1988
The comic strip Fox Trot by Bill Amend debuts.
1989
Intel introduces the 25MHz 80486 microprocessor. The processor features the equivalent of about 1.2 million transistors, integrating the 80386 processor, a 80387 math coprocessor, and an 8KB primary cache. Price: US$900
Intel introduces the 33MHz version of the 80386DX microprocessor and 80387 math co-processor.
1991
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publicly announces the investigation of Nintendo on charges of price-fixing is made public. Nintendo has signed a consent decree in which the company agrees to not fix prices in the future or penalize retailers who sell Nintendo merchandise below suggested retail prices. Nintendo also agrees to refund five dollars in the form or a coupon to consumers who purchased a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) between June 1, 1988 and December 30, 1990. Visit the official FTC website. Visit the official Nintendo website.
1995
The world’s first national DNA database, the National DNA Database (NDNAD), is launched in the UK. Police are authorized to retain DNA samples of those arrested using mouth swabs or hair samples. In just ten years, over three million profiles will be collected. Read more at Gene-Watch.
1997
In the Thursday, April 10, issue of the journal Nature scientists at Sandia National Laboratories and France Telecom announce that they have developed a prototype protonic memory chip that retain data even after power has been shut down. Visit the official Nature website.
Wizards of the Coast announced the acquisition of all of the assets of TSR, including Dungeons & Dragons and the remaining major gaming convention, GenCon.
1998
Global Village announces an agreement to sell its modem business to Boca Research for US$10 million in cash and notes.
1999
Bleem begins shipping. BLEEM! was a PlayStation emulator for personal computers and eventually shut down by Sony.
2001
Internet radio stations across the web temporarily suspend of service due to royalty disputes. Many of the services are real-world radio station which have begin to stream their broadcasts online.
2002
Version 2.2.1 of the Python programming language is released. Visit the official Python website.
2003
Sony sells the first Blu-Ray DVD (Blue-Laser DVD) recorder, the BDZ-S77, more than a year after the initial announcement of the Blu-ray optical disc format. The disks have a storage capacity of nearly twenty-three gigabytes of data through the use of blue lasers which have a narrower wavelength than the conventional red laser DVDs, which yield a maximum capacity of approximately 4.7 gigabytes per layer per side. Visit the official Blue-ray format website.
2006
Disney says it will begin offering downloads of its television shows from its website abc.com, for a two month trial period.
2009
Hotmail suffers a 2 hour email outtage.
Niklas Zennstrom and Janus Friis anounce they would like to buy Skype back from eBay. They offered 2 billion, although they sold the company for $2.6 billion.
2012
Facebook announced they had purchased Instagram for $1 billion. Days before a Facebook version of the Instagram app was to be released.
2013
ICANN announced they will allow chinese top-level domains with Chinese symbols starting later in 2013
Facebook acquired osmeta, a company co-founded by Google/IBM Amit Singh and Mark Smith.
2014
France officially bans all work emails after 6 PM. this is an amendment to the 1999 work agreement and 35 hour work week.