2015 – Page 2 – Tom Merritt .com

Today in Tech History – December 26, 2015

Today in Tech History/ Writing / December 26th, 2015

In 1791 – At 44 Crosby Row, Walworth Road, London, England, (we think), Betsy and Benjamin welcomed their son Charles Babbage into the world. He would grow up to make a difference– engine.

In 1933 – Edwin Armstrong received a patent for his method of eliminating static in a radio broadcast using frequency modulation. He would license out the technology but many companies would embrace FM radio without his permission and he spent much of his later life battling in court.

In 1982 – Time’s January 3rd issue arrived on newsstands with the computer on the cover as Machine of the Year. It was the first non-human to gain the honor since the Man of the Year concept started in 1927 with Charles Lindbergh.

Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

Today in Tech History – December 25, 2015

Today in Tech History/ Writing / December 25th, 2015

In 1741- In Uppsala, Sweden, Anders Celsius first used a Delisle thermometer he had marked up with 100 gradations between boiling and freezing. It was the first use of the centigrade scale of temperature.

In 1959 – Sony announced its first television set, the transistor-based TV-301. It would go on sale in Japan the following May.

In 1990 – Tim Berners-Lee with help from CERN computer scientist Robert Cailliau and others— set up the first successful communication between a Web browser and server via the Internet.

Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

Today in Tech History – December 24, 2015

Today in Tech History / December 24th, 2015

In 1955 – As NORAD tells the story, a misprinted phone number caused Continental Air Defense Command, CONAD to start getting calls from children for Santa Claus, so Director of Operations Colonel Harry Shoup, had his staff check the radar for signs of St. Nick. NORAD was created in 1958 and they’ve kept up the tracking tradition ever since.

In 1955 – The Associated Press syndicated a story that Santa Claus was being guaranteed safe passage into the United States. The story reported that, “CONAD, Army, Navy and Marine Air Forces will continue to track and guard Santa and his sleigh on his trip to and from the US.”

In 1968 – The crew of Apollo 8 delivered a live, televised Christmas Eve broadcast after becoming the first humans to orbit another space body.

In 1999 – The very seasonal HTML 4.01 was published by the World Wide Web Consortium. HTML 4.01 remained the HTML standard for well over a decade.

In 2014 – Sony released its film “The Interview” online through Google and Microsoft as well as in limited theaters. The film’s release had been canceled after threats were issued and major theater chains declined to show it.

Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

DTNS 2653 – Best of 2015

Daily Tech News Show / December 24th, 2015

The best moments from the Daily Tech News Show 2015.

MP3

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A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes
To read the show notes in a separate page click here!

Today in Tech History – December 23, 2015

Today in Tech History / December 23rd, 2015

In 1947 – John Bardeen and Walter Brattain demonstrated their new discovery, the transistor, at Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey. William Shockley, who contributed to the invention, missed the presentation.

In 1968 – Apollo 8 astronauts Frank Borman, James A. Lovell, Jr., and William A. Anders made the lunar-orbit-insertion maneuver on their way to becoming the first humans to orbit the Moon.

In 1986 – Dick Rutan and Jeana Yeager touched down at Edwards Air Force Base in the experimental airplane Voyager, completing the first non-stop, round- the- world flight without refueling.

Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

DTNS 2652 – All Your Picks!

Daily Tech News Show / December 23rd, 2015

Tom empties out the Picks email box to end the year with a load of great listener suggestions.

MP3

Using a Screen Reader? Click here

<!–Multiple versions (ogg, video etc.) from Archive.org.–>

Please SUBSCRIBE HERE.

A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes
To read the show notes in a separate page click here!

#239 – King Arthur Is A Mary Sue

Shows/ Sword and Laser / December 22nd, 2015

We wrap up our thoughts about Arrows of the Queen by Mercedes Lackey. And we discuss why calling a character a “Mary Sue” has become meaningless and impedes constructive conversation.

DTNS 2651 – The Hosts Awaken

Daily Tech News Show / December 22nd, 2015

Wired has a theory on the Juniper backdoor and Yahoo says Google and Ford will team up on cars. Tom Merritt and Patrick Beja discuss that and much more.

MP3

Using a Screen Reader? Click here

Multiple versions (ogg, video etc.) from Archive.org.

Please SUBSCRIBE HERE.

A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes
To read the show notes in a separate page click here!

Today in Tech History – December 22, 2015

Today in Tech History / December 22nd, 2015

In 1666 – Seven mathematicians and seven physicists gathered by Jean-Baptiste Colbert met in the king’s library to found the French Academy of Sciences.

In 1882 – Edward H. Johnson of the Edison Illumination Company strung a single power cord with red white and blue lights on his Christmas tree becoming the first person to use Christmas tree lights.

In 1885 – A patent for a gravity switchback railway was issued to La Marcus Thompson of Coney Island, New York. You and I might call it a “roller coaster.”

In 1968 – At 3:01 PM Eastern time, Apollo 8 transmitted the first US. live telecast from a manned spacecraft in outer space.

Like Tech History? Get the illustrated Year in Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.

DTNS 2650 – Legally Binding Mug

Daily Tech News Show / December 21st, 2015

Wanted to see a convincing hacker movie? Jon Schiefer made Algorithm for just that reason. Veronica Belmont and Tom Merritt talk to him about his movie, hacker portrayals on TV and film, and using the Internet to distribute a movie.

MP3

Using a Screen Reader? Click here

Multiple versions (ogg, video etc.) from Archive.org.

Please SUBSCRIBE HERE.

A special thanks to all our supporters–without you, none of this would be possible.

If you are willing to support the show or give as little as 5 cents a day on Patreon. Thank you!

Big thanks to Dan Lueders for the headlines music and Martin Bell for the opening theme!

Big thanks to Mustafa A. from thepolarcat.com for the logo!

Thanks to our mods, Kylde, TomGehrke, sebgonz and scottierowland on the subreddit

Show Notes
To read the show notes in a separate page click here!