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Category Archives: This day in information
The Television of the Future
Today in 1939, the 1939 New York World’s Fair, “Building the World of Tomorrow,” had its grand opening, with 206,000 people in attendance. The April 30 date coincided with the 150th anniversary of George Washington’s inauguration as President in New York City. … Continue reading
First Showing of Vitascope
Today in 1896, the Vitascope was introduced to the public for the first time at Koster and Bial’s Music Hall in New York City. In They Made America, Harold Evans describes the scene that day: “… an enraptured elite audience lapped up short … Continue reading
Posted in Film, This day in information
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World Digital Library Launched
Today in 2009, The World Digital Library was launched. From the the library’s website: “U.S. Librarian of Congress James H. Billington proposed the establishment of the WDL in a speech to the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO in June 2005. The basic … Continue reading
Posted in Digitization, Libraries, Maps, This day in information
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No News is Good News Day
Today in 1930, according to the BBC, listeners who tuned in to hear the news bulletin on Good Friday were informed: “There is no news.” Piano music followed.
Posted in News, This day in information
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What’s the Greatest Invention of the 20th Century?
Today in 1827, English pharmacist John Walker sold the first friction matches, which he called “Friction Light,” from his pharmacy in Stockton on Tees. The previous year, Walker discovered through lucky accident that a stick coated with chemicals burst into flame when scraped across … Continue reading
Posted in Innovation, This day in information
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First Mobile Phone Call, 1973
Forty years ago today (April 3, 1973), Martin Cooper made a phone call from a prototype Dyna-Tac handheld cellular phone. The phone, which weighed about 2.5 lb, connected Cooper to Dr. Joel S. Engel, head of research at Bell Labs. Update: From “8 Guys, 6 … Continue reading
Phototransistor Invented
Today in 1950, the invention of the phototransistor was announced by Bell Telephone Laboratories. This was a transistor operated by light rather than electric current, invented by Dr. John Northrup Shive. Last year,, Bob Metcalfe reviewed a new history of Bell Labs, The Idea … Continue reading
Movies: First Screening
Today in 1895, Auguste and Louis Lumières held their first private screening of projected motion pictures. Who’s Who in Victorian Cinema: “The Cinématographe (a name used earlier by experimenter Bouly) gave its first public presentation in Paris, to the Société d’Encouragement … Continue reading
Posted in Film, This day in information
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First Broadcast by Ham Radio Operator
Today in 1909, Einar Dessau of Denmark used a shortwave transmitter to converse with a government radio post about six miles away in what is believed to have been the first broadcast by a ‘ham’ radio operator. Susan Douglas in Inventing American Broadcasting on … Continue reading
Posted in Radio, This day in information, Wireless
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First Internet Domain Name and a New Era for IT
Today in 1985, the first Internet domain name, symbolics.com, was registered. Bob Metcalfe connected this event with the thirty-year anniversary of the IEEE 802 standards committee starting its work on Local Area Networking and Metropolitan Area Networking standards: “These two … Continue reading
Posted in Computer history, This day in information
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The Story of Information 