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Western Union
The New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company is founded in Rochester, New York, which will become Western Union -- the first electronic message service (also offering the service of delivered Telegrams.) http://wa4nup.com/telegraph/telegraph_cat1_pg1.html - image -
The first transcontinental telegraph line
Western Union completes the first transcontinental telegraph line -- providing fast, coast-to-coast communications during the U.S. Civil War. http://www.vam.ac.uk/users/node/7564 - image -
Alexander G. Bell patents telephone
Alexander Graham Bell issued a patent for the Telephone on March 7th. By the early 1800's many experimental uses were attempted for this invention including what was later called "Audio Theatre" -- plays and readings performed over the telephone. http://www.design-technology.org/telephone.htm - image -
Edison invents phonograph
Edison invents the cylinder "phonograph" used to record and playback sound. Originally thought to be useful as a business machine for dictation (like the dictaphone which would come later.) Other uses: recordings of plays pre-dating Radio Drama nearly 50 years. http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/edhtml/edcyldr.html - Image -
Magnetic wire sound recording
Danish inventor Valdemar Poulson invents magnetic wire sound recording. http://www.aes.org/aeshc/docs/recording.technology.history/begun6.html - image -
Popular music becomes big business
Popular music becomes a serious business; Music Publishers begin renting office space on 28th street in New York City, near vaudeville theatres in an area that would become known worldwide as "Tin Pan Alley." http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/kennedyhs/careercenter/financial.aspx- image -
First $1M seller
The first "million-seller" song hit (sold via sheet music) was "After The Ball" by Charles K. Harris, who was both its composer and publisher. http://mynokiablog.com/2011/03/01/mynokiablog-com-reaches-1-million-in-february/attachment/1000000/- image -
Lumiere Bros. use piano music during motion picture
The Lumiere Brothers use (piano) music with a motion picture program (of short subjects) for the first time at a Dec. 28th -screening at the Grand Café in Paris. http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-1360785/stock-photo-old-sepia-photo-of-an-old-fashioned-piano-opened-up.html- image -
Orchestra Used in Silent Film
An orchestra is used with (silent) motion pictures for the first time in April in London. http://www.murraysymphony.org/- image -
Shellac Gramaphone Disks
Shellac gramophone disks developed by Emile Berliner - speeds will vary on discs issued by companies in different countries (80 rpm was used on some British recordings.) http://openlearn.open.ac.uk/mod/oucontent/view.php?id=397885§ion=1.2.5- image -
Eletric Theatre Opens
"The Electric Theater" in Los Angeles is opened by Thomas L. Tally: the first Nickelodeon, a multimedia movie palace, that spawned imitators nationwide. http://www.lazybeescripts.co.uk/cgi-bin/AuthorWeb.asp?sAu=George%20Douglas%20Lee- image -
Triode patented
Lee de Forest's third element (called a "grid") allowed the Audion tube to amplify signals -- which made radio with voice and music practical. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Triode_tube_1906.jpg- image -
First Duo-sided Disk
The first double-sided phonograph records are introduced by Columbia. Soon its competitors follow suit; Prior to this time, all records had sound only on one side; the back side was a blank (un-grooved) side. http://tenwatts.blogspot.com/2008/02/record-week-part-2-columbia.html- image -
First experimental Wireless broadcast
Charles "Doc" Herrold and his assistant Ray Newby begin experimental "wireless" voice and music broadcasts from San Jose, California using experimental radio station. http://www.iit.edu/news/iittoday/?p=4922- image -
Wireless Radio is a Success
Charles "Doc" Herrold begins the first regular public radio broadcasting of voice and music from his "wireless telegraph college" in San Jose, California; He calls it "The Herrold Station" and transmits to audiences from San Jose to San Francisco. http://www.uberreview.com/2012/07/tp-link-wr1043nd-vs-d-link-dir815-review.htm/wireless- image -
Disk Player
Edison Co. finally introduces a disk player, now that the cylinder market is gone. http://www.antiquehelper.com/item/297480- image -
First Feature Length Film
Cecil B. DeMille and Jesse Lasky produce the first "feature-length" film called "The Squaw Man." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Squaw_Man_(1914_film)- image -
First Transcontinental Phone Call
First transcontinental telephone call from New York to San Francisco on July 29th. http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/page.cfm?orgid=693&pid=47784- image -
Loudspeaker
AT&T engineer C. G. Hensley got the idea for the loudspeaker when he thought about what would happen if he made a telephone receiver really big. http://www.atlasmicstands.com/- image -
First Jazz recording
The Original Dixieland Jass <sic> Band (ODJB) makes the first "Jazz" recording. http://electricdaybook.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html- image -
Motion pitcure with sound
Vitaphone introduces a sound system to synchronize music and sound effects with a motion picture; It uses a 16-inch disc turntable that is connected by gears to the projector mechanism. Operators have to continuously adjust the synchronization of the grooves to the picture, which was not perfect. Later the speed and size of these discs is utilized by some radio stations stations and networks. http://www.digitaldeliftp.com/DigitalDeliToo/dd2jb-Warner-Ac-image -
First radio network
NBC -- the "National Broadcasting Company" begins as the first radio network. http://www.oldradio.com/-image -
Televisor
Scotsman John Logie Baird invents mechanical television which he calls a "Televisor", a postcard-sized black and pink (not black and white) image with 30 scan lines running at a flickering 12 1/2 frames per second. http://cabecitalocaenblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/acaba-con-el-ruido-del-televisor.html- image -
First electric television brodcast
On Sept. 7th -- Philo Farnsworth transmits the first "electric television" picture (about the size of a postage stamp, an inch and a half square) in his San Francisco Laboratory. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postage_stamps_and_postal_history_of_the_United_States- image -
Mr. "TV"
In the United States, a young comedian named Milton Berle is the first person to be seen on television, on an experimental broadcast; But it would be another 20 years before his network TV show for Texaco would result in him becoming known throughout the country as "Mr. Television." http://www.filmbug.com/db/245702- image -
First Music Charts
Billboard magazine publishes its first music chart of performed songs. http://www.vis-atk.com/2011/01/07/typefacial-recognition-3-harmonix-games/- image -
Standard Speed
RCA convinces phonograph labels including its own Victor label as well as Columbia and other manufacturers to standardize on 78.26 rpm as the speed of all phonograph records. http://ensarkosis.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/writing-about-the-dead-vs-writing-among-the-dead-modernity-and-the-waste-land-2/- image -
No More Sound
The Edison Co. ceases the manufacturing of sound recordings. http://thecoachscave.blogspot.com/2012/04/broken-record-record-record-record.html- image -
Interlaced Scanning
To improve TV pictures, German scientist Fritz Schroeter applies for a patent on interlaced scanning. http://www.yaddablog.com/2010/02/22/watch-uk-tv-overseas/grunge-vintage-television/- image -
Iconoscope
Vladimir Zworykin applies for a patent on a TV camera vacuum tube he calls the "Iconoscope." http://www.labguysworld.com/RCA_CRV-59AAE.htm-image -
The Lone Ranger
January 30 - The first episode of "The Lone Ranger" radio series debuts on radio station WXYZ in Detroit. http://www.tomsoter.com/node/4- image -
Song-A-Gram
Western Union introduces the first "singing telegram" service. http://wa4nup.com/telegraph/telegraph_cat1_pg1.html - image -
Park-in Theatre, Inc
Richard M. Hollingshead opened the first Drive-In Movie Theater in Camden, NJ. http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/Drive-InTheater- image -
Top Sellers
Billboard magazine publishes its first chart of top-selling records. http://www.vis-atk.com/2011/01/07/typefacial-recognition-3-harmonix-games/-image -
Audio Engineer Society
The Audio Engineering Society (The AES) is formed. http://panozk.com/news/associations-audio-engineering-society/- image -
Lazy Boy
Zenith introduces the "Lazy Boy" -- the first television remote control (it had a cable.) http://technology.ezinemark.com/important-milestones-in-television-developments-77367b10676d.html- image -
First In Colour
CBS television broadcast the first color TV program to five cities on June 25th http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-128467-color-tv-bars-non-signal.php- image -
I Love Lucy
The first episode of "I Love Lucy" aired on Monday, October 15th on the CBSTelevision Network, filmed with three cameras simultaneously in front of a "live" audience on the General Service Studio soundstage. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Love_Lucy- image -
Coast-to-Coast
Coast-to-coast network TV is a reality via telephone company coaxial cables. http://www.computercablestore.com/1000ft_RG59u_Coaxial_Cabl_PID61.aspx- image -
Reel-to-Reel
The first pre-recorded reel-to-reel tape (at 7 1/2 ips) is offered for sale. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reel-to-reel_audio_tape_recording- image -
First Transistor Radio
The First "transistor radio" went on sale in the U.S. named The Regency TR-1 (it had 4 transistors and cost $49.99.) http://www.gallagher.com/ebay.htm- image -
Too Much Turkey
Swanson employee Gerry Thomas invents the frozen "T. V. Dinner" to get rid of extra turkey. http://texashideout.tripod.com/timemachine2.html- image -
NBC Peacock
The "NBC Peacock" logo (symbol of compatible "Living Color") debuts in July. http://www.big13.net/NBC%20Peacock/NBCPeacock1.htm-image -
Videotape
Ampex Co. of Redwood City, CA demonstrates the first videotape system in February. http://seattlecentral.edu/faculty/bbernstein/ASL101/101%2520PAGE%2520syllabusb.htm&imgurl=http://seattlecentral.edu/faculty/bbernstein/images/videotape.gif- image -
FM Stereo
FM Stereo radio broadcasting begins and FM slowly starts to gain respect. http://radioattic.com/item.htm?radio=0880081- image -
Multitrack
Multitrack analog tape recording starts being used in recording studios. http://www.dipity.com/rachaelll/History-of-Recorded-Sound_1/- image -
Sketchpad
Ivan Sutherland does his M.I.T. Doctoral Thesis on Interactive Computer Graphics creating a "Sketchpad" program using an interactive light pen instead of a mouse; which leads to the first practical uses of interactive graphics on computers. http://www.physicality.org/TouchIT/touchit-draft/intro-elements-of-our-hybrid-existence/- image -
Wooden Mouse
Douglas C. Engelbart demonstrates the first computer mouse (made of wood.) http://www.sri.com/work/timeline/computer-mouse-image -
Picture Phones
A T & T introduces the PicturePhone at the Worlds' Fair, but it doesn't catch on. http://business.wikia.com/wiki/AT%26T- image -
Noise Reduction
The "Dolby-A" professional noise reduction system is used in some recording studios. http://tullycraftnation.com/category/mp3-of-the-day/- image -
First Microprocessor
The first Microprocessor (computer on a chip) is introduced by Intel -- the 4004. http://www.computermuseum.li/Testpage/Chip-Intel4004-1969.htm- image -
ARPANET
The Internet begins as a link between four university labs, called ARPANET. http://www.elon.edu/e-web/predictions/150/1960.xhtml?m=1- image -
Disco
Gloria Gaynor records "Never Can Say Goodbye" -- the first disco record on US radio. http://www.vectordiary.com/illustrator/illustrator-disco-ball-tutorial/-image -
Pong
Atari of Santa Clara, CA develops "Pong" -- the first electronic computer arcade game. http://www.arcade-museum.com/game_detail.php?game_id=9074-image -
No More MONITOR
NBC's weekend radio format MONITOR is cancelled after nearly 20 years. http://legendsrevealed.com/entertainment/2009/05/18/radio-legends-revealed-1/-image -
Gyroscopic Steadicam
Garrett Brown invents the gyroscopic Steadicam. http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1713583-image -
Rapper's Delight
The Sugarhill Gang's "Rapper's Delight", is the first hip-hop record to reach Top 40 radio. http://www.realsea.net/568_Sugar-Hill-Gang/- image -
MTV
The MTV Music TV Cable Network debuts on the air at Midnight, August 1st. http://cosmonavigator.wordpress.com/tag/mtv-launched-on-august-1st/- image -
Personal Computer
The first IBM-brand "PC" (for "Personal Computer") is released on August 12th. http://yidco.com/site/cpage.asp?cpage_id=140026232&sec_id=140005995- image -
First CD release
The first CD released (in Japan) is Billy Joel's "52nd Street" (October, 1982.) http://www.freecodesource.com/album-covers/B0043A0U94--billy-joel-52nd-street-album-cover.html-image -
CD
The digital Compact Disc (CD) is introduced by a Japanese conglomerate. http://gadgets.fosfor.se/history-of-data-storage/-image -
Computer Virus.. Project
In November, U.S. computing student Fred Cohen created the very first computer virus -- as a research project. http://www.viruscomputer.combrpoly.net/page3.html- image -
First US CD release
The first CD titles are released in the US in June (12 CBS, 15 Telarc, 30 Denon.) http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us.html-image -
Stereo Sound
NBC broadcasts the first television programs with stereo sound. http://www.practical-home-theater-guide.com/dolby-headphone.html-image -
Apple for All
The (128K) Apple Macintosh personal computer debuts with a Graphical User Interface advertised as "the computer for the rest of us". http://yeslogo.wordpress.com/2009/01/24/macintosh-1984/-image -
CD Popularity
The CD overtakes LP sales worldwide; CD-ROMs are developed as a computer medium able to store around 750 MegaBytes per disc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CD-ROM.png-image -
Digital Cassette
Phillips introduces a digital audio tape recorder (DAT) using a digital cassette. http://www.gd-wholesale.com/searchabc/s-C/C-p-462.html-image -
Web Browser
Dec. 25 (Christmas Day) Tim Berners-Lee, a researcher working at the CERN atomic laboratory in Switzerland, finishes programming the first practical Web Browser. http://apgovernment2010.yolasite.com/ch10.php-image -
MP3
The Moving Picture Experts Group MPEG-1 Audio Layer III (MP3) compressed audio file format becomes an international standard, and eventually the most popular format for distributing digital audio over the Internet. http://jonny-smartblog.blogspot.com/2012/01/10-modern-inventions-that-had-impact-on.html-image -
Sound Scan
The "SoundScan" barcode tracking system of reporting music recording sales begins to bring accurate sales figures to record charts; Country music is now a bigger segment. http://www.creativeapplications.net/iphone/barcodas-iphone-sound/-image -
PC > TV
Personal computers outsell TV sets for the first time in the United States. http://www.legaljuice.com/index.html?page=20-image -
Junk Mail
The Internet starts to "take off" as a major computing platform due to the World Wide Web being "discovered" for a myriad of commercial and social uses; junk EMail begins. http://www.howtooutlook.com/blogs/e-mail-help-for-troubleshooting-hotmail/-image -
...And Ebay Too
The online auction community eBay starts out as "AuctionWeb.com. http://www.ehow.com/how_4923613_build-auction.html-image -
DVD
The DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) increases capacity of digital storage of audio and video on a CD (Compact Disc) medium. http://www.purchasemydvd.com/-image -
A Wild Internet Appears
The world falls in love with everything Internet. http://www.illustrationsof.com/1098754-royalty-free-internet-clipart-illustration-image -
HDTV
First regular transmissions of HDTV (High-Definition Television) begin in major cities. http://lostpedia.wikia.com/wiki/File:Hdtv_logo.jpg-image -
Broadband
Broadband Internet service providers begin to be offered to consumers faster Web page downloads and smoother and faster streaming media. http://www.ftc.gov/opp/workshops/broadband/index.shtml-image -
Recordable CD-R
Recordable CD-R digital audio disc technology becomes part of personal computer systems. http://daseda.net/mx/?p=481-image -
No more Independance
The Mutual Broadcasting System is a victim of consolidation -- absorbed into Westwood One-CNN Radio on April 18, ending 65 years as an independent radio network. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mutual_Broadcasting_System-image -
No More Swapping
The first year recording sales actually declined -- record industry blames online music swapping as the cause and tried to advance digital copy protection schemes. http://www.copyrightauthority.com/copyright-symbol/-image -
DVD recorders
Consumer DVD recorders were introduced at the Comdex Consumer Electronics show in Las Vegas. http://danielmichel.net/dvd-recorder-2/-image -
Reality.. It's Super Effective
March 10 -- the so-called "Internet Bubble" burst leading to a recession/shakeout of the inflated technology industry, as reality started to replace "irrational exuberance." http://www.infendo.com/infendo-radio-the-starbucks-parking-lot-edition/no-internet/-image -
Napster
Internet music-swapping site "Napster" is created, and alarms the recording industry which mounts a massive campaign to shut it down despite First Amendment concerns. http://www.crunchbase.com/company/napster-image -
E-Books
Digital electronic books (E-Books) become a small part of the publishing industry, and several competing companies attempt to introduce the standards for them. http://www.e-book.com.au/freebooks.htm-image -
CPU Breakthrough
Intel announces a breakthrough in the speed of computer processing chips that will make computers several THOUSAND times faster; first systems expected to be sold in 2007. http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/pentiumee/index.htm-image -
DVD+RW
Reminiscent of VHS/Betamax, an alternate standard for consumer DVD writable disks is introduced to thwart piracy. http://karenknowsbest.com/tag/piracy/-image -
iPod is Born
October 23 - Apple Computer introduces the iPod portable music player for playing mp3 files, and it is a big hit, helping re-establish Apple's innovative reputation and improve their bottom line. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.-image -
Score one for the RIAA..
Napster is forced to "filter out" content due to RIAA lawsuit; hints at fees to come other free peer-to-peer software including Gnutella are developed to take Napster's place. http://ottawawebsites.wordpress.com/2012/01/12/the-dimensions-of-a-successful-website-design-part-3-of-4/-image -
DVD > VHS
DVD video disk players outsell VHS video cassette recorder/players for the first time. http://www.cfmpl.org/blog/2011/04/04/facts-on-abortion-why-you-cant-be-pro-life-and-pro-contraception/up-arrow/-image -
More Music
Music DVD's are introduced which can contain 7 - 10 times the amount of music. -
Invasion of the Ads
The TV screen gets more junked up by "crawls" -- banners at the bottom of the screen, and other distracting divisions of the screen in imitation of computer desktops. http://www.clker.com/clipart-thumbs-down-smiley.html-image -
Broadcasting Standards
October 10 - The F.C.C. approves a digital radio broadcast standard developed by iBiquity Digital Corp., a company backed by broadcasters including ABC and Viacom. http://www.realworld101.org/real-world-101-blog/2010/12/8/know-apartment-approval-requirements-before-visiting-an-apar.html-image -
F.C.C Says
The F.C.C. (U.S. Federal Communications Commision) requires all new U.S. television TV sets to include digital receivers in order to help the transition to digital transmission by February 17, 2009. http://www.narte.org/h/fccabout.asp-image -
iTunes
Apple Computer introduces a downloadable music service via its iTunes music application, which proved that people would pay 99-cents-per-tune to download music legally in the wake of peer-to-peer free (but illegal) file swapping. http://danielboshea.wordpress.com/2011/03/22/a-mess-of-free-words-on-the-whole-99-cent-thing/-image -
No More VHS
Retailers Wal-Mart, Target, Best Buy and Circuit City announce they will stop selling VHS Video Cassette tapes since DVD's are now the medium of choice for most consumers. http://www.aiv-video.com/-image -
NTSC is No More
December 20 -- the U.S. Congress agreed that Standard NTSC analog TV broadcasts will cease in favor of all digital TV transmission nation-wide on February 17, 2009. http://seeklogo.com/all-ntsc-logo-6716.html-image -
iTunes one millionth song sold
February 22 - Apple Computer's online music store integrated into its iTunes software and iPod hardware, sold it's one-billionth song on this date, proving that digital music can be accepted by the public when distributed across a network in a virtual form, as opposed to inscribed only in discrete tangible media. -
Telegrams Out
January 27 - Western Union stopped delivering telegrams as of this date --ending a service in the United States that it began in 1851; Their primary business is still money transfers. http://capitalbusiness.me/2012/05/21/allianz-and-western-union-sign-memorandum-of-understanding/-image -
Google Pruis
Google is testing these days, on Toyota Prius , a software which should allow cars to drive themselves. http://10awesome.com/10-awesome-inventions-of-2011/-image & Info
