1991
Tim Berners-Lee introduces WorldWideWeb, the first web browser and WYSIWYG HTML editor. See a screenshot at the World Wide Web Consortium’s website.
1996
Silicon Graphics Inc. acquires Cray Research for US$767 million, becoming the leading supplier of high-speed computing machines in the US. Read more about the history of Cray super computers.
1997
3Com announces that it will acquire US Robotics, the world’s largest maker of consumer modems for US$6.6 billion in stock. Visit the official 3Com website.
1998
Sony releases PlayStation memory cards in black, candy orange, cherry red, crystal, emerald, gray, island blue, and lemon yellow.
1999
Intel introduces the Pentium III processor, which operates at 450 or 500MHz and features 9.5 million transistors, a 100MHz bus, and a 64-bit bus. The processor is based on a 0.25 micron process, and it introduces seventy new Streaming SIMD Extensions (SSE). Code-name: Katmai
2002
AMD demonstrates the next-generation 64-bit processor, codenamed Hammer. Read more about Hammer architecture at Extreme Tech.
2003
After a three-and-a half-week jury trial, Oleg Zezev, a Kazakhstan citizen, is convicted in a Manhattan federal court on one count of attempted extortion, one count of sending extortionate threats, one count of conspiracy to commit extortion, and one count of computer intrusion. Zezev, also known as Alex, hacked into Bloomberg L.P. computer systems in order to steal confidential information and then attempted to extort two hundred thousand dollars from Bloomberg by threatening to disclose the confidential information to Bloomberg’s customers and the media. Zezev was the chief information technology officer at Kazkommerts Securities in Almaty, Kazakhstan. In the Spring of 1999, Bloomberg provided database services to Kazcommerts. As a result, Kazcommerts was provided with Bloomberg’s software needed to gain access to Bloomberg’s services over the Internet. In March 2000, Zezev manipulated Bloomberg’s software to bypass Bloomberg’s security system in order to gain unauthorized access to Bloomberg’s computer system so that he could pose as different legitimate customers and employees. On eleven separate occasions during March 2000, Zezev illegally entered Bloomberg’s system and accessed various accounts, including Michael Bloomberg’s personal account. He then sent Michael Bloomberg an e-mail from Kazakhstan using the alias Alex with screenshots and an attachment to the e-mail stating that he had all possibilities. I can log under the name of any Bloomberg user including Super Users such as yourself. He then asked for payment and threatened, There a lot (sic) of clever but mean heads in the world who will use their chance to destroy your system to the detriment of your worldwide reputation. The letter ended with Your security and reputation are in your hands.
2004
John Zuccarini, age 53, is sentenced to thirty months in prison on charges of using over three thousand misleading internet domain names, such as BobTheBiulder.com, DinseyLand.com, and Teltubbies.com, which played upon misspellings and variations of legitimate domains in order to lure minors to pornographic websites. Zuccarini allegedly made one million dollar in advertising revenue with the scheme. Read more at the website of the US Department of Justice.
Nicholas Jensen, a freshmen at Iowa State University, is arrested and charged with electronic and mechanical eavesdropping, unauthorized computer access, and harassment after Jensen hacked into his former roommate’s email account, altered a messages his roommate had sent to a pastor regarding his desire to join the clergy to read as though it were a confession that he were a homosexual, and then sending the message to forty-five people on his roommate’s contact list, including friends and family members. These messages were sent both from his ex-roommate’s Hotmail and university accounts.
2008
European Union regulators may fine Microsoft Corp. for failing to comply with a 2004 antitrust order to charge reasonable fees for patent licenses on operating system software, three people familiar with the matter said. The fine may be announced as soon as February 27, said the people, who declined to be identified because the decision isn’t public. Microsoft said in a January 24 U.S. regulatory filing that the penalty may be as much as 1.5 billion euros ($2.2 billion).
Yahoo launches Buzz
Apple releases iPhone software version 1.1.4
Rep. Ed Markey announced he is preparing legislation that would impose a slew of new obligations on wireless carriers, including forcing them to sell unsubsidized phones without long-term contracts.
2009
Carol Bartz begins the cleanup of Yahoo by handing out pink slips. Carol sends out an announcement to the group.
Cisco also lays off 250 jobs in their restructuring efforts.
A man watched the Chicago Bears from his laptop on a Cruise Ship. Because of this, AT&T charged him $27,000 for the 3 hour game.