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Konrad Zuse finishes the Z3 Computer
The Z3, an early computer built by German engineer Konrad Zuse working in complete isolation from developments elsewhere, uses 2,300 relays, performs floating point binary arithmetic, and has 22-bit word length. -
Digital Phone Lines
Phone companies develop digital transmission for internal uses-specifically to put more calls on each of the main lines connecting their own switch centers. By 1958, this produces the T1 standard still used in North America. By the 1980s, phone companies will be leasing digital lines to commercial customers. -
Carterfone
Used by Texas oilmen, the Carterfone acoustically connects mobile radios to the telephone network. Telephone companies sue in 1966. The FCC supports Carter, freeing U.S. telephone lines for many uses including later answering machines, faxes, and modems. -
Apple introduces the Lisa Computer
Lisa is the first commercial personal computer with a graphical user interface (GUI). It was thus an important milestone in computing as soon Microsoft Windows and Apple Macintosh would soon adopt the GUI as their interface, making it the new paradigm for personal computing. The Lisa ran on Motorola 68000 microprocessor and came equipped with 1 MB of RAM, a 12-inch black-and-white monitor, dual 5.25-inch floppy disk drives, and a 5 MB "Profile" hard drive. -
Pixar is founded
Pixar was originally called the Special Effects Computer Group at Lucasfilm. The group created the computer-animated segments of films such as "Star Trek ll: The Wrath of Khan and Young Sherlock Holmes. In 1986, Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs paid 10 million dollars to Lucasfilm to purchase the Group and renamed it Pixar. Pixar made highly successful animated films. It was brought to Disney in 2006. -
BeBox is released
Be is founded by former Apple excutive Jean Louis Gassee and a number of former Apple, NeXT and SUN employees, releases their only product- the BeBox. The BeBox did not sell to well so the operating system, Be Os, retained a loyal following even after Be stopped producing hardware in 1977 after less than 2,000 machines were produced. The device was used for software development. -
WiFi Comes Home
In 1999, the growing IEEE 802.11b short-range radio networking standard is rebranded "Wi-Fi" by the Wi-Fi Alliance. This is the same year Apple releases its "Airport" Wi-Fi router and builds Wi-Fi connectively into new Macs. These and other consumer products help popularize cable-free connections at work, in cafes, and at home. -
The MacBook Air is released
Apple introduces their first ultra notebook-a light, thin laptop with a high-capacity battery. The Air incorporated many of the technologies that had been associated with Apple's MacBook line of laptops, including an integrated camera, and Wi-Fi capabilities. -
The Apple iPad is released
The iPad combines many of the popular capabilities of the iPhone, such as a built-in high-definition camera, access to the iTunes Store, and audio-video capabilities, but with a nine-inch screen and without the phone. Apps, games, and accessories helped spur the popularity of the iPad and led to its adoption in thousands of different applications from movie making, creating art, making music, inventory control, and point-of-sale systems, to name but a few. -
Apple Watch
Building a computer into the watch form factor has been attempted many times but the release of the Apple Watch leads to a new level of excitement. Incorporating a version of Apple's iOS operating system as well as sensors for environmental and health monitoring, the Apple Watch was designed to be incorporated into the Apple environment with compatibility with iPhones and Mac Books. Almost a million units were ordered on the day of release.