoft announce the Advanced Power Management (APM) specification for laptop computers, which allows the system to shut down power to system resources not currently in use.

Microsoft ships Windows 3.1. 1 million copies of the new and upgrade versions are sold through retail channels within the first 50 days.

AutoDesk ships AutoCAD Release 11 for the Macintosh.

Sun Microcomputers' Sunsoft division introduces the Solaris 2.0 operating system for Intel-based PCs.

Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates receives a National Medal of Technology for Technical Achievement from US President George Bush.

The number of users of Apple Computer's System 7 reaches 4 million.

Apple Computer receives its first PowerPC 601 processor for testing. The "Cognac" project team first successfully boots up a prototype Power Macintosh using a Power PC 601 processor.

IBM introduces its ThinkPad laptop computer, with a radical new pointer device.

Commodore-Amiga introduces the A1200 and A4000 line of computers, taking advantage of a new, high end "AGA" graphics chipset.

The Digital Compact Cassette (DCC) is introduced to the consumer market.

USA Digital Radio conducts its first on-air tests of their in band on channel A.M. digital audio broadcasting in Cincinnati, OH.

FCC selects the Motorola C-QUAM system of AM stereo transmission as the US standard - Ten Years after AM stereo was first authorized. The lack of an approved standard greatly hindered the development of this mode of broadcasting. The U.S. Congress instructs the FCC to begin collecting "Regulatory Fee's" from broadcast stations. To ease the pain...you may pay the FCC with your credit card.

Apple Computer ships the 10 millionth Macintosh computer.

Amstrad begins shipping the Amstrad Pen Pad PDA600 Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) in England. It is the first PDA to be shipped. The Pen Pad weighs under a pound, is 1 inch thick, and features a 240x320 resolution 3x4 inch screen. It uses a 20-MHz Zilog Z8S180 microprocessor, and can run for 40 hours on three AA batteries. It includes 128KB RAM, with a PCMCIA expansion slot for memory expansion to 2MB.

Intel introduces the Pentium processor. It uses 32-bit registers, with a 64-bit data bus, giving it an address space of 4 GB. It incorporates 3.1 million transistors, using 0.8-micron BiCMOS technology. Speeds are 60-MHz (100 MIPS) and 66-MHz (112 MIPS). Prices are US$878 (60-MHz) and US$964 (66-MHz).

The Software Publishers Association reports that MS-Windows applications are outselling

MS-DOS programs for the first time.

Microsoft introduces the MS-DOS 6.0 Upgrade, including DoubleSpace disk compression. 1 million copies of the new and upgrade versions are sold through retail channels within the first 40 days.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency officially launches the Energy Star program. Together with 50 major PC manufacturers, the Energy Star guidelines are designed to reduce idle power use of computer system components.

Digital Equipment ships the 200-MHz Alpha 21064 processor.

Commodore-Amiga introduces the Amiga CD32, the world's first true 32-bit video game console, based on the Amiga 1200 and CD-ROM drive.

Apple Computer introduces the Newton MessagePad 100 personal digital assistant at Macworld Expo, in Boston's Symphony Hall. It features 640KB RAM, 3MB of ROM storing applications and the operating system (Newton Intelligence), a low-voltage 20-MHz 32-bit ARM 610 microprocessor, 40x336 resolution (85 dpi) 2.8 x 4-inch LCD screen, one PCMCIA Type II expansion socket, data transfer of 9600bps, and runs on four AAA batteries. 50,000 units sell in the first 10 weeks, but only 80,000 are sold during the product's life.

The US Federal Trade Commission decides to cease investigating Microsoft for unfair trade practices. The US Department of Justice begins its own antitrust investigation of Microsoft.

Compton's New Media Incorporated receives a patent on multimedia search and retrieval technology, from the U.S. Patent and Trade Office. Compton's New Media then issues a statement claiming that anyone wishing to sell information in a multimedia format must pay them a license fee.

Berkeley Systems sues Delrina over Delrina's "Death Toasters" in the Opus N' Bill Screen Saver program.

Gateway 2000 introduces the industry's first VESA VL-bus system.

Apple Computer announces Macintosh TV, which combines an Apple Macintosh, television, and CD-ROM.

Benny S. Lee, of Everex Systems, Inc. is sentenced to one year in prison for manufacturing and selling counterfeit MS-DOS software. This is the first time a prison sentence is handed down for software counterfeiting in the U.S.

Borland International files an appeal of the August 1993 court ruling in its legal battle with Lotus Development over Quattro Pro compatibility with Lotus 1-2-3.

Lotus Development wins a preliminary judgement over Borland International in its spreadsheet copyright suit. Borland International removes its Lotus 1-2-3 compatibility macros from Quattro Pro and releases it.

SunSoft (a subsidiary of Sun Microsystems) ships the first version of WABI, providing Microsoft Windows application compatibility on Solaris, Intel, and Sparc versions of UNIX.

The Multimedia PC Marketing Council sets the MPC Level 2 standard, dictating the minumum configuration required of a PC to run MPC-2 class software. The requirements are: a 486 processor, 160MB hard drive, double speed XA-ready multisession-capable CD-ROM drive, 16-bit sound card, and a 16-bit SuperVGA video card capable of 65,000 colors in 640x480 resolution.

Novell buys Unix System V.

Commodore Business Machines stops producing Intel-based personal computers.

Denmark begins on air testing of the Eureka 147 method of Digital Audio Broadcasting on 237 MHz.

The first allotment plan for the expanded AM band is released.

Apple Computer announces eWorld, an online service for Apple tech support and a virtual shopping mall.

NEC Technologies ships its quad-speed CD-ROM, priced at US$1000.

Apple Computer announces that it will license its System 7.x operating system to other hardware companies.

Microsoft releases Microsoft Windows 3.11.

Apple Computer introduces QuickTake 100, the first 24-bit color digital camera for under US$1000.

Apple Computer announces the Newton MessagePad 110 and 100. The 110 comes with 1MB RAM, transfers data remotely at 38.5Kbps, and runs on four AA batteries.

IBM and Motorola announce the 100-MHz PowerPC 601 processor.

Commodore International and Commodore Electronics file for voluntary liquidation. The computer industry loses a legacy company.

Mosaic Communications releases Netscape Navigator 1.0, the first World Wide Web browser.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, after re-examining the patent application it granted to Compton's New Media in August 1993, decides to reject all 41 of the application's claims.

Microsoft sends out the first official beta test version of Windows 95.

Rock group Jefferson Airplane sues Berkeley Systems for copyright infringement of the flying toasters image in the After Dark screen saver program.

Microsoft is granted a trademark to the name "Windows" for software products.

Dr. Thomas R. Nicely of Lynchburg College notes that the Pentium processor sometimes produces flawed floating-point results, yielding only 4-8 decimals of precision. Dr. Nicely reports his discovery of the Pentium floating point bug to Intel, and his report is made public on CompuServe.

Microsoft reaches a settlement with the US Department of Justice regarding alleged monopolistic licensing practices. Microsoft agrees to change some of its practices of how it sells its operating systems to vendors.

The International Telecommunications Union ratifies the 28.8Kbps V.34 modem standard.

Microsoft ships its first keyboard, the Microsoft Natural Keyboard.

U.S. Robotics ships the Sportster v.34 28.8Kbps modems. List price: US$329 internal, US$349 external.

Alaris introduces the first PC with a NexGen Nx586 processor.

Digital Equipment Corporation formally introduces its next-generation Alpha AXP processors, including a 300-MHz version that can execute 1 billion instructions per second.

IBM introduces the Aptiva line, to replace the PS/1 line, aimed at the home PC market.

Microsoft makes a bid to buy Intuit (maker of Quicken) for US$1.5 billion stock swap.

IBM formally launches OS/2 Warp version 3.

Intel introduces the 75-MHz Pentium processor. Gateway 2000 Incorporated sells the first PC powered by the processor.

Hayes Microcomputer Products files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

The first broadcast station in the expanded band signs on. WJDM - Elizabeth NJ at 1660 kHz.

The FCC allocates spectrum for a new satellite delivered Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS) in the 2310 to 2360 megahertz band.

Apple Computer ships QuickTime VR, bringing virtual reality to Macintosh and Windows-based personal computers.

The BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation - begins introductory DAB service.

Interest in the Internet as a consumer level network explodes.

Apple Computer ships the 1 millionth Power Macintosh.

Microsoft unveils Microsoft Bob, a "superapplication" for Windows consumer users, with a "social interface". The code name for the project was "Utopia".

Joe Cassara quote: "Microsoft Bob? What a condescending little flop of a program."

IBM announces that 1 million copies of OS/2 Warp have shipped.

Judge Sporkin rejects the settlement worked out between Microsoft and the Department of Justice, regarding Microsoft's alleged unfair trade practices.

At an auction in New York, ESCOM buys all rights, properties, and technologies of Commodore and Amiga.

Apple Computer unveils the next generation of its MacOS at its Worldwide Developers Conference.

Power Computing, the first company to license Apple Computer's Power Mac technology, begins shipping its first Power Mac clones.

Intel announces the immediate availability of the 133-MHz Pentium processor.

The 1994 settlement between Microsoft and the US Department of Justice, which was thrown out in February, is reinstated.

Apple Computer introduces its first color laser printer, the Color Laser Printer 12/600PS. The 600x600 dpi printer comes with 12 MB of RAM, uses a Canon-based engine, and costs about US$7,000.

Apple Computer introduces its first PowerMac system using Intel's PCI bus, the Power Macintosh 9500, available with a 120-MHz or 132-MHz PowerPC 604 CPU. The 9500/120 with a 1 GB hard drive costs US$5000. The 9500/132 with 2 GB drive costs US$5800.

Iomega introduces an internal version of its 100MB removable cartridge Zip drive.

Iomega introduces the Jaz line of high-capacity removable cartridge drives. The cartridges hold 1 gigabyte, costing about US$100 each. Transfer rate of the drive is up to 5MBps.

Pinnacle Micro introduces the Apex 4.6, a 5.25-inch optical drive, storing 4.6GB on a single removable disc. Transfer rate is up to 6MBps, with a seek time of 17ms. Costs are US$200 for cartridges, and US$1700 for the drive. Software supports Windows, Macintosh, and various Unix platforms.

Microsoft releases Windows 95. More than 20,000 retail stores offer copies for sale. Microsoft prepares for support calls, with 1600 people staffing tech support lines. 1 million copies of the new and upgrade versions are sold through retail channels within the first 4 days.

Microsoft introduces Microsoft Office 95.

Microsoft releases Microsoft Internet Explorer 1.0.

The United States Patent Office overturns the decision to grant Gilbert Hyatt a patent on the microprocessor. The ruling recognizes Texas Instruments' Gary Boone as the prior inventor of the microprocessor.

IBM introduces the Aptiva PC.

Intel announces the official name for the P6 chip: Pentium Pro.

Two groups of companies agree on a proposed high density compact disc format. The new format will allow up to 18.8 gigabytes total on a double-sided disc.

The newly formed Amiga Technologies announces that the PowerPC processor will be used in Amiga computers sometime in 1997.

IBM, Apple Computer, and Hewlett-Packard dissolve Taligent Inc.

Apple Computer ships the Newton 2.0 operating system.

IBM ships a record 1 million copies of OS/2 Warp in the month, bringing the installed base to 12.7 million.

Intel destroys 1.5 million flawed Pentium chips, at a rough cost of US$475 million.

Nintendo officially drops the Nintendo Entertainment System from its product line.

Sega introduces its 32-bit game system, the Saturn.

Sony Electronics introduces their 32-bit game system, the PlayStation.

DVD, Digital Versatile Disk, technology is introduced with hopes of replacing CDs.

The US Supreme Court upholds a ruling that Borland International's Quattro Pro did not violate Lotus Development's Lotus 1-2-3 copyrights. The original suit was filed in July of 1990.

Apple Computer publicly shows the Macintosh operating system running on an IBM system (PowerPC-based) for the first time.

Motorola ships samples of the 64-bit PowerPC 620 processor.

Microsoft ships the 30 millionth copy of Windows 95.

Silicon Graphics and Cray Research agree to merge, at a cost of about US$764 million to Silicon Graphics.

Digital Equipment unveils 366-MHz and 400-MHz versions of its Alpha microprocessor.

Nintendo announces the Nintendo 64, a 64-bit game system.

Arthur Atwater-Kent's Time Capsule is opened as the building is scheduled to be demolished. Inside it are 5 newspapers with headlines of the Lindberg kidnaping, note cards from the dedication speech, and an AK55 radio taken fresh off the assembly line in 1929.

FCC adopts a standard for High Definition T.V. (HDTV)

Digital Audio Broadcasting begins in Sweden from four transmitters utilizing Eureka 147.

Apple Computer buys Steve Jobs' NeXT software company for US$424 million in cash and Apple stock.

Intel begins shipping the 200-MHz Pentium Pro processor.

Radio visionaries Dave Graveline and Steve Zeigler found the Into Tomorrow Radio Network.

January 1^st: The E.A.S., Emergency Alert System, goes on-line in broadcast stations, replacing the aging technology of the E.B.S., the Emergency Broadcasting System.

NASA's Mars Rover beams pictures of the cold planet back to Earth.

Microsoft buys WebTV for US$425 million.

Gateway 2000 buys the Amiga from ESCOM and forms Amiga International.

The FCC issues two licenses for Digital Audio Radio Service (DARS) by Auction to American Mobile Radio Corporation and Satellite CD Radio, Inc.

Apple introduces MacOS 8 as Gilbert Amelio resigns as president, CEO, and chairman.

Microsoft finally ships Windows 98?

Digital radio becomes a reality everywhere?

Cable TV becomes a thing of the past?

Apple's G3 processors revolutionize the computer industry?

Gateway 2000 introduces new Amiga computers?

Every American home has at least one Internet terminal?

Automobiles include navigation devices as standard?

We rid our lives of mildew stains for good?