Tom Merritt's Blog, page 1194

Tech News Today 552: Fiber in the Hood

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

What’s wrong with Facebook? Apple buys Samsung’s security, the truth about Google Fiber, and more.

Guest: Leslie Horn

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Running time: 52:21

Tech News Today 551: Trouble in FarmVille

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

Gabe Newell calls Windows 8 a catastrophe, more Facebook phone fun, Roku getting a leg up, and more.

Guest: Stephen Shankland

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Submit and vote on story coverage at technewstoday.reddit.com.

We invite you to read, add to, and amend our show notes at wiki.twit.tv.

Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show.

Running time: 53:51

Tech History Today – July 27

In 1949 – The first jet-powered airliner, the de Havilland Comet, made its first flight. Previously jet engines had only been used to power small fighter aircraft.

In 1981, Microsoft bought the rights for QDOS (Quick and Dirty Operating System) from Seattle Computer Products for $25,000.

In 1993 – Microsoft released Windows NT 3.1, completing its attempt to build an advanced 32-bit operating system from scratch.

S & L Video – #8B – ‘Leviathan Wakes’ Wrap-up

It’s our end of month book club wrap-up. We tell you our thoughts on Leviathan Wakes by James S. A. Corey, look at what you were saying about it on Goodreads and announce our book pick for August!

Tech News Today 550: The Mountain Lion Wakes

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

OS X Mountain Lion releases, Nintendo’s loss is good news, Apple’s gain is bad news, and more.

Download or subscribe to this show at twit.tv/tnt.

Submit and vote on story coverage at technewstoday.reddit.com.

We invite you to read, add to, and amend our show notes at wiki.twit.tv.

Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show.

Running time: 44:53

Tech History Today – July 26

In 1996 – Microsoft releases Beta 2 of Internet Explorer 3.0, touting customization options like parental controls and the ability to handle shared applications and Web phone calls.

In 1989 – Cornell student Robert Tappan Morris became the first person indicted under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act after releasing a worm on the Internet. Morris claimed his worm was just measuring the size of the Internet.

In 2004 – Motorola announced that its next generation of cell phones would be iTunes-compatible. This first Apple phone, the Rokr, was not to meet with much success.

Triangulation 62: Limor Fried

Adafruit is best place online for learning electronics for all ages and skill levels.

Host: Leo Laporte

Guest: Limor Fried

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Running time: 52:08

Tech News Today 549: I Am the Master Unlocker

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

Patent wars heat up, YouTube wants your real name, why your hotel keycard is so hackable, and more.

Guest: Dana Wollman

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Submit and vote on story coverage at technewstoday.reddit.com.

We invite you to read, add to, and amend our show notes at wiki.twit.tv.

Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show.

Running time: 53:31

Tech History Today – July 25

1959 – Christopher Cockerell’s Hovercraft crossed the English Channel for the first time, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Frenchman Louis Bleriot’s historic first cross-Channel heavier-than-air flight.

In 1990 – Microsoft became the first software company to exceed $1 billion in sales in a single year, reporting revenues of $1.18 billion for fiscal year 1990.

In 2010 – Wikileaks published classified documents about the War in Afghanistan, one of the largest leaks in U.S. military history.

Tech History Today – July 24

1874 – Woodward and Evans Light filed a patent for Artificial light by means of Electricity with the Canadian Department of Agriculture. Woodward later sold the patent to Thomas Edison, who patented a different and more successful version of the incandescent lamp in the US..

In 1950 – The Bumper 8, made of a German V-2 missile lower stage and WAC-Corporal upper stage launched from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It was the first launch from what would become the Kennedy Space Center.

In 1969 – Apollo 11 arrived safely in the Pacific Ocean, ending the first manned mission to land on the Moon.