1975 – The Homebrew Computer Club, held its first meeting in the garage of Gordon French in Menlo Park, California. 32 people showed up for the first meeting. John Draper, Steve Wozniak and Steve Jobs were some of the more famous members of the club.
http://www.digibarn.com/collections/newsletters/homebrew/?
1981 – The ZX81 was launched by Sinclair Research in Britain for £69.95 and would go on to sell over 1.5 million units around the world. It was much more successful than it’s predecessor the ZX80.
http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/det/5447/Sinclair-ZX81-Lanuched?
1982 – Four days after it’s twin, the second of two Soviet probes to Venus, the Venera 14 landed on the planet. Venera 13 and 14 would continue to send data until 1983.
http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/missions/venera1314.html?
Read Tom’s science fiction and other fiction books at Merritt’s Books site.
In this episode, we discuss:
Light Phone, last year’s crowdfunded phone, is getting a sequel including a bunch of new features. Plus Toyota sets up a new venture to develop automated-driving software, and Angry Birds developer Rovio is shutting its London studio after disappointing Q4 earnings.
Instagram may launch voice and video calling, Microsoft launches free app for the blind and visual impaired, Equifax says 2017 breach will cost the company $275M this year. 
Has the mobile phone market reached full saturation? A dedicated Ghanian teacher’s efforts to teach how computers work without using a computer has won global applause, and America’s mobile wireless companies join forces to create a new multi-factor authentication standard.
Uber launches Uber Health, Nintendo is not updating Switch hardware, Best Buy shuttering mobile stores.