July 3

Podcast Episode

Day in Tech History: July 3rd

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1886

Karl Benz drives the first automobile in the world in Mannheim, Germany, reaching a top speed of 10 mph.

1984

Atari employees are informed that all 8-bit projects have been canceled and that projects such as the Amiga are on hold.

1991

Jim Cannavino of IBM signs a technology sharing agreement with John Sculley of Apple Computers to integrate the Mac into IBM’s enterprise systems. The agreement will allow future RISC-based Macs to use IBM’s Power PC chip, to work together on common multimedia standards, and to co-operatively produce a new object-oriented operating system.

Shared technologies are in areas of the Power PC, multimedia standards, and an object-orientated operating system (OS).

1994

Microsoft releases Microsoft Office for NT 4.2. The office suite includes: Word 6.0 [32-bit, i386 and Alpha], Excel 5.0 [32-bit, i386 and Alpha], PowerPoint 4.0 [16-bit], and the “Microsoft Office Manager.”

1997

Next-Generation Online (NGO) reports that Sega has scrapped plans to ship its NetLink peripheral in Europe. Citing the European trade magazine, NGO states that United States distribution of the product has been disappointing.

1999

At the Funspot Family Fun Center in Weirs Beach, New Hampshire, Billy Mitchell plays a “perfect” game of the arcade version of Pac-Man over six hours, achieving the highest score that the game allows: 3,333,360. This can only be accomplished by eating every dot, fruit, and ghost in all 256 levels without dying. This new world record was witnessed and confirmed by Walter Day of Twin Galaxies books, publisher of the Official Video Game & Pinball Book of World Records, and a Funspot employee videotaped the entire six-hour session. Billy is a father of three and president of Rickey’s World Famous Sauces, a manufacturer of Louisiana hot sauces. He resides in Hollywood, Florida.

2000

AOL completes the acquisition of Mapquest. AOL announced the purchase on Dec 22, 1999.

2001

Apple Computer releases Mac OS X Server Update 10.0.4.

Apple Computer states that it will stop producing and marketing its Power Mac G4 Cube due to disappointing sales since its introduction in late July of 2000.

Infogames releases Atari Anniversary Edition for the personal computer (PC) and Sega Dreamcast in the US. The package includes the original arcade editions of Asteroids, Asteroids Deluxe, Battlezone, Centipede, Crystal Castles, Gravitar, Millipede, Missile Command, Pong, Super Breakout, Tempest, and Warlords. The package also includes an exclusive interview with Nolan Bushnell, founder of Atari, as well as images of Atari brochures and other collectibles. Price: US$19.99

2003

In Oakland, California, a pre-trial hearing is held in the patent dispute InterTrust v. Microsoft. The judge rules against Microsoft on all thirty-three disputed issues. InterTrust claims Microsoft infringed on patents related to the digital security technology in Windows XP, Office XP Suite, Windows Media Player, Xbox, .NET platform, and other software.

2006

Tokyo’s regional tax bureau orders Sony and Sony Computer Entertainment to pay 27.9 billion Yen (€191 million) in taxes after underreporting its games business income. Sony allegedly failed to report revenues earned from deals between SCE and its US arm between 1999 and 2004, as well as CD and DVD disk transactions with overseas subsidiaries between 2003 and 2004.

2009

McAffee causes some chaos as it wipes out core files to Windows after an update.

Purplera1n puts out the iPhone 3GS Jailbreak

2012

A lost interview with Steve Jobs surfaces. The video would go up on iTunes

Google announced they will be shutting down iGoogle, Google Video, Chatback, Google Mini and Symbian search