On this day 14 years ago, Microsoft unveiled its failed Kin phones
Microsoft's Kin ONE and TWO were unique devices. But they ended up biting the dust due to terrible pricing and abysmal app support
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On this day in 2001, Mac OS X debuted as Apple's operating system of the future
The newest versions of macOS can still be traced back to the first version of Mac OS X, which was released 23 years ago on this day.
It's 2024, and the operating system wars are all but over. Windows dominates the global desktop OS market share, with macOS coming in at a distant second, bringing along a few key advantages. There's Linux, too, which is still gaining market share marginally even today. But it wasn't always this way. In the late 1990s and early 2000s, companies like Apple, Microsoft, and others were competing to create the desktop operating system of the future. And Apple was falling behind, at least until it launched its game-changing Mac OS X on this day 23 years ago.
IBM's PC XT launched on this day 41 years ago, packing a whopping 10-megabyte HDD
IBM's PC-XT was a follow-up to the original IBM PC, and it came with a pretty big HDD for the time.
On this day 41 years ago, the IBM PC-XT was introduced. It was a pivotal moment in the evolution of personal computing, with the launch signifying a shift towards the prolific role of computers in both professional and personal settings. IBM unveiled the PC-XT as an upgrade to the original IBM PC way back in 1983, bringing significant advancements to the industry. Its most notable feature was its built-in HDD, with a storage capacity of a whopping 10 MB. While laughable by today's storage standards, at the time, it was a considerable improvement that moved users away from the cumbersome use of floppy disks.
12 years ago today, the Raspberry Pi made SBCs more accessible to everyone
The affordable Raspberry Pi inspired throngs of users to pick up coding and build their own projects
Single-board computers (SBCs) have been around since the early days of computing, with Intel’s 8-bit C8080A being one of the first. While they weren’t meant to replace high-powered PCs, these miniature systems were extensively used in embedded systems.
34 years ago today, Adobe changed the way we edit photos with Photoshop
And the app became so popular that people began using the word "Photoshop" as a verb for retouching images
Image editing tools have been a staple of the computing world since the early 90s, and their popularity can be traced back to Adobe Photoshop. First released as a third-party app for the original Mac OS, the tool made it easy for untrained users to manipulate and edit digital images.
On this day 40 years ago, the IBM Portable Computer was introduced
The IBM Portable Computer was introduced on this day 40 years ago, and it packed some pretty good specifications for the time.
IBM was once a powerhouse in personal computing, and that was partially solidified by the launch of the IBM Portable Personal Computer 5155. Released on this day in February 1984, this computer was roughly the size of a suitcase and weighed in at 30 pounds, or 13.6 kg. It cost $4,225, which at the time of writing, would cost a rather hefty $12,390.
On this day 19 years ago, Google Maps was launched
Google Maps may not have been the first of its kind, but it was a game-changer that has shaped the way we use digital maps for navigation
Map-based navigation applications are indispensable tools in this day and age. From giving out simple directions to displaying real-time traffic information, these apps are necessary utilities for modern-day smartphones.
On this day 14 years ago, Steve Jobs unveiled the first-gen iPad
And the iPad single-handedly brought tablets to the forefront of the tech industry
Whether you love or hate Apple products, their influence on modern technology can't be understated. The earliest Macintosh systems, despite being commercial failures, popularized the concept of GUI. In a similar vein, the iPhone was a game-changer with its sleek design, intuitive interface, and solid app catalog.
40 years ago, Apple changed the way we use computers with the Macintosh
Apple showed us why 1984 wouldn't be like 1984
Chances are, the device you're reading this article on takes cues in some way from Apple's original Macintosh, which was released 40 years ago today. Before the Macintosh debuted on January 24, 1984, most computing devices still used text inputs rather than graphical user interfaces. The computer mouse, ubiquitous today and has inspired other pointing methods such as trackpads and touchscreens, wasn't popular either. These mainstays of modern computing weren't popularized until Apple released the Macintosh four decades ago.
On this day 28 years ago, Java 1 was released
Java has since gone on to be one of the most widespread programming languages in the world
If you've ever used a computer or mobile phone or played games like Minecraft, you've probably interacted with Java without knowing it. It's a powerful programming language that allows developers to write a program once and then run it anywhere. On this day, 28 years ago, the JDK was first released in the form of Java 1 after being released in an alpha state in May 1995 at Sun Microsystems.
On this day 41 years ago, Apple released the Lisa computer for $10,000
Celebrating the 41 years since Apple's groundbreaking release of the Lisa computer, a technological milestone that helped revolutionize modern PCs
On this day in 1983, Apple made history when it released the Lisa computer. The Lisa was a groundbreaking machine that revolutionized how people used personal computers at the time. Being the first commercial computer to use a graphical user interface (GUI), it was also the first Apple computer to use a peripheral, in the form of a one-button mouse, and an internal storage device with a whopping 10 MB of space.
19 years ago today, the iPod Shuffle became one of the smallest portable music players
On this day in 2005, Apple introduced its most portable music player ever
Once upon a time, Apple used to put out creative products that impacted many industries. That's changed over the past decade. So, while the iPhone 15 Pro Max is undoubtedly a solid phone, it isn't as groundbreaking as some of the devices Apple launched in the 2000s. A prominent example is the iPod Shuffle, which was announced on this day 19 years ago. At the time, it was one of the tiniest portable music players on the market, and it truly revolutionized how people consumed digital music, much like the first iPod did.
On this day 17 years ago, Apple started shipping the first-ever Intel Macs
The transition from Intel is still fresh, but on this day in 2006, Apple was just beginning the Intel era with two new iMacs.
Apple made a huge breakthrough when it switched to Apple Silicon a few years ago, and Intel is just starting to catch up. But on this day 17 years ago, Apple saw Intel as the chipmaker to lead the Mac to new heights. Apple announced new 17-inch and 20-inch iMacs with Intel processors on Jan. 10, 2006, and started shipping the new Macs that same day. It was just the start of a successful transition from PowerPC to Intel that ended up creating a 15-year partnership between Apple and Intel.
iTunes just turned 23 years old, and it could be its last birthday
On this day in 2001, Apple debuted its famous media player
On Jan. 9, 2001, the great iPhone maker debuted what would become arguably the world's most popular digital media app. iTunes has had a long history and has risen and fallen quite a bit during its 23 years of existence. What was once praised for revolutionizing how people consume music has become synonymous with bloatware, and if recent moves are any indication, it's on its way out. So, to celebrate its birthday, we will be taking a look back at iTunes' history, along with its uncertain but inevitable future.
On this day 40 years ago, Hitachi announced the first 1Mb memory chip
Hitachi released the first 1Mb memory chip 40 years ago today, and it was a massively important launch.
Memory is important for almost any modern-day device, but back in the day, computers measured their memory in bytes and kilobytes, not megabytes and certainly not gigabytes. Japan had cemented its supremacy in memory chips in the 80s with its 64K memory chips, capable of storing roughly 8KB of memory total. Later, Japan again went ahead with its 256K DRAMs, a technology we still use today, capable of holding roughly 32KB. However, in 1984, Hitachi went further, announcing on Jan. 6 that it had created the world's first 1Mb memory chip, which measures out to roughly 128KB today.
On this day 30 years ago, Windows 3.11 released
Windows 3.11 was a minor upgrade in many ways, but it made the internet more accessible than ever.
Windows 11 may be a beautiful, modern operating system, but the road to get to where we are today has been a long one, with many releases throughout the 40 years of Windows' lifetime. And 30 years ago today, one such milestone took place with the release of Windows 3.11, an update to Windows 3.1 that brought users a little closer to the internet, and thus closer to the modern era.
On this day in 1994, Netscape Navigator 1.0 started the web we know today
Netscape Navigator was the world's first web browser developed for commercial purposes, and it dominated the market until Internet Explorer came out.
Nowadays, the browser wars are primarily dominated by Google's Chrome, with most alternatives being based on the same Chromium engine (barring Mozilla Firefox and Apple's Safari). But 29 years ago, the internet was just starting to become a thing, and leading the charge was a browser called Netscape Navigator. Netscape Navigator 1.0 launched on December 15th, 1994, and it quickly became the most popular browser in the world.
On this day over 200 years ago the first programmer, Ada Lovelace, was born
Ada Lovelace is commonly referred to as the first programmer, and her influence is immeasurable
When we use computers, they're more than just number-crunching devices, but that's all they used to be known for when they were first conceived. Ada Lovelace changed all of that. She's considered to be one of the world's first programmers because she was the first to see that the Analytical Engine, a proposed mechanical general-purpose computer by Charles Babbage, could be used for applications that went beyond number crunching.
36 years ago, Windows 2.0 brought us closer to the version we know today
The initial release of Windows wasn't all that well received, but Windows 2.0 delivered some much-needed refinement
Windows wasn't always the powerhouse we know today, and the initial release wasn't exactly well-received due to plenty of bugs and issues. But Microsoft came back around two years later with Windows 2.0, and this release was a big step forward, delivering more stability and refinements, as well as some brand-new capabilities.
On this day over 100 years ago, one of the most important pieces of tech ever was invented
And you might not have even heard about it
When you think of the invention of semiconductors, influential products like the Intel 4004 come to mind. However, the groundwork for a lot of modern technology was set over multiple centuries, and it came from some of the most unexpected places. Today, we're going to talk about the vacuum tube, arguably one of the most important inventions leading up to the modern semiconductor. Sir John Ambrose Fleming is said to have invented the vacuum tube diode in 1904, and all advanced computer technology has been built on that fundamental breakthrough. Don't believe us? The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) even said that the vacuum tube is "one of the most important developments in the history of electronics."
On this day, the Intel 4004, the world's first commercially produced microprocessor, was launched
The Intel 4004 was released on this day 52 years ago, and it was an incredibly important chip with an interesting history.
On Nov. 15, 1971, the Intel 4004 CPU was released. It was the first commercially produced microprocessor and the first-ever CPU for Intel, which later went on to become a domineering force in the PC industry. It all started thanks to Nippon Calculating Machine Corp. asking Intel to produce 12 custom chips for the Busicom 141-PF printing calculator. Intel's engineers went on to recommend a family of just four chips instead, but one that could be used for a variety of products. These four chips were known as the MCS-4 (Micro Computer System, 4-bit), laying the groundwork for Intel to succeed as one of the most influential companies in modern electronics.
