1983 – Osborne Computer declared bankruptcy in Oakland, CA, federal bankruptcy court, listing assets of $40 million, liabilities of $45 million, and 600 creditors. Two years earlier, Osborne produced the first portable computer, the 24-pound Osborne I. In 1985 – Nintendo released Super Mario Brothers in Japan. It became the best selling video game...

In 1962 – US President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech at the stadium of Rice University, declaring “We choose to go to the moon.” Many consider the speech the beginning of the space race. In 1985 – Steve Jobs announced to the Apple board that he would resign. Jobs said, “I’ve been thinking...

In 1928 – Radio station WGY of General Electric made the first TV-radio simulcast in Schenectady, New York. A play called “The Queen’s Messenger” had audio broadcast over radio with the picture in sync over television at same time,. In 1985 – ISEE-3, renamed the International Cometary Explorer (ICE) flew through the gas tail...

1990 – Peter Deutsch posted to comp.archives about the Internet Archive Server called “Archie” that he, Alan Emtage, and Bill Heelan had put together. It is often considered the Internet’s first search engine. In 1991 – Paul Lindner posted to comp.unix.misc introducing “The Internet Gopher” a distributed information service. Before the World Wide Web,...

1940 – At McNutt Hall at Dartmouth College, George Stibitz demonstrated the first remote operation of a computer. He connected to his Complex Number Generator at Bell labs by telephone using 28-wire teletype cable. In 1947 – While troubleshooting the Harvard University Mark II Aiken Relay Calculator, operators found a moth trapped between the...

In 1930 – The first roll of waterproof, transparent, pressure-sensitive tape was sold. Its brand name “Scotch” has become synonymous with cellophane tape. In 1966 – The TV show Star Trek made its network television debut with the episode “The Man Trap”. Star Trek would have a profound influence on future technology thought and...