January 10th proved to be monumental date for the companies America Online, Time, Inc. and Warner Communications. On this date in 1990, Time Inc. acquired Warner Communications for $14.1 billion. Thus began Time Warner, one of the world’s largest media and entertainment conglomerates. Also on […]
Geek Fact for January 10th Read More »
In 2007, Steve Jobs announced Apple’s iPhone at the Macworld keynote address. Arguably, the iPhone revolutionized the cell phone industry. While there were ‘smartphones’ available prior to the iPhone (BlackBerry, Palm), they couldn’t compare to the aesthetics, features and easy of use of the iPhone.
Geek Fact for January 9th Read More »
On January 9th, 2007, Steve Jobs announced the iPhone at the Macworld keynote address. At the time, it was arguably a truly revolutionary product. While BlackBerry and Palm offered their own ‘smartphones’, nothing could compare to the aesthetics, features and ease of use of the
Apple’s original iPhone announcement Read More »
In 1889, Dr. Herman Hollerith received the first U.S. patent for a tabulating machine. Herman Hollerith is widely regarded as the father of modern automatic computation. He founded the company that was to become IBM. Learn more at http://www.columbia.edu/cu/computinghistory/hollerith.html In 1923, Joseph Wiezenbaum, artificial intelligence
Geek Fact for January 8th Read More »
In 1904, the Marconi Company established “CQD” as the first International radio distress signal. Although generally accepted to mean, “Come Quick Danger,” it is a general call, “CQ,” followed by “D,” meaning distress. Read more about CQD at http://www.telegraph-office.com/pages/arc2-2.html In 1992, AT&T released the first
Geek Fact for January 7th Read More »
In 1838, Samuel Morse made the first public demonstration of the telegraph. The demonstration occurred the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, New Jersey. It was another six years before sent his famous “What hath God wrought!” telegraph. Read more about Samuel Morse at http://www.notablebiographies.com/Mo-Ni/Morse-Samuel-F-B.html#b In
Geek Fact for January 6th Read More »
In 1940, the Federal Communications Commission got its first demonstration of FM radio by Major Edwin H. Armstrong. According to Major Armstrong’s niece, Jeanne Hammond: Another inventor, Lee DeForest, challenged Armstrong’s priority for this discovery and the issue was twice argued before the US Supreme
Geek Fact for January 5th Read More »
In 1958, Sputnik 1 reentered the earth’s atmosphere and burned up. Launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, it was the first artificial satellite in history. Learn more about Sputnik 1 at http://www.nasm.si.edu/exhibitions/gal100/sputnik.html In 1959, Luna 1 became the first spacecraft to reach
Geek Fact for January 4th Read More »
If it’s January, it’s time for an Apple announcement. Right around the time of CES, Apple routinely announces that it has an upcoming event. This is particularly true since it no longer participates in iWorld (previously Macworld). In January 2009, the iPad was announced. In
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In 1825, the first engineering college in the United States, Rensselaer School, opened in Troy, New York. The school opened on Monday, January 3, 1825 at the Old Bank Place. It is now known as Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Learn more about Rensselaer at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Rensselaer_Polytechnic_Institute In
Geek Fact for January 3rd Read More »
In 1839, the first photo of the Moon was taken by French photographer Louis Daguerre. This is the earliest known photograph of the Moon, a daguerrotype photograph taken in 1851 by John Adams Whipple. Daguerre’s photograph was destroyed in 1839 when a fire burned his
Geek Fact for January 2nd Read More »
In 1992, computer scientist Admiral Grace Murray Hopper died. Born December 9th, 1906, perhaps her best-known contribution to computing was the invention of the compiler, the intermediate program that translates English language instructions into the language of the target computer. Learn more about Admiral Hopper
Geek Fact for January 1st Read More »
In 1744, James Bradley announced the discovery of Earth’s motion of nutation, or wobble. James Bradley discovered nutation, the oscillation of the earth’s axis, caused by the changing direction of the gravitational pull of the moon on the equatorial bulge. Learn more at http://www.answers.com/topic/james-bradley
Geek Fact for December 31st Read More »
In 1938, the electronic television system was patented by Vladimir K. Zworykin. Throughout the 1920s, RCA’s Vladimir Zworykin was busy developing the Iconoscope camera tube that would become the foundation for the all-electronic systems that would follow. Zworykin’s work was based on a CRT receiver
Geek Fact for December 30th Read More »
