Today in Tech History with Tom Merritt

In 1901 – The first application for a patent for Meccano was submitted. Known at first as “Mechanics Made Easy,” this invention of Frank Hornby became a worldwide success and is sold in the US under the name “Erector Set”…Read more →

In 1889 – Herman Hollerith received a patent for his electronic tabulating machine. His Tabulating Machine Company would go on to merge with three others and be called International Business Machines, known today as IBM. In 1973 – Less than…Read more →

In 1714 – Henry Mill patented a machine for transcribing letters “one after another, as in writing.” Sadly, he died before he perfected the first typewriter. In 1839 – Louis Daguerre made the first announcement of his photographic system at…Read more →

In 1838 – Samuel Morse, with his partner, Alfred Vail, gave the first public demonstration of their new electric telegraphic system at the Speedwell Iron Works in Morristown, NJ. They used Morse’s specially designed code to send the message ““A…Read more →

In 1642 – Sir Isaac Newton was born in Woolsthorpe in England and would go on to develop describe universal gravitation and the three laws of motion as well as star in Neal Stephenson’s The Baroque Cycle. In 1958 –…Read more →

In 1957 – Hamilton Electric held a press conference to announce the World’s First Electronic Watch. The Hamilton Electric 500 never needed winding, just batteries. In 1977 – Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak incorporated Apple Computer Company. Ron Wayne famously…Read more →

In 1959 – Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the Moon, was launched by the USSR. In 1979 – Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston incorporated Software Arts for the purpose of developing VisiCalc, the world’s first spreadsheet program. In…Read more →