iMagine

An iPod with a memory slot, FM, voice recording or line-in: not quite priceless but a big deal, or as David Carnoy wrote 11-9-2007 on CNet, no stereo Bluetooth - is it because they [Is Apple cashing in on iPod's missing feature?] or as Carnoy wrote- APPLE may not just consider Bluetooth to be good enough yet to allow it on iPod in this case, they could not make money on licensing fees for Bluetooth accessories. SEPT 9 2008 line includes updated iPod Touch, a redesigned 'fun-er' nano, and only one 120Gb "classic" thin hard drive model also adds only a voice microphone to the headphone, replaced SEPT 5 2007 "classic" "6G" iPods 80Gb and 160Gb hard drive units. 2007 also saw iPod line revamped with an updated UI with a split-screen, cover flow. [Note AUG 2007-top Archos 605 media/video player has 160Gg, wifi, touchscreen and 800x600 and in size range of the "touch"..] Add now the advanced iPod "iTouch, 8Gb and 16Gb as a phone-less versions of the iPhone! There is quite a history of iPod incarnations since first one, and the sales really took off with the 2nd gen that was able to be used with windows. Still, ALL versions have non-removable rechargable batteries which have a limited life and are linked to iTunes [Sept 2008 is now Version 8]. Apple started a change battery service for $99 + fee - however you get an equivalent, reconditioned model back, BLANK - your files do NOT get transferred.

Best APPLE PC buy?-$499 mac mini? G5 iMac debuted Paris AUG 31 2004. One-piece thick screen+innards replace the flat panel on arm iMac which was dropped June 2004 after 2 years, as sales leveled and declined. Sleek but not PERFECT, note 256Mb ram is standard, and without wireless access, cords will DANGLE from the back of the case. The original iMac sold from 1998 thru Apr 2003. Power Mac G5 64 bit available retail AUG 18 2003, plus new ICat, iSight mike-cam. Biggest OSX upgrade since 2003 OSX10.3 Panther is OS X10.4 Tiger available APRIL 29 2005 with upgraded compatibility with Win and new "Spotlight" seach, improved conferencing and "Dashboard" pop up applets. Panther featured Sidebars and "Expose" to zoom up and down all or to selected windows and Secure Empty Trash to make trashed files unrecoverable. There's also built in fax, Mac Safari which replaced Internet Explorer and Preview graphics viewer which replaced Acrobat reader. Fall 2003 20-inch screen new iMacs and 15-inch PowerBooks. In summer 2001, MAC world 2002 NY saw an upgraded iMac with 17" flat panel APPLE APPLE discontinued the G4 slick cube - too $$$ for average users, and not enough power for demanding users.

MAC links	Court backs APPLE *ThinkSecret* forced shut dec20 2007
Univeral [for Mac Pro] prgrams list think secret Mac Extensions Guide osXrumours	MAC OS X Mac world ifo Apple store smartplaylists	classic club MAXUS - upgrade site color classic forever macslash

AMIGA again?

I heard on [the late, great] TechTV of a new 2002 AMIGA 1XE, but can't find anything posted on the web. From the July 1985 Amiga A-100, to the A4000 in 1992 Amiga has had a small but loyal group of believers. After Commodore filed for Bankruptcy in 1994, German Escom A.G, bought the AMIGA line and held on for about 2 years before going bankrupt [and selling the 7 millionth Amiga or so] and selling to Gateway, but they never were able to market it and Amiga considered its technology more important than a completed piece of hardware. [NY TIMES Circuits, June 22, 2000] The startup AMIGA, Inc. led by Bill McEwen had announced in 2002 developing the Amiga OS and support and specifications for select manufacturers to make a new AmigaOne machine. It licensed the technology from Gateway, tweaked the OS, and contracted manufacture out, using as much off the shelf hardware as possible to keep production costs down.

PDAs, Pocket PC

The smart or PDA-phone evolved technically enough and price-wise enough to kill-off some PDA lines especially in 2004, whether PALM or Win PE - WinMoble. There are still about 3 current Palm models, about 3 [HP] iPaqs [HP] models with updated models SEPT 2007 [Jornada long killed-off after HP-Compaq merger]. Never able to mount a Blackberry-Treo challenge, DELL never added cell-email function to AXIM and quit selling the 3 Axim models at time with WinMobile 5 APR 2007. Handspring Visors and PDAs from Viewsonic, Samsung, Razor-Zayo A600 [$550.] -yeah RAZOR scooter people, made for them by ASUTEK, and PSION are long gone unless they live on in Japan or whereever. Convergence of the Smartphones is winning the day. So PalmOne LifeDrive is still unique in PDAs with a 4Gb hard drive, wifi and Bluetooth [new spring 2005] but it was pricey and perhaps a lost opportunity if they had gone all the way to put a phone in it! But otherwise its the same ol PALM stuff. The decline in PALM sales started during 2002 as PALMone set to acquire Handspring, which happened summer 2003 for their new Treo line, then they cleared out and killed off Handspring Visors [springboard and all] but the Palm interface even upgraded to Palm OS 5.x is a lot like the earliest ones enhanced for easier use with a 5-way navigator buttons plus keyboard. You gotta like it to use it or else. Advanced Graffiti2 powered by JOLT introduced to *replace* graffiti hardly wowed anyone. The Graffiti2 was a result of lawsuits against Palm and 3Com by Xerox filed 1997 for patent infringement, but PalmOne was off the hook 5-21-04 because "a federal judge said the patent covering the software was invalid." Not completely clear is how this affected all other licensees of graffiti.

Sony stopped US distribution of CLIÉ pdas in 2004 then in JAPAN and stopped all support in 2005. Their most advanced and last regular CLIE was 2003 PEG-UX50 [Palm OS 5.2] at about $699 had wifi, cam, Bluetooth etc and multimedia functions. That perhaps lived on in US with sporty SONY MYLO which that had about everything except CELL phone and was positioned for a younger group and the Clie names lives on only in JAPAN where minimalist design, advanced PEG-VZ90 is available [and I can't read anything else on that SONY Japan site]. Today for more money that a Smartphone or any PDA you can get a NEW VGN UX50 [first in JAPAN mid 3006] or UX 280-P [$1799.] VAIO PC running WinXP or similarly an OQO these micro-PCs are about double the size of a PDA. They slide open the long way and have a full keyboards and screen runs WIN XP [or Tablet PC], 30Gb or 40Gb hard drives etc and all the fixings, can connect to external peripherals. OQO has a touchscreens.

Mobiles

Cell / "mobile" choice really hinge on network that of the carrier determines its offering from various suppliers. The manufacturer will go with on the the few OS choisce then all possible features then arise out of into that into various form factor and colors follow. Different carriers use just a few different higher-speed data networks that are NOT compatibile or equal. The action is in succesful models that continue to be upgraded in evolutionary rather then revolutionary ways paralleling the carriers networks. There are 4 major US carriers - [GSM] T-Mobile and Cingular, and [CDMA] Spint and Verizon. GSM itself is at its peak upgraded as much as possible, to be superseeded by UMTS and HSDPA digital networks on a couple of frequency bands, that will take sets to actual "3G" and beyond. These networks have barely begun to be deployed in the US, T Mobile particularly is behind but is attractive to many because of its wifi set-ups at Starbucks and such. The old analog networks were still available to the few customers of ATT, alltel and Verizon with old phones. Start of analog shutdown will coincide with TDMA network[s] final shut down FEB 2007, so it WILL be time to upgrade those ol phones. NOTE some 2003 and older OnStar systems in cars use the old tech and are NOT upgradable.

A TEMPORARY 3-year exemption to US DMCA [Digital Millenium Copyright Act] of 1998 in NOV 2006 means for NOW [then only?] we can UNLOCK our GSM and iDen [but NOT CDMA] phones with codes you can get on demand from the carrier or manufacturer afer their initial short contract period is over, though a few brands require an "attack" into the hardware besides a code to unlock. And CDMA units from any manufacturer even models in common on Sprint, Verizon to Alltel etc. are all locked within their carriers network and they will bar you from using it upon changing amongst those carriers! The 2nd 3G, US UMTS/HSDPA models available from a US carrier NOV 2006 were the CINGULAR 8525 [bulky long side slider type body-replaced NOV2007 by "Tilt" 8925 w WinMobile 6] NOV 2006 the Samsung "BlackJack". Because of contract manufacturing, particularly HTC, many similar models are found amongst all the carriers. Voice services are similar but differ in price and options and must be compared based on an individuals voice [and data plans if applicable] needs. NOTE as much as most of us complain about the carriers control of handsets, plan prices etc. in CANADA there is even less competition than U.S., so there are fewer carriers, less choice of handsets and higher prices. The may get *Rokr, Razr, Pebl, Rizr and their updated versions are all very popular in their variations by cariers as thin, and stylish and now are available at popular prices unlike the original releases. The RAZr actual capabilities are becoming dated and is replaced with premium-priced Razr2 v9m [3G] first for SPRINT then others [except T Mobile, for now] late AUG 2007. The wide popularity of thin phones lead to worthy alternates to RAZR from Samsung, Sanyo and others. Other multi-media rich phones ranged from Moto SLVR L7 [stores about 100 songs], LG "chocolate" and [fall 2007-] LG Rumor [T mobile] and Samsung JUKE, foisting unto young'uns who willingly pay lots for ring tones or other overhyped wireless content. David Pogue in CIRCUITS [NYTimes 11-10-05] said SPRINTs new music service is available on two of its new phones. The downloaded [$2.50+tax] songs are restricted from being used as a ringtones - you gotta buy that tone for another $2.50. The Moto ROKr for Cingular, and the original iTunes phone were limited to 100 songs. These are trifles compared to new social-networking options such as the dozen services offered mid 2008 by ATT which range from $1.99 to $9.99 monthly!

An expensive alternative was [fall 2006] NOKIA N91 cam phone with 8Gb storage, but these high-end NOKIAs are not a great choice for US users [-see above.] So they dropped the prices in Sept 2007 by $200 on the [unveiled JAN 9 2007], APPLE iPhone at 4Gb-$499 and 8Gb-$599 which went on sale JUNE 29 2007 from APPLE and ATT wireless. The greatest weakness still is being locked to ATT /Cingular network..new '3g' version on sale in US JUly 11 2008 is only a msodet improvement to the 2nd release of the original iPhone iwht the bigger memory. Best iPhone features are still graphical voice mail and unique "mult[i-phone]touch" screen with auto landcape-portrait mode for looking at pics and vids, and listening to music and receiving [which is easier than as making call which was NOT shown in any commericials] calls. The first gen iPhone had avg 2Mp cam, bluetooth, wifi, but 'Edge' for data [NOT 3G], fixed battery, NO memory slot, proprietary earphone connector, NO third party apps then, and you could buy songs thru iTunes and load them directly to the phone! Another pay service, cell tv-video on ol UHF-tv bands in testing summer 2005 and phased in starting 2006-07. SONY-Ericsson serts feature sporty/ multimedia orientations but a smarter choice for heavy cell multimedia users are more feature-rich and well-"wired" up HELIO-brand phones [uses Sprint-Nextel voice and Verizon for its data services] with SONY Cybershot PHONES with good cameras are a good mainstream choice. Beware SONY mini memory stick limitations etc. All in all, the most popular "regular" mobiles still are flip phones, with some sliders and candy-bar block phone always around.

Smartphones became affordable for nearly anyone in 2006-just watch the prices for the data plans which are hardly considered in reviews you see in the mags! Today the top seller Smartphone are the various Blackberrys, but new iPhone [2] expected to become a reasonable business choice and a great personal choice, enabling it to challenge also new most feature loaded, sleekest Blackbery yet, the Bold. But consider that every smartphone has at least one shortcoming close to a deal-breaker: most commonly a handset with great design will be under-powered and one that has great features may be difficult to use. So beware of lack of wifi, lack of some mobile office-type software, underpowered prcessor/memory issues, proprietary connector[s] power cords, headphone jacks, etc. Successful models/model lines continue to be updated; choose the "older" versions only if they are a true bargain; perhaps one of the "old" PDA models all since nicely updated, which PC Mag Feb-2007 top 10 included the Q, Sidekick 3, Treo 700wx, and Blackberry 8703e and suprprisingly [cover] gave the E62 [-NOT available anymore] for Cingular no 1. Note the Nokia Internet Tablet models are not a phone and not a micro PC - they are touch screen web devices, linux-based! If the Blackjack/Blackjack 2 [Cingular/ATT] was better performing and had wifi it would be more of a contender. The Moto Q and Q[2] for Verizon, and very fully loaded DASH for T-Mobile [where is it now?] are also also rans. I think for most US users US, alternate smartphones from Siemans, Audiovox, even most NOKIa models are of limited interest because they are more expensive and are more frequently available at high "unlocked" price than from the largest US carriers.

Read up on the PALM and WinMobile Treo variants at TREONAUTS [link waaaay above]. Treo did not cut it for me because of my past bad experience w PALM OS and syncing problems. Others might have felt the same, because they added PocketPC and Win Mobile Smartphone models. Top-end TREOs [late 2007] was 755p. Fall 2008 the new Palm Treo PRO is business oriented [exchange mail etc] refined Palm CENTRO style model. Treo always had quirks, from highly popular original TREO 600 that carried over somewhat even to 700p, such as freezes and retarts and for having a low amount of on-board memory and not being able to run applets off memory cards. Look out for signal strength problems - on loss of signal whole unit may freezes and apps will not function.

Satellite Radio, Cell Phones
Nokia E series Sirius radio phone scoop HTC of Taiwan i-unlock	Palm 24/7 MSmobiles XM radio skype fone doc	Treo-nauts phonemag lets talk HELIO GSM liberty!
PDA Palm and Pocket PC, MP3 Players		Protect Fair Use!
PALM US PenComputing Mag	Compaq IPAQ Handera [discontinued] Rio Pacemaker 120Gb/ mixees, too $825.	Ogg Vorbis file format Archos jukebox Creative Nomad Jukeboxes
smash my iPod	iPhone - Sim Free	anything but iPod

MP3s and Portable Media Centers

Amazing devices The first belt-clippable live satellite radio receiver early 2005 for XM was Delphi MyFi. Stiletto 1100, fall 2006 was first live satellite walking-around model for Sirius. Like the others this will play and store MP3 and is dockable for car or house use. On some portables live satellite reception is limited or on some less expensive models not available. Storage of files on these was noticed by umm RIAA became the subject of a lawsuit.

A leap in MP3 and portable media players is rollng out AUG-SEP 2007, with new models of all the current from factors advancing their features but with an industry wide move away from hard drive players. Big news that newest Creative ZEN replaces the hard drives models with slimmer flash models up to 16Gb with enhanced capabilites. New for Creative in this ZEN is an SD slot and support for AAC files. WIth the new models unveiled SEPT 2007, Apple is covering all the bases in its own way. BUT note the editor's review 9-10-2007 of new iPod classic 180Bb, CNet says "The bad: Video output now requires a proprietary cable; audio quality has not improved; some older iPod video accessories may not be compatible; users are required to use the latest version of iTunes, which may not work on some older computer systems." Even Sony is coming out with new distinctive feature - laden new NWZ- flash models. Features such as software and how you load and rip songs, which media file formats are played, battery life, line in or out, remote control, wifi, FM tuners, voice recording features, size and feel of controls are really more important than fashion.

Tough format and copying limitations and design quirks hobbled the earliest media players. SONY particularly dangles hot tech but it hobbles it consistently and still does on new portable devices. The SonyConnect 2004 online music downloaded will play only on Atrac-compatible Sony players; no other OEM licensed ATRAC. The "net MD" minidisc players used their ATRAC file format [not mp3], and frustrating sonic stage file transfer software. These models may still be sold somwhere, but were pushed aside in favor of new [mid 2005] USB flash-memory players which will play MP3, WMA and ATRAC then to 1Gb capacity, now 4 and 8Gb are available. Mini disc is an also-ran and could be the least popular mp3 hardware even as SONY extended the line in 2004 wuth Hi-MD of a higher capacity, their home MD players also never caught on. The most expensive mp3 player, fancy case with linted features surely are from Bang & Olufsen. iPod really firmed its lead once the Windows models were released. IPod main drawbacks are propietary cables connecting to a docking station, non-replaceable battery, and only syncs to one pc, though you can "rip" mp3 files to play, the only playable downloadable files are Apple AAC files from iTunes [have Apple-only "FairPlay" digital rights controls]. There is a new iPod battery replacement program for the older sealed models, extended warranty available.

Any ipod 'killers' here yet? Lots of alternative flash mem player to the iPod nano competitors with latest chipsets, though slightly bigger that nanos offer more features like voice recording and line in, FM, small color screeens and more media playing capabilities such as Sansa Connect and Gigabeat U. Sandisk SANSA line top model [mid 2007] is the Connect, with a mem card slot and wifi. All the Sansas are a bit bigger that NANO which lets there be good controls and more features with, FM and voice recorder - among lesser known but most distinctive is the 1-inch MobiBlue cube. New Zune 3G Sept 2008 are lead by a new 120Gb unit that should seriosuly challenge the new iPod 120Gb [both with the new 1.8 inch single platter drive] classic for Windows users, No ZUNE for Mac. I like that is has FM radio and do not really care about the wifi. The original [NOV 14 2006] ZUNE failed to be a serious challenger to iPods. Its features limited its promising concept. Zune only links to THEIR Zune Marketplace download site [so files are playable ONLY on the Zune] or use you have to use legal video material from one of *Microsofts* "partners" to load it with unless you load you homemade video thru WinXP Media Center, plus its wifi sharing is only to other ZUNES with 3x within 3-days [this time restriction removed on 2nd gen models] play of transferred mp3s. It also has an FM radio and has a "big" screen that shows videos in "landscape" mode. Better for videos than iPod are hot hard drive models like from ARCHOS [their mid 2007 flagship is the 704: 80Gb, 7-inch screen!, wifi but NO FM or audio in] and Creative Zen W[ide] and the TOSHIBA Gigabeat S [iPod sized] and V [larger player]<-discontinued spring 2007. Gigabeat hard drive models were not well supported or developed by Toshiba. They gave up and make the works for the ZUNES for MS! Creative made good hard drive iPod alternatives, their highest capacity was the [2006-] NOMAD Zen Vison:M, has video out, FM, voice recorder etc. is so very improved from the 2002 [Creative] Nomad Juebox Zen firewire-USB I had. My gripes about this original Zen were poor, oversimplified controls, non-replaceable battery, was NOT recognized as a system device, no fast forward, no line-out jack. Most other names in hard drive players already dropped them, the DELL player was discontinued FEB 2006. HDD players from other famous names like Phillips and RCA [Lyra] were not on many of ege retail shelves that I usually see.

TiVo ToGo service [announced 1-3-05] will allow NON-macrovison protected contect to be transfered to PCs w TiVo desktop software [to encrypt]-oh, does this NOT involve Microsoft Media Player et al? BEWARE - older TiVos need an update, and the set-up is a real bear. NO PC needed- [feh on Intel] 2005 AMD will have a Portable "Alchemy" Media chip is designed to convert content into high-def-video for media players portable of component style.

Playstation 3 coming to US in limited quantities just after Japan, on NOV 18 2006. Sony PSP Portable in US MAR 24 2005 notably can play MP3 but also uses proprietary memory stick pro duo and new optical "Universal Media Disc" [UMD]. Microsoft XBox360 hits shelves NOV 22 2005 -if some that have not been pre-ordered are available. Beware -only more expensivve [$399] version with a hard drive is backwards-compatible. Maybe wait for Playstation 3 or Nintendo Revolution in 2006. [Playstation] PS2s had Realplayer multimedia software from RealNetworks, and have AOL connectivity through with a customized Netscape browser for the device, plus a new keyboard and mouse, coming up for subscription and sale for the holiday season 2001-2002, it was announced in May 15. These gaming consoles so far have yet become THE internet appliance after several rounds of failures from the major PC companies, etc ['Audrey', I-Opener, etc..] but the new XBox will prob bring it closer.

Pioneers

PC History

============================= 1877 Edison cylinder phonograph .............................. 1884 Hollerith's patent filing for punch card adding machine .............................. 1887 Berliner's audio platter records .............................. 1890 cenus uses punch cards 1896 Hollerith's Tabulating Machine Co. .............................. 1928 earliest 33-1/3 records .............................. 1939 Hewlett-Packard founded .............................. 1915 78 rpm record .............................. 1935 IBM Model 01 typewriter .............................. 1940s 1945 Mark II 1947 magnetic tape retails in US 1948 Transistor Bell labs and 'parallel' inventors Matare, Walker 2 months later Paris 1948 "Electronic Secretary" ans machine - Jos. J. Zimmerman play vinyl, lifts rec. up .............................. 1950s 1950 Univac I 1951 Geophysical Service Inc. becomes Texas Instruments 1952 prototype transister radio by Matare, in Germany dow not become a product 1954 Solar cell bell labs 1956 first direct translantic calls 1956 IBM's 350 early hard drive 24" diameter 1958 Stereo records 1958 TI first integrated circuits .............................. 1960s 1960 Digital PDP-1 IBM OS 360 for mainframest 1961 start of MIT 12-bit "Linc" 1962 LED bell labs 1963 touch tone phone 1964 BASIC -John Kemeny and Thomas Kurz at Dartmouth 1964 Carbon dioxide laser Bell labs 1964 IBM OS/360 1965 Moore's "law" 1965 the audio cassette 1965 the Moog synthesizer 1965 Digital PDP-8 1969 ATT "AIX" UNIX 1969 ARPAnet goes online .............................. 1970s 1971-72 Ray Tomlinson Mr. '@'71-72 develops the Software e mail manager "RD" by Lawrence Roberts. 1st microprocessors good for 'calculator chips' -> - 1971 Intel 4004 - 1972 Intel 8008 1972-77 Intel acquired and owned Microma -[digital watches] as a premium priced product 1974 Intel 8080 1972 Polaroid SX70 cam Xerox "Alto" PONG IBM S/3 for minicomputers BBN e mail over network- John Vittal at USC "MSG" becomes the Arpanet e mail standard 1973 Intel 8008 1974 Intel 8084 1974 IBM 5100 APL. Basic minicomputer 1975 SONY Betamax in US 1975 MITS Altair 1st PC sold. Bill Gates and Paul Allen work for Ed Roberts' MITS to adapt BASIC for it and make later into MS Basic then MS DOS 1975 First ARPANET mailing list 1976 Digital Research- Gary Kildall 1976 -First PC convention- "First World Altair Computer Conference" 1976 Cray 1-A 1976 Apple-1 1977-MITS sold 1977 Commodore PET 2001 1977 Atari 2600 game console 1978 Intel 8086 goes into production 1978 Micron Technology, Boise 1978[-94] GPS satellites 1979 Intel 8088 16 bit - w/ 8 bit external bus 1979 thin-film HDD heads 8 inch hardrive .............................. 1980s 1980 5.24 inch hard drive 1980 Xeros - Ethernet specs 1980 Intel 432 [advanced but sloow - a market failure] 1981OCT SONY CDP-101 CD player 1981 GRiD Compass 'laptop' 1982 Intel 80286 1982 Lotus 1-2-3 1982-85 Postal Svc. "E-Com" 1982 Sun Microsystems 1982 Colecovision home games 1983 MCI Mail 1983 Rodine 3.5 inch 10Mb HDD 1983 Mattel Aquarius 4k 1983 Audio CDs in US 1983 Quik Soft [PC Write] founded by Bob Wallace [d. 2002] 8th 'Micro Soft' employee 1983 Arpanet swtichd to TCP/IP 1983 3.5 inch hard drive 1984 domain name system 1984 peak of sales for Betamax 1984 CISCO founded by Bosack and Lerner 1984 Commodore SX-64 luggable 1984Sept CBS/Sony CD pressing plant 1984 break up of ATT et al. 1985 NCSA founded National Ctr. for Supercomputer Applications 1985 Microsoft Excel 1985 Intel 80386DX 1985 AOL founded as Quantum Computer Services 1986 MIPS R2000 "First mother- board level RISC chip for workstations" 1986 Canon Cat 1986 Dec Quarterdeck QEMM 1986 Microsoft goes public 1987 NCSA Telnet 1987 Sun SPARC 1987 Compaq portable 386 1988 IBM Wheelwriter 1988 first fibre optic trans- Atlantic cable 1988 IBM-Sears - Prodigy 1989 Intel i486 1989 Photoshop 1989 Game Boy .............................. 1990s 1991 IBM sells typewriter division 1991 SyQuest 44 mb cartridge 1991 Sony minidisc 1991 Linux by Linus Torvalds 1991 486 DX2 50 1991 Windows 3.0 1991 Digital Research [DRI] sold to NOVELL['94-Kildall died] 1992 DEC Alpha 21064 200 MHz 1992 Palm computing 1993 Intel Pentium 1993[-98] Newton Messagepad 1993 IBM & Motorola PowerPC 1993 DELL temp halts production of its problematic NOTEBOOKS 1993 IBM Simon for BellSouth touchscreen in large handst 1mb RAM 1 MB ROM 1994 Sandisk compact flash 4Mb 1995 MAR P120MMHz 1995 Intel Pentium Pro 1995 Iomega Zip 100 mb 1995 - Aug. Win 95 1995 Playstation 1996 Bell labs 'spun-off' from ATT as Lucent 1996 Palm Pilot 1996 Net2phone PC to phone svc 1997 Netscape NAV 4.0 1997 Pentium MMX 1997 3Com aquires US Robotics 1997 IBM -GMR heads HDD heads 1998 Blackberry 1998 Ballmer promoted to Pres. of Microsoft, US files antitrust charges againt MS 1999-households with PC ownership go to 50% th 56% 1999 IBM 340Mb microdrive 1999 Intel 820 chip set 133 MHz bus 1999-Mar 'Melissa' 1999 PIIIm 400-500MHz 1999 1 inch hard srive ............................. 2001s 2000-2001 internet appliances 3Com's Audrey, Nettpliance iOpener, ePod, come and go 2000 Cray Research bought out by Tera 2000-IBM Blue Gene 2001 Xbox 2001 Oct Treo 180 2001-fall - 9-11 attacks force Congress into wirless age as they are equipped with 'BlackBerry' 2001 XBox 733 MHz, 64 Mb memory 250 MHz graphics processor 2001 Power 4 chip 2001 iPods APPLE beats the industry taking advantage of 1.8 inch 5Gb HDDS 2002 OCT Win XP 2002 Aug. SONY announce stops mfg. and support of Beta 2002 "Q" 30 teraflops fastest supercomputer and cheaper, cooler efficient "Green Destiny" at Los Alamos 2002 Zip 750 mb 2002 DataPlay discs 500mb 2002 NOV PIV 3.06 GHz 2002-3 MS Tablet PC and SmartDisply 2003-Jan SQL worm attack 2003-PowerPC 5 chip 2003 AMD-April Opteron 64 bit Sep Athlon 64 bit 2004 IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputers 2005July IBM z9 2006Feb-on APPLE-Intel 2006Jan30 Western Union- NO more telegrams. .............................

The Virtual Museum of Computing Computer Museum LaMesa CA digibarn Intel Processors Alan Turing Computer History Museum Computers Chronology Vintage tech Old Computers Obsolete Computer Museum, Mountain View CA Smithsonian PC collection HP timeline Generations: Through the History of Computing Punch card history Dr. Leonard Kleinrock packet switching pioneer Atari age Vintage VCR -TotalRewind Commodore 64 portal Supercomputing sites Beta Guide heathkit-museum the Newton vintage electronics

ENIAC was the first acknowledged digital computer, but..."Tommy Flowers installed the world's first programmable computer at Bletchley Park. Eventually ten more were built, all dedicated to analyzing the secret messages of the German high command.", in England was first. Put into service 5 month before D-Day, above top-secret Colossus is just becoming known to the world. It read paper tape at 5,000 characters per second and could have kept up even faster, but that would be getting closer to the papers breaking point at 10,000 c.p.s! Much more advance than ENIAC, it was used in code breaking in late WWII. Two of ten created machines were kept in service well into the 1950s in Britain, until their complete destruction in 1960, along with documentation, to maintain secrecy. The reference to this was an old filmed interview with a creator of the system as part of 1999 PBS NOVA program Decoding NaziSecrets about WWII code breaking.