Tom Merritt's Blog, page 1170

Tech News Today 626: But AT&T Loves Me

Hosts: Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

EA gets Navy SEALS in trouble, Nvidia saved by tablets, Priceline buys Kayak, and more.

Guest: Darren Kitchen

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Running time: 51:19

Tech History Today – Nov. 9

In 1967 – NASA launched a Saturn V rocket carrying Apollo 4, a test craft launched from Cape Kennedy. It was the first launch in the Apollo program and the first time using the Launch Control Center at Kennedy Space Center.

In 1979 – The NORAD computers detected a massive Soviet Nuclear Strike. Thankfully raw data from satellites were reviewed along with early warning radar, proving it was a false alarm. A technician had loaded a test tape but failed to switch the system status to “test”. Oops!

In 2004 – The Mozilla Foundation released Firefox 1.0. It featured tabbed browsing and a popup blocker.

Like Tech History? Purchase Tom Merritt’s Chronology of Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

Tech News Today 625: Radio is Going to Explode

Hosts: Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

iPhone loses the top spot, Google loses market share, Waze makes it rain (money), and more.

Guest: Dan Benjamin

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Running time: 52:50

Tech History Today – Nov. 8

In 1870 – The US Weather Bureau (someday to become the National Weather Service) issued its first weather warning for a storm on the Great Lakes. It was accurate, but there was no high-pitched beep yet.

1887 – German immigrant Emile Berliner patented a successful system of sound recording that used flat disks instead of cylinders. The first versions were made of glass. Talk about your broken records.

In 1895 – German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen, working in his lab in Wurzburg noticed a strange effect while studying vacuum tubes covered in black cardboard. He eventually saw his own skeleton and went on to publish a paper “ON a new kind of rays” that would end up being called X-Rays.

Like Tech History? Purchase Tom Merritt’s Chronology of Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

Tech News Today 624: Me.galomaniac

Hosts: Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

How Twitter won the election, Gabon not pleased with Kim Dotcom, making your living room mobile, and more.

Guest: Rich DeMuro

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Running time: 51:48

Tech History Today – Nov. 7

In 1960 – The JOSS (Johniac Open Shop System) conversational time-sharing service began on the Rand Corporation’s Johnniac computer. Time sharing reduced the time programmers had to wait after turning in their punch cards.

In 1994 – University of North Carolina student radio station WXYC began what is considered the world’s first Internet radio broadcast. DJ Michael Shoffner set it up. The simulcast continues today.

In 1996 – NASA launched the Mars global surveyor, humanities return to Mars after a 10-year absence. The mission discovered much about the Geology of the planet.

Like Tech History? Purchase Tom Merritt’s Chronology of Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

Tech News Today 623: A Political Science Experiment

Hosts: Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

Apple dumping Intel? Microsoft’s gaming tablet, Instagram discovers the Web, and more.

Guest: Fr. Robert Ballecer, SJ

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Running time: 52:14

Tech History Today – Nov. 6

In 1928 – The New York Times began flashing headlines outside its offices in Times Square using an electronic sign that wrapped around the 4th floor. And an icon was born.

In 1935 – Edwin Armstrong presented his paper “A Method of Reducing Disturbances in Radio Signaling by a System of Frequency Modulation” to the New York section of the Institute of Radio Engineers, braving the skepticism of AT&T’s John Renshaw Carson who wrote previously that FM radio had no particular advantages over AM.

In 1980 – Microsoft signed a contract with IBM to create an operating system for the new IBM PC. Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer had convinced the heritage tech company that they were not only talented enough to pull it off, but that they should be paid a royalty on the software.

Like Tech History? Purchase Tom Merritt’s Chronology of Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

Frame Rate 100: 100 Shows Suckers

Hosts: Brian Brushwood and Tom Merritt

Disney buys Lucasfilm, CBS heads to Hulu, Icahn takes more Netflix, Battlestar Galactica prequel, and more

Guest: Len Peralta

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Running time: 1:17:35

Tech News Today 622: Apple Sells Out and Sells Less

Hosts: Tom Merritt, Sarah Lane, Iyaz Akhtar and Jason Howell

Apple sells out and slips back, Twitter fights back against DMCA, Facebook accused of intentional sucking, and more.

Guest: Sascha Segan

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Running time: 50:40