March 14, 1988: Rick Astley hits #1

Happy National Pi Day – The celebration of 3.14

1988 - It’s the song that found it’s rebirth and the term “Rick Rolled” became a urban saying. Of course, we are talking about Rick Astley and the song: Never Gonna Give You Up. It hit #1 on the charts. Of course, it’s internet fame has turned this into a whole new beast.

Wikazine – Full show notes for March 14

• Microsoft releases XBox in Europe
• NEC announces they will be getting into the computer market
• Apple releases the Power Macintosh computer

March 7, 1933: The First Monopoly Board

1933- Charles Darrow creates the game Monopoly, with designers Elizabeth Magie, Louis Thun, and Fred Thun. There were a few other board games before Monopoly, like “The Landlord game“, which Monopoly was loosely derived from. The board is based on Atlantic City and the playing pieces were models from items around Charles Darrow’s’ house. Parker Brothers would pick the game up in 1935 and turn it into a household name.Since then, multiple variations of the board game have been introduced. Everything from Star Wars Monopoly to Bratz Jr Monopoly game. The game has gone through many revisions, and some families have made “unofficial rules” – such as what happens when you land on Free Parking.

Wikazine – Full show notes for March 7

• Richard Wittman Jr. admits breaking into NASA
• Sony announces release of Linux development kit for Playstation 2
• Intel gives computers, internet to employees for free.

February 28, 1966: FCC creates Right to Privacy

During non-leap years, this Day in Tech History episode will be for the 28th and 29th.

1966 (Feb 28) – With all these ways to listen in on a conversation, the FCC has to make a ruling to protect the rights of US citizens. They create the Right to Privacy act which bands evesdropping or direct and indirect use of radio – controlled devices.

Wikazine – Full show notes for February 28

• M*A*S*H*  broadcasts the final episode
• PeopleSoft reorganizes

January 31, 1996: Corel buys WordPerfect

1996 - Corel not only gets WordPerfect form Novell, but also Quattro Pro for $180 million in stock and cash. Michael Cowpland (Founder of Corel) called WordPerfect the “Pepsi to Microsoft’s Coke”. I guess that was not the case as OpenOffice (RC maybe?) surpassed WordPerfect users.WordPerfect and Corel have been in flux since 2006, when Vector Capital purchased 72% of the company. Just this last year, they bought up the remaining stock and became privately held once again.

Wikazine – Full show notes for January 31

Related articles

• Mistrial in WordPerfect antitrust case against Microsoft (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• January 15: Ralph Baer Patents First Video Game (dayintechhistory.com)

Remote Access BBS

RemoteAccess BBS is a DOS Bulletin Board System. It’s software was written by Andrew Milner. RemoteAccess was released as shareware and did a crude version of Multitasking.

The final version of RA was released in 1996 (with a Y2K fix in 2000). At that time BBS were being switched to Internet protocol systems like online forums.

Wikazine – Full show notes for January 24

• IBM Selective Sequence Electronic Calculator (SSEC) a.k.a “the Poppa” is dedicated
• Microwave Oven is patented
• Gary McKinnon won right to judicial review
• Apple introduces a floppy drive for the Lisa computer

A-Team

1983 – In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn’t commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum-security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune.If you have a problem…

if no one else can help…

and if you can find them…

maybe you can hire…

The A- Team

NBC ran the A-Team from January 23, 1983 to March 8, 1987. The movie came out June 11, 2010.

Wikazine – Full show notes for January 23

• Sega and Bandai announce a merger
• Apple releases Macintosh Office
• The integrated circuit is conceived

Amazon.com

2011 – Jeff Bezos announces a new line of Kindle products including the Kindle Fire. This 10 inch tablet was Amazon’s rival to the iPad. It ran a version of Android that connected with Amazon store. The Fire would cost $199 and came with 30 days of Amazon Prime.

2008 – British Secret Service admitted they have been looking for the next agents. They mention that they have been looking far and wide for spies. That is why they went to Facebook. MI6 placed 3 ads on Facebook to look for people seeking career change.. ability to shake a good martini is preferred.

This Day in Tech History podcast show notes for September 28

• eDonkey shuts down
• IE overtakes Netscape as the #1 browser
• Bill Gates, Paul Allen, and Kay Nishi accept new IBM contract

Google+ (Google Plus) announced

2011 – Google announced a Beta version of their Social Network to rival Facebook – Google+ (Google Plus). It was invite-only beta, and those who got in experienced the G+ experience. Google introduced circles – where you can place your friends and family. Sparks was a hashtag-type service that was discontinued later in the year. The biggest part of Google+ is the hangout – ability to video chat with up to 9 others. Other options like instant upload let you organize and share quickly.

Full Day in Tech History podcast show notes for June 28

• 1999 – HydraBBS software was released
• Williamette – a.k.a. Pentium 4 – is announced
• AMD files antitrust suit against Intel
• Motorola introduces the 16 MHz 68020 processor

Atari

Happy Leap Day! We get to do this special episode once every four years, so here is your Leap Day in Tech History!

1996 – Atari moves it’s  offices from 1196 Borregas Avenue in Sunnyvale, CA to 455 South Mathilda Avenue in Sunnyvale,CA. The new location gives Atari 7,208 square feet. It was a Bank of America building, and still had the vault door. Jack Tramiel, Sam Tramiel, Leonard Tramiel, Garry Tramiel, Dave Schwartz, John Skruch, Donald A. Thomas, Jr., Scott Sanders, Max Fagan, and Gayle McKim occupied the offices.

Wikazine – Full show notes for February 29

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Related articles

• January 13: Jack Tramiel resigns from Commodore (dayintechhistory.com)
• Leap Day (homepaddock.wordpress.com)
• February 9: Atari – My First Computer Keyboard (dayintechhistory.com)