Inaugural Tech Day Camp!

John Hayden Presenting at Tech Day Camp 2011

October 22, 2011 The Toolbox’ first Tech Day Camp, held at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, was a smashing success! In the halls we heard: “This is fabulous!” “Thank you so much for today!” “The first session I attended alone was worth the price of admission.” Stay tuned for more quotes and testimonials. . .

United States vs. Microsoft

United States vs. Microsoft - Monopoly for IE by Microsoft. Image courtesy of learnersonline.com

October 20, 1997 US accuses Microsoft of violating pact forcing IE browser on computers. US vs Microsoft was a set of civil actions filed against Microsoft Corporation pursuant to the Sherman Act 1890 Section 1 and 2. The plaintiffs alleged that Microsoft abused monopoly power on Intel-based personal computers in its handling of operating system [...]

Patent for First Movie a Hit

Edison's Optical Phonograph, Creator of the First Movie.  Photo courtesy of technicacommunications.com.

October 17, 1888 Thomas Edison files a patent for the Optical Phonograph, the first movie, with images only 1/32 inches wide. Edison’s claim is that it will ‘do for the eye what the phonograph does for the ear.’ We should all go out this evening for dinner and a movie to commemorate!

Roll Film Brings Photography to Mainstream

George Eastman, Inventor Roll Film and Founder of Kodak. Image courtesy of socialpsychol.wordpress.com.

Technology that Shapes Our Lives October 14, 1884 George Eastman receives a patent for the first roll film, helping to bring photography to the mainstream and was the basis for the invention of motion picture film in 1888. Roll film is spool-wound photographic film protected from white light exposure by a paper backing, as opposed [...]

Meridian Crisis Resolved with Greenwich

The Prime Meridian, looking directly North. Photo courtesy of cavinguk.org

Technology that Shapes Our Lives October 13, 1884 Geographers and astronomers adopt Greenwich as the Prime Meridian, the international standard for zero degrees longitude. Prior to the adoption of a standard Prime Meridian, navigation at sea — and the charting of stars in the heavens — often remained a matter of local, national or even [...]

Artificial Respiration Becomes Reality and a Life Saver

The Iron Lung: the first successful artificial respirator.  Photo courtesy of vaccineinformation.org.

Technology that Shapes Our Lives October 12, 1928 The iron lung artificial respirator is successfully used on a young polio sufferer at Children’s Hospital, Boston. The iron lung, originally invented by Philip Drinker, an industrial hygienist, encases a person’s entire body, except for the head, and uses regulated air pressure to help a patient breathe [...]

The First ‘Killer App’ for PCs Is Released

VisiCalc Creators, Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston, 1979.  Image courtesy of library.thinkquest.org.

Technology that Shapes Our Lives October 11, 1979 Visicalc is released by Dan Bricklin. The spreadsheet application is called the first killer app for personal computers because it turned the PC from a hobby into a business tool. Conceived by Dan Bricklin, refined by Bob Frankston, developed by their company Software Arts, and distributed by [...]

Pac-Man Munches Its Way Into Tech History

Pac-Man Changes the World of Video-gaming. Image courtesy of free-extras.com

Technology that Shapes Our Lives October 10, 1979 Pac-Man makes its debut in Japan. Pac-Man wasn’t the first videogame – arcade games, including video versions, had existed for years – but it is considered one of the classics and an icon of 1980s popular culture. Upon its release, Pac-Man and eventually its spin-offs, became a [...]

The Story Behind CC and BCC

The Terms 'CC' and 'BCC' Originated from Carbon Copying Letters and Documents. Image courtesy of ohiokids.org

Technology that Shapes Our Lives October 7, 1806 English inventor, Ralph Wedgewood, received a patent for the Stylographic Writer, a tool to help the blind write without using ink. An ink-soaked piece of paper was placed between two blank sheets, and a frame of horizontal wires acted as a guide for the blind writer’s stylus. [...]

RIP, Technology Genius Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs, Apple Co-Founder and Technology Visionary and Leader, 1955-2011

Technology that Shapes Our Lives October 6, 2011 Outpourings of public grief and appreciation swept the globe today following the death of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Jobs, who touched the daily lives of countless millions of people through the Macintosh computer, iPod, iPhone and iPad, died on Wednesday at age 56 after a long battle [...]