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The Super Fight
January 20, 1970 “The Super Fight“, a computerized, fictional boxing match between Muhammad Ali and Rocky Marciano “took place” today. The fictional fight was created by filming Ali and Marciano acting out every possible scenario in a fight and the result was then determined using probability formulas entered into a computer. The final fight was…
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Don’t Call a Lemming a Lemming
January 20, 1985 Apple airs their infamous Lemmings commercial during Super Bowl XIX to launch their ill-fated “Macintosh Office” software. The ad was widely considered a failure because the commercial seemingly insulted its intended audience. Perhaps Microsoft should study their tech history before airing any more Windows Phone commercials? Don’t Call a Lemming a Lemming…
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Neon Lighting Tube Patented
January 19, 1915 The neon-lighting tube was patented by Frenchman Georges Claude. In 1923, Georges Claude and his French company Claude Neon, introduced neon gas signs to the United States, by selling two to a Packard car dealership in Los Angeles for $ 1,250 apiece. Neon lighting quickly became a popular fixture in outdoor advertising. Neon Lighting Tube…
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Apple Lisa Introduced
January 19, 1983 The Apple Lisa, the first commercial personal computer to have a graphical user interface and a computer mouse, is announced. At a cost of $ 9,995, the Lisa ended up being a commercial failure for Apple, but many of the technologies developed for the Lisa made its way into the Macintosh computer.…
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IBM Loses $5 Billion
January 19, 1993 IBM announces a nearly $ 5 billion loss for fiscal year 1992. Several years of losses in the early 1990’s were the result of sweeping changes to the computer industry in the 1980’s that IBM was slow to recognize. Ironically, the biggest catalyst to this change was the rise of the personal…
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First Plane Landing on a Ship
January 18, 1911 Eugene B. Ely lands on the deck of the USS Pennsylvania stationed in San Francisco harbor, the first time an aircraft landed on a ship. First Plane Landing on a Ship is original content of This Day in Tech History. This Day in Tech History Tech History provided by This Day in…
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Yahoo.com Registered
January 18, 1995 The domain name yahoo.com is registered. Previously, the web site was called “David and Jerry’s Guide to the World Wide Web”. I think they chose wisely. Yahoo.com Registered is original content of This Day in Tech History. This Day in Tech History Tech History provided by This Day in Tech History.com
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Supreme Court Rules on Home VCR Recordings
January 17, 1984 The US Supreme Court rules 5-4 that private use of home VCRs to tape TV programs for later viewing does not violate federal copyright laws. This ruling opens the floodgate for VCR sales, changing the landscape of TV watching forever. Supreme Court Rules on Home VCR Recordings is original content of This…
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Computer is Used in the Discovery of New Planets
January 17, 1996 Paul Butler and Geoffrey Marcy announced to the American Astronomical Society that they had discovered two new planets using an unconventional computer technique to analyze the movement of stars. Since that time, thanks in part to their use of computer technology, Butler and Marcy have become known as “the world’s most successful…
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Soyuz 4 & 5 Make History
January 16, 1969 Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 4 and Soyuz 5 perform the first-ever docking of manned spacecraft in orbit, the first-ever transfer of crew from one space vehicle to another, and the only time such a transfer was accomplished with a space walk. Soyuz 4 & 5 Make History is original content of This Day…