1973
The IBM Data Processing Division (DPD) introduces the IBM 3740 data entry system and the IBM Diskette.
1982
Microsoft enters into an agreement with Apple Computer, for Microsoft to develop an office suite for the Macintosh with the restriction that Microsoft won’t release similar software until January 1, 1984. The software will include a BASIC interpreter, and the agreement will lead to the development of Multiplan.
1984
Apple Computer launches the Macintosh, the first successful mouse-driven computer with a graphic user interface, with a single commercial during SuperBowl XVIII.
Apple’s sixty-second commercial, 1984, is an allusion to George Orwell’s novel of the same title, in which Big Brother, a veiled reference to IBM, is destroyed by a single individual, a reference to Macintosh. Apple only runs the ad once, but dozens of news and talk shows replay it, making it one of the most famous campaigns in television history. The ad cost US$400,000 to produce, and the air time cost US$800,000.
Applied Computer Techniques (ACT) of Great Britain introduces the Apricot computer in the US.
1992
Steve Jobs introduces NeXTstep 3.0, a version of NeXTstep that will run on an Intel 486 along with MS-DOS. All NeXT operating systems will eventually be made compatible with Intel x86 architecture.
1996
Microsoft releases Internet Explorer for the Macintosh.
1997
Microsoft settles its browser royalty dispute with Spyglass by agreeing to a one-time payment of about eight million dollars. The settle comes after Microsoft licensed the Mosaic web browser from Spyglass in 1995 as the basis of Internet Explorer 1.0 (IE), which was released as an add-on for Windows 95 in Microsoft Plus!. The agreement stipulated that Spyglass would receive a base quarterly fee for the Mosaic license plus a royalty from Microsoft’s Internet Explorer revenue. When Microsoft bundled Internet Explorer with its Windows operating system, thus earning no direct revenue for IE, they began paying only the minimum quarterly fee. In 1997, Spyglass threatened Microsoft with a contractual audit, in response to which Microsoft sought a settlement.
1998
Microsoft reaches an agreement with the US Department of Justice, in which Microsoft will give computer manufacturers the option of installing Internet Explorer with the Internet Explorer desktop icon hidden. The agreement is made as the company faces possible contempt citations from the Justice Department.
Netscape Communications Corporation announces its plans to make the source code of Netscape Communicator client software available for free online.
2002
AMD releases a 1.3 GHz Duron processor. Price: US$118
AOL Time Warner files a federal suit against Microsoft, on behalf of Netscape Communications, alleging that, by bundling Internet Explorer into its Windows operating system, Microsoft has harmed the browser market.
Intel releases a 650 MHz ultra-low voltage Celeron processor.
Intel releases a 750 MHz ultra-low voltage Pentium III-M processor.
Intel releases 850 and 866 MHz low-voltage Pentium III-M processors.
Intel releases 1.06 to 1.2 GHz mobile Celeron processor.
2003
Microsoft releases the DirectX 9.0 graphics library.
2007
Intel and Sun Microsystems announce a general business alliance. Intel will endorse Solaris as a mainstream operating system for its Xeon processors and Sun begins using Intel Xeon processors in its x64 servers.
2008
Pownce, a Twitter clone – officially ends the Beta test and allows everyone to join. Of course, they are sold to Six apart last month.
Apple fixes a big security hole that affects iPods, Quicktime and iPhone.
The Supreme Court rejects a Cell Phone Tax
2009
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer sent an e-mail to employees in the morning regarding possible layoff information. Microsoft earlier announced poor earnings and possible major layoffs pending.
Digg.com announces they are going to cut their workforce by 10, and create a new sales division to make digg more profitable.
Despite layoffs in the technology sector salaries rise by an average of 4.6%
2014
AMD introduced 12-core and 16-core processors for its Opteron 6300 series. These are enterprise-class servers known as Piledriver. Price: $377 (12-core) $598 (16-core)