History of Technology: From Sputnik to the Present

Sputnik Becomes First Artificial Earth Satellite

Oct 4, 1957

The Russian satellite Sputnik one is launched into orbit. The launches success sets off the space race and increases Cold War tensions between the United States and Russia. It also ushers in an era of technological advancement that would persist to this day.

Luna 2 Lands on the Moons Surface

Sep 13, 1959

The Soviet Union becomes the first nation to land an object on the moon with the Luna 2 mission. Luna 2 also becomes the first manmade object to land on the surface of a celestial body.

Xerox 914 Released

Sep 16, 1959

Xerox releases the first plain paper copier available to the public. The successful copier was the culmination of deacades of research and development in Xenography.

NORAD and the Cold War

Dec 1, 1960

The Joint Canadian US Military group places the Space Detection and Tracking System under control of CINCNORAD the precursor to what will become known as NORAD. The defense system is designed to track possible military and nuclear actions by the Soviet Union.

CDC 6600 Released

Jan 1, 1964

CDC 6600 created by Control Data Corporation becomes the first widely recognized supercomputer.

First Desktop Computer is Unveiled

Apr 22, 1964

The first desktop computer created by the Olivetti company is unveiled at the New York's Worlds Fair. It was put into production in 1965 and known as the Programma 101

Man on the Moon

Jul 20, 1969

The United States Apollo 11 mission reaches the moon, the greatest victory to date of the United States in the space race with the Soviet Union. The Saturn V rocket and Lunar Lander are a symbol of the technological advancements achieved by both NASA and the United States.

Intel Releases Intel 4004

Mar 1, 1971

Intel's 4004 becomes the first commercially available microprocessor. The beginning, of a revolution in personal computing speeds, and the hallmark of Intel for years to come.

Magnavox Odyssey

Apr 1, 1972

Magnavox Odyssey becomes the first video game console, predating Atari's Pong by three years. The console utilized a combination of digital and analog signals to create the video game experience.

First Handheld Mobile Device

Apr 3, 1973

Motorola becomes the first company to create a mobile handheld device. The inventor Martin Cooper placed the first call using the phone to Dr Joel S Engel of Bell Labs. The technological advancement necessary for mobile telephony trace their roots back to pre WWII.

Altair Basic and the Beginning of Microsoft

Mar 1, 1975

Microsoft founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen develop an interpreter for the Altair 8800 produced by MITS. This creation spawns the beginning of a software revolution and leads to the creation of the tech giant Microsoft.

Founding of Microsoft

Apr 4, 1975

Microsoft is founded by Paul Allen and Bill Gates, the company would become a tech giant in the 1980s based on its MS-DOS operating system.

Apple Inc Founded

Apr 1, 1976

Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne found Apple Inc to sell there Apple I computer kit. The company would be a perenial competitor with Microsoft in Personal Computing. In time they will revolutionize personal computing with releases such as the Ipod, Ipad, and Iphone.

Flag Day

Jan 1, 1983

The unification of protocols under TCP/IP creates the internet as we know it to day with a standardize system and uniform specifications.

Casio TV-10

Jun 1, 1983

The Casio TV-10 a handheld television becomes the first commercially available television to utilize a Liquid Crystal Display. LCDs continue to be crucial to technology today.

Psion Releases the Organizer 1

Jan 1, 1984

Psion releases the first handheld computer to the public. Although closer in equivalency to a modern calculator the Organizer begins the PDA era which eventually leads to the creation of smartphones.

America Online Released

Feb 1, 1991

America Online beginning the growth of paid internet services to consumers. At its peak AOL will boast a user base of more than 30 million users worldwide.

Amazon Founded

Jul 1, 1994

Jeff Bezos incorporates Amazon beginning a company that would revolutionize e-commerce and the way the world shops in the twenty first century.

Simon Personal Communicator

Aug 16, 1994

The Simon Personal Communicator becomes the first commercially successful telephony device to incorporate PDA features. Created by IBM the device is widely considered the first smartphone.

802.11 Protocol

Jun 1, 1997

802.11 Protocol release is the beginning of wireless networking as we know it today. After more then a decade of development the begininings of a wireless system that will be improved upon and shape our technological world begins.

Google Inc Founded

Sep 4, 1998

Google Inc is founded by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. The company will go on to become a search engine giant, online retailing hub, advertising revolutionary, and smart phone operating system mogul.

Napster and The Rise of Internet Piracy

Jun 1, 1999

Napster a P2P file sharing service based predominantly on the illegal sharing of music in MP3 format goes live. The site is a massive success until its legal woes bring its downfall.

Apple Ipod Gen 1 Released

Oct 23, 2001

The precursor to great success in the portable music and mp3 based devices the Apple Ipod is released. Initial success is limited based on its incompatability with the Windows operating system, however it grows to become a cornerstone of Apple's product suite.

First Test of the Large Hadron Collider

Sep 10, 2008

The highest energy particle collider ever created undergoes its first tests in Geneva, Switzlerland. The collider is perhaps the most important achievement of CERN and a major breakthrough in Physics research.

All Hail The Lithium Ion

Jun 1, 2012

John Goodenough, Rachid Yazami, and Akira Yoshino receive the 2012 IEEE Medal for their work in the delevopment of the lithium ion battery. At this point lithium ion batteries commercial success in popular devices results in a massive market share.