Today in Tech History – April 11

1936 – German Computer Designer Zuse Files for Patent

              German computer pioneer Konrad Zuse files for a patent for the automatic execution of calculations, a process he invents while working on what would become the Z-1, Germany’s first computer. In the patent application, Zuse offers the firs discussion of programmable memory, using the term “combination memory” to describe breaking programs down into bit combinations for storage. This is the first device to calculate in binary with translation to decimal. Zuse goes on to build a series of computers.

1957 – The Ryan X-13 Vertijet took off from Edwards Air Force base flew for a few minutes and landed. The significant part of the short flight was that it took off and landed vertically, becoming the first jet capable of doing so.

1970 – The ill-fated Apollo 13 launched from Kennedy Space Center. The second-stage inboard engine shut down early but orbital insertion was achieved. However the problems were not ever.

1985 – Scully Forces Out Jobs

             Almost exactly 2 years after joining Apple, John Scully, asks Steve Jobs to step down as head of the Macintosh division at an Apple Computer board meeting. With the backing of the company’s other executives, jobs is stripped of nearly all responsibilities at Apple. While jobs retains the title of Chairman, he has no authority and eventually leaves Apple.

2009 – Susan Boyle’s YouTube Moment

              Susan Boyle takes the Stage at “Britain’s Got Talent”. A person that most would write-off at first glance, sings “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables. Once she was done, the 48 year –old Scot got a standing ovation. The next day, her audition was posted and became one of the most viral on YouTube. It had been downloaded over 347 million times.

Of course, Boyle’s performance has been overshadowed by Gangnam style..

2012 – Pebble launched its smartwatch Kickstarter. It would become successful and lead to the resurgence of interest in smartwatches.

2017 – Microsoft officially ended support for Windows Vista on the same day it launched its windows 10 Creators update.

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