1995
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- Sun Microsystems ships the 85-MHz Sun SuperSPARC II processor.
- Apple Computer ships QuickTime VR, bringing virtual reality to Macintosh
and Windows-based personal computers.
- Apple Computer ships the 1 millionth Power Macintosh.
- Apple Computer announces the Newton MessagePad 120.
- Digital Equipment ships the Alpha 21164 processor running at 266-MHz.
- Microsoft unveils Microsoft Bob, a "superapplication" for Windows comsumer
users, with a "social interface". The code name for the project was "Utopia".
- Radius Incorporated demonstrates the first Power Macintosh clone, using
Apple Computer's licensed System 7 operating system.
- Borland International founder Philippe Kahn resigns as president and
CEO.
- Advanced Micro Devices and Intel settle all outstanding processor related
legal issues. Advanced Micro Devices pays Intel US$58 million in damages,
and Intel pays US$18 million for breach of contract damagaes. Advanced
Micro Devices retains full rights to microcode in Intel386 and Intel486
chips.
- Compaq Computer reaches worldwide number one PC marketshare position.
- IBM announces that 1 million copies of OS/2 Warp have shipped.
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- Apple Computer extends its December 1994 lawsuit against San Francisco
Canyon Company to include Microsoft and Intel. Microsoft removes the disputed
code from Video for Windows, and releases version 1.1e.
- IBM announces PC DOS 7, with integrated data compression from Stac
Electronics (Stacker).
- IBM and Motorola announce that test samples have been made of the PowerPC
603e (100-MHz) and PowerPC 602 (66MHz) microprocessors.
- Judge Sporkin rejects the settlement worked out between Microsoft and
the Department of Justice, regarding Microsoft's alleged unfair trade
practices.
- U.S. Robotics acquires Megahertz Holding Corporation.
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- Borland International ships Borland Delphi.
- Apple Computer launches QuickTime On-Line, an Internet World Wide Web
server.
- A U.S. Appeals Court overturns the Lotus Development win against Borland
International, allowing emulation of Lotus 1-2-3 commands in Quattro Pro.
The reversal of the prior court ruling saves Borland International US$100
million that it might have been required to pay.
- Iomega begins shipping its Zip drive.
- IBM releases the ThinkPad 701C. It features an automatically expanding
full-sized keyboard, dubbed the Butterfly. The laptop features a 10.4-inch
thin-film transistor display, 50-MHz Intel 486DX2, 14.4K fax/modem, and
weighs just 4.3 pounds.
- Apple Computer signs a licensing agreement with DayStar Digital, allowing
the company to produce Macintosh compatible computers.
- Apple Computer signs a licensing agreement with Radius, allowing the
company to produce Macintosh compatible computers.
- Apple Computer signs a licensing agreement with Power Computing, allowing
the company to produce Macintosh compatible computers.
- Intel introduces the 120-MHz Pentium processor. Speed is 203 MIPS.
Pricing is US$935 each in quantities of 1000.
- Jim Cannavino resigns from IBM.
- Microsoft ships Bob for Windows.
- Digital Equipment ships the 166-MHz and 233-MHz Alpha 21066A processors.
- Digital Equipment ships the 300-MHz Alpha 21164 processor.
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- IBM ships the 110-MHz PowerPC 601 processor.
- Apple Computer announces the Power Macintosh 5200/75 LC for the education
market, using the 75-MHz PowerPC 603 processor.
- IBM releases PC DOS 7.
- Apple Europe introduces the Power Mac 6200 series in Europe.
- Wang Laboratories amd Microsoft settle their lawsuit regarding OLE.
Microsoft buys US$90 million of Wang stock for a license to Wang Laboratories'
patents as part of the settlement.
- The US Department of Justice files a lawsuit to block the merger of
Intuit and Microsoft.
- Lotus Development renames Ami Pro to Word Pro.
- Apple Computer introduces the new Apple CD 6003 quad-speed CD-ROM player.
- Apple Computer ships the QuickTake 150 digital camera for the Macintosh,
Power Macintosh, and Windows environments.
- At an auction in New York, ESCOM buys all rights, properties, and technologies
of Commodore.
- Micron Electronics buys Zeos Computer.
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- MIPS Technologies ships the 90-MHz R8000 RISC microprocessor.
- Microsoft and Intuit announce the termination of their planned merger.
- ESCOM announces the creation of a subsidiary company, Amiga Technologies,
in Germany.
- Apple Computer unveils the next generation of its Mac OS at its Worldwide
Developers Conference.
- Power Computing, the first company to license Apple Computer's Power
Mac technology, begins shipping its first Power Mac clones.
- Intel releases the mobile version of the 90-MHz Pentium processor.
- IBM unveils its new IBM PC 300 desktop systems, with 75-MHz and 90-MHz
Pentium CPUs. Complete systems start at US$2000.
- Apple Computer ships System 7.5.2 for the Macintosh, with PCI bus support.
- Intel introduces the P6 processor.
- Sun Microsystems announces sample availability of the 64-bit UltraSPARC
microprocessor.
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- IBM buys Lotus Development for US$3.5 billion in cash.
- Intel announces the immediate availability of the 133-MHz Pentium processor.
It uses 3.2 million transistors, employing 0.35 micron BiCMOS technology.
Speed is 218.9 MIPS. Price is US$935 each in quantities of 1000.
- Intel ceases shipments of the 60- and 66-MHz Pentium processors.
- The 1994 settlement between Microsoft and the US Department of Justice,
which was thrown out in February, is reinstated.
- Apple Computer introduces its first color laser printer, the Color
Laser Printer 12/600PS. The 600x600 dpi printer comes with 12 MB of RAM,
uses a Canon-based engine, and costs about US$7,000.
- Apple Computer introduces its first PowerMac system using Intel's PCI
bus, the Power Macintosh 9500, available with a 120-MHz or 132-MHz PowerPC
604 CPU. The 9500/120 with a 1 GB hard drive costs US$5000. The 9500/132
with 2 GB drive costs US$5800.
- IBM and Motorola announce that test samples have been made of the PowerPC
604 microprocessor at 120-MHz and 133-MHz.
- IBM ships the 120-MHz and 133-MHz PowerPC 604 processors.
- IBM debuts the Power Series 830 workstations with the PowerPC 604 microprocessor
(100-133 MHz), and the ThinkPad Power Series 850 with the PowerPC 603e,
at the PC Expo in New York.
- Iomega introduces an internal version of its 100MB removable cartridge
Zip drive.
- Iomega introduces the Jaz line of high-capacity removable cartridge
drives. The cartridges hold 1 gigabyte, costing about US$100 each. Transfer
rate of the drive is up to 5MBps.
- IBM adds the 133-MHz Pentium to its IBM PC 700 line.
- Data General announces that future Aviion workstations will use Intel
processors, not Motorola's 88000 chip.
- Boca Research signs a letter of intent to buy Hayes Microcomputer Products
for US$72 million, choosing to use the Hayes name for the merged company.
- To this point, Apple Computer has sold 2 million Power Macs and upgrade
cards since their initial release.
- Advanced Micro Devices announces sample availability of the clock-tripled
120-MHz Am486 DX4 processor.
- Compaq Computer introduces the 120-MHz Pentium-based Compaq Deskpro
XL, starting at US$3950.
- Microsoft releases Windows NT v3.51.
- Microsoft releases Windows NT v3.51 for the PowerPC.
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- MIPS Technologies ships the 250-MHz R4400 RISC microprocessor.
- Symantec buys Delrina.
- IBM completes its US$3.5 billion acquisition of Lotus Development Corporation,
making it a wholly-owned subsidiary.
- U.S. Robotics begins shipping enhanced Courier V.Everything modems
capable of transmitting data at up to 33.6Kbps.
- Cyrix announces the 100-MHz CX5x86 microprocessor.
- Seagate Technologies ships the one millionth Barracuda 3.5-inch hard
drive, since the line was introduced in 1993.
- Seagate Technologies ships the one millionth Elite 5.25-inch hard drive,
since the line was introduced in November 1989.
- Hewlett-Packard unveils the DeskJet 1600C and 1600CM, color ink-jet
printers.
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- The Software Publishers Association announces packaging guidelines
in an attempt to reduce packaging and use less environmentally harmful
materials.
- Pinnacle Micro introduces the Apex 4.6, a 5.25-inch optical drive,
storing 4.6GB on a single removable disc. Transfer rate is up to 6MBps,
with a seek time of 17ms. Costs are US$200 for cartridges, and US$1700
for the drive. Software supports Windows, Macintosh, and various Unix
platforms.
- Microsoft and the US Department of Justice sign a "consent decree",
which will govern Microsoft's licensing practices of Windows for the next
6.5 years. The ruling comes after 4 years of investigation of monopolistic
licensing practices.
- Apple Computer introduces the Power Macintosh 7200, with a 75-MHz or
90-MHz PowerPC 601 processor, 8MB RAM, 500MB or 1GB hard drive, and 4X
CD-ROM drive. The system uses Intel's PCI bus.
- Apple Computer introduces the Power Macintosh 7500, with a 100-MHz
PowerPC 601 processor, 8MB RAM, 500MB hard drive, and 4X CD-ROM drive.
The system uses Intel's PCI bus.
- Apple Computer introduces the Power Macintosh 8500, with a 120-MHz
PowerPC 604 processor, 16MB RAM, 1GB hard drive, and 4X CD-ROM drive.
The system uses Intel's PCI bus.
- Lotus Development ships SmartSuite 4.0 for Windows 3.1, for US$400.
- Intel demonstrates a system using a 150-MHz P6 CPU, running Windows
95.
- Boca Research abandons its plans to merge with Hayes Microcomputer
Products.
- Microsoft releases Windows 95. More than 20,000 retail stores offer
copies for sale. Microsoft prepares for support calls, with 1600 people
staffing tech support lines. 1 million copies of the new and upgrade versions
are sold through retail channels within the first 4 days.
- Microsoft begins shipping Windows NT Server 3.51.
- Compaq Computer introduces nine new desktop models based on the 133-MHz
Pentium processor.
- Compaq Computer and Fisher-Price team up to develop, manufacture, and
market a new line of educational and entertainment-oriented products.
- Microsoft introduces Microsoft Office 95.
- Microsoft releases Microsoft Internet Explorer 1.0.
- Hewlett-Packard introduces the DeskJet 850C and 855C, color ink-jet
printers. Prices: US$658 and US$663, respectively.
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- The United States Patent Office overturns the decision to grant Gilbert
Hyatt a patent on the microprocessor. The ruling recognizes Texas Instruments'
Gary Boone as the prior inventor of the microprocessor.
- Diamond Multimedia Systems acquires modem maker Supra, for cash and
stock worth US$54 million.
- AT&T shuts down NCR, at a cost of US$1.2 billion.
- IBM introduces the Aptiva PC.
- Intel announces the official name for the P6 chip: Pentium Pro.
- Two groups of companies agree on a proposed high density compact disc
format. The new format will allow up to 18.8 gigabytes total on a double-sided
disc.
- One month after the release of Windows 95, an estimated 7 million copies
have been sold to end-users.
- Six months after its release, 30,000 units of Microsoft' Bob have been
sold.
- Intel introduces the 83-MHz Pentium OverDrive processor, for replacement
in 33-MHz 486DX and 486DX2/66 systems. Price: US$300.
- Novell sells UnixWare and the rights to the UNIX operating system to
Santa Cruz Operations for US$145 million.
- Amiga Technologies ships the A1200 microcomputer. It features a 14-MHz
Motorola 68EC020 microprocessor, 2 MB RAM, 24-bit color, 3.5 inch 880KB
floppy drive, optional 170 MB hard drive, and the AmigaOS 3.1 operating
system.
- Intel announces the 80486SXSF and GXSF 486 microprocessors, designed
for hand held computer products. The GX has a 16-bit bus, the SX a 32-bit
bus. Both are 33-MHz, operating on 2.0-3.3 volts.
- AT&T spins off its computer subsidiary (formerly NCR) as AT&T
Global Information Solutions.
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- Digital Equipment announces its Alpha 21164 processor running at 333-MHz.
- Intel introduces a 120-MHz Pentium designed for mobile computers.
- NexGen announces the Nx686 processor. It integrates new multimedia
instructions and a multimedia execution unit into the x86 architecture.
- Seagate Technologies and Conner Peripherals agree to a US$1.1 billion
merger.
- Sun Microsystems ships the 143-MHz and 167-MHz versions of the UltraSPARC
processor.
- Intel releases the mobile version of the 120-MHz Pentium processor.
- Advanced Micro Devices and NexGen announce a planned merger, in which
NexGen would become a subsidiary of Advanced Micro Devices. The cost to
Advanced Micro Devices is US$861 million in stock.
- IBM celebrates the first anniversary of launching OS/2 Warp, with nearly
4 million copies sold.
- IBM releases the ThinkPad 760CD, with the industry's first 12.1-inch
thin-film transistor display on a laptop. The laptop uses a 120-MHz Pentium
processor.
- Motorola announces pricing and general availability of 100- and 120-MHz
versions of its PowerPC 603e microprocessor. Prices are US$207 and US$260
each, respectively, in quantities of 1000.
- Jim Manzi announces his resignation as CEO of Lotus Development.
- Novell announces its decision to exit from the personal productivity
applications business, to focus on networking software.
- Cyrix announces the 100-MHz CX6x86 microprocessor (formerly code-named
M1). The chip is manufactured by IBM, and priced at US$450 each in quantities
of 1000.
- Cyrix announces sample availability of the 120-MHz 5x86, available
for US$160 each in quantities of 1000.
- Six weeks after its release 4 million copies of Windows 95 have been
sold.
- Microsoft reports selling 7 million copies of Windows 95 in under two
months of its release.
- IBM ships the 150-MHz PowerPC 604 processor.
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- IBM ships the 120-MHz version of the PowerPC 601 processor.
- Amiga Technologies ships the A4000T microcomputer. It features a 25-MHz
Motorola 68040 microprocessor (or 50-MHz 68060), 2 MB chip RAM, 24-bit
color, 4-channel stereo sound, IDE and SCSI II adaptors, 3.5 inch 880KB
floppy drive, 1 GB hard drive, and the AmigaOS 3.1 operating system.
- Power Computing begins shipping the PowerWave 604 series of Macintosh-compatible
PowerPC-based microcomputers. They use the 120- to 150-MHz PowerPC 604
processors. Prices start at US$3200.
- President of Amiga Technologies announces that the Power PC processor
will be used in Amiga computers sometime in 1997.
- U.S. Robotics begins shipping enhanced Sportster v.34 modems capable
of transmitting data at up to 33.6Kbps.
- Intel announces the Pentium Pro microprocessor, at speeds of 150-,
180-, and 200 MHz, available initially for US$974 to US$1682. The processor
uses 5.5 million transistors.(166-, 180-, and 200-MHz versions announced
in February 1996)
- SPARC Technology Business, a division of Sun Microsystems, Inc., announces
the sampling of the 200-MHz 64-bit UltraSPARC-I microprocessor.
- Sun Microsystems introduces new Ultra 1 and Ultra 2 workstations, based
on the 64-bit UltraSparc microprocessor. Initial speeds are 143-, 167-,
and 200-MHz, with prices ranging from US$16,500 to US$60,000.
- Hewlett-Packard announces the Model C110 workstation.
- NexGen announces the sampling of the 120-MHz Nx586 processor. Price
is US$303 each in quantities of 1000.
- NexGen announces the sampling of the 133-MHz Nx586 processor. Price
is US$447 each in quantities of 1000.
- Advanced Micro Devices begins shipping samples of its 133-MHz Am5x86
Pentium-class processor. Price is US$93 each in quantities of 1000.
- Mitsumi announces a 128-MB 3.5-inch flexible disk drive system, compatible
with 720KB and 1.44MB diskettes.
- IBM, Apple Computer, and Hewlett-Packard dissolve Taligent Inc.
- IBM, Apple Computer, and Motorola release the PowerPC Platform specifications,
called the Common Hardware Reference Platform (CHRP). It encompasses support
for Macintosh System 7, Windows NT, AIX, Solaris, NetWare, and OS/2. Windows
3.x and Windows 95 are excluded.
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- IBM and Apple Computer dissolve Kaleida Labs.
- Digital Equipment ships the 300-MHz Alpha 21064A processor.
- Digital Equipment ships the 333-MHz Alpha 21164 processor.
- Apple Computer ships the Newton 2.0 operating system.
- IBM ships a record 1 million copies of OS/2 Warp in the month, bringing
the installed base to 12.7 million.
- IBM completes work on OS/2 for the PowerPC.
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- Intel destroys 1.5 million flawed Pentium chips, at a rough cost of
US$475 million.
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- Apple Computer ships an updated "Houdini" board, the DOS Compatibility
Card for the Power Macintosh. For US$740, it gives a 486DX2/66, sound,
and 800x600 SVGA graphics.
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- Microsoft releases FoxPro 3.0 for Windows, with OLE support.
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- Nintendo officially drops the Nintendo Entertainment System from its
product line.
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- Sega introduces the 32-bit game system, Saturn.
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- Sony Electronics introduces the 32-bit game system, PlayStation.