Tom Merritt's Blog, page 1206

Tech History Today – Mar. 10

In 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell spoke the immortal words "Mr. Watson, come here. I want you." over the a telephone in his Boston laboratory, summoning his assistant from the next room. It is widely considered the first instance of someone using technology when they bloody well could have just got up and spoke to someone in person. It is also widely considered the first phone call.

In 1891 – Almon B. Strowger was issued a U.S. patent for his electromechanical switch to automate a telephone exchange. Strowger wasn't the first to think of of automatic switching but he was the first to make a practical switch.

In 2000 -The Nasdaq hit 5,048.62, the highest point of the dot-com boom. The bust began the next day.

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Published on March 09, 2012 20:07

Tech News Today 453: Holey Optochip!

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

Chrome pwned and made more secure, PC sales falling and/or rising, Apple ditches Google Maps, and more.

Guests: Rich DeMuro

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: 42:10

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Published on March 09, 2012 13:23

Tech History Today – Mar. 9

In 1948 – The University of California at Berkeley and the Atomic Energy Commission announced the artificial production of mesons using the 184-inch cyclotron at the university's Radiation Laboratory.

In 1961 – Sputnik 9 successfully launched, carrying a human dummy and and the dog Chernushka. It completed 1 orbit and was successfully recovered upon return.

In 2011 – Space Shuttle Discovery on Mission STS-133 made its final landing after 39 flights.

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Published on March 08, 2012 20:19

Tech News Today 452: Tweet Me A Beer

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

Intel pumps up cheap ultrabooks, the new iPad, Netflix partners with cable companies, and more.

Guests: Joanna Stern

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: 43:35

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Published on March 08, 2012 04:23

Triangulation 43: Scott E. Jordan

Scott E. Jordan co-founder and CEO of SCOTTEVEST Inc, talks about the TV show Shark Tank, SCOTTEVEST apparel, electronic clothing patients, and more.

Hosts: Leo Laporte and Tom Merritt

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

We invite you to read, add to, and amend our show notes.

Thanks to Cachefly for the bandwidth for this show.

Running time: 52:30

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Published on March 08, 2012 02:16

Tech History Today – Mar. 8

In 1955 – Doug Ross demonstrated the Director tape for MIT's Whirlwind machine, the first digital computer with real-time text and graphics. The idea of the Director Tape was to allow multiple problems to be read by the computer in one session without humans having to intervene and change tapes. IN other words an operating system.

In 1978 – The first radio episode of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams, is transmitted on BBC Radio 4. Some credit Adams with accidentally predicting the PDA and smartphone.

In 1979 – Philips publicly demonstrated a prototype of an optical digital audio disc at a press conference called "Philips Introduces Compact Disc"

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Published on March 07, 2012 20:16

Tech History Today – Mar. 7

In 1876 – Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for an "Improvement in Telegraphy" (No.174,465) which established the principle of bidirectional signals that made the telephone possible.

In 1926 – The first successful Transatlantic telephone call was placed between New York City and London. Transatlantic service began the following year at $75 a minute.

In 1994 – The Supreme Court found that 2 Live Crew's parody of Roy Orbison's "Oh Pretty Woman" was fair use, and not a violation of copyright, thus ensuring the future of The Onion.

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Published on March 06, 2012 20:46