XDA - On this day

On this day 11 years ago, Apple released its own disastrous Maps app

Tanveer Singh — Tue, 19 Sep 2023 20:56:18 GMT

Just a few years ago, owning an iPhone was no guarantee that you'd be using Apple Maps for your navigation needs. In fact, it was the opposite as people overwhelmingly downloaded Google Maps the moment they set up their new iPhone. This negative trend toward Apple Maps harkens back to its disastrous launch 11 years ago and Apple's somewhat slow pace of updates, pushing people toward Google Maps as the quintessential maps application.

On this day, Steve Jobs resigned from Apple (and was named CEO 12 years later)

Brady Snyder — Sat, 16 Sep 2023 15:00:25 GMT

Tim Cook has led Apple for over a decade now, and he's done a pretty good job, helping it become the first trillion-dollar company ever. Many of us still think of Apple as Steve Jobs' company, since he helped Apple rise through a few dark periods to create successful products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and more. But before the late Apple co-founder was enshrined as a legendary technology CEO, Jobs resigned from the company he helped found 38 years ago to this day. Perhaps more surprising is that he was re-hired as Apple's boss 12 years later as part of a high-profile acquisition.

36 years ago, Apple released what would be the last Apple II personal computer

Brady Snyder — Fri, 15 Sep 2023 17:00:25 GMT

Apple created the first widely successful personal computer with the Apple II, which sparked a lineage of great Macs and PCs. But on this day in 1986, the company released its final iteration, called the Apple IIGS. It was the family's most powerful computer and had already been on the market for six years, so why did Apple abandon its claim to fame at a time when it arguably had the most potential? It had to do with Apple's direction not only in the personal computing space but as a technology company as a whole.

10 years ago, Apple announced an iconic iPhone and a major disappointment

Tanveer Singh — Sun, 10 Sep 2023 15:00:28 GMT

Apple is likely to reveal the iPhone 15 series at its upcoming September event, which can be exciting, but the launch of a new iPhone is not what it was years ago. Users today can only expect Apple to bring incremental upgrades or too-little-too-late features like a USB-C port.

On this day in 1995, eBay launched as an 'honest and open marketplace'

Usama Jawad — Sun, 03 Sep 2023 15:00:25 GMT

Over a Labor Day weekend in 1995, 28-year-old Pierre Omidyar began writing code for a website that would initially be called AuctionWeb. It was meant to offer an "honest and open marketplace" that would connect buyers to sellers directly. AuctionWeb went live on Sept. 3, 1995, with the first item purchased being Omidyar's broken laser point for $14.83. Omidyar reached out to the buyer asking if he had accidentally purchased the defective item. He learned that the transaction was intentional because the buyer wanted the spare parts to build his own.

On this day in 2009, Mac OS X Snow Leopard launched

Mahmoud Itani — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 15:00:27 GMT

There's no denying that macOS Sonoma, so far, is the most polished and capable OS for Apple's computers, especially when running on the latest Mac models. Though, at the same time, we can't ignore its predecessors, as they're what shaped the operating system via gradual improvements introduced throughout the years. For this reason, let's take a walk down memory lane and observe Mac OS X Snow Leopard (version 10.6), which launched on this day back in 2009.

On this day in 1991, Linus Torvalds announced he was working on what would become Linux

Ayush Pande — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 18:31:26 GMT

Linux is one of the most popular operating systems besides Windows and MacOS. Its high focus on security, customizability, and portability, together with low hardware usage, make it highly versatile for casual users and developers alike.

28 years ago, Windows 95 was the start of a new era

João Carrasqueira — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 17:00:09 GMT

On Aug. 24, 1995, Microsoft unleashed Windows 95 onto the world. Indeed, this massively influential OS release turns 28 years old today. Not only was it the first version of Windows to ship with Internet Explorer, but it also introduced elements that became staples of Windows for decades to come. Even to this day, you can feel the effects of Windows 95 throughout Microsoft's products.

On this day in 2011, Steve Jobs resigned from Apple

Mahmoud Itani — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 15:01:25 GMT

Who hasn't heard of Steve Jobs, the inventor, visionary, and businessman who co-founded the most valuable brand to date? On this day 12 years ago, Jobs submitted his resignation letter, marking the end of his era as Apple CEO. Despite that, the technology giant continued to grow since Jobs had built a solid foundation that still carries and supports the new Apple products we use today.

On this day in 2002, Mac OS X Jaguar launched

Mahmoud Itani — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 15:00:25 GMT

On this day 21 years ago, long before macOS Sonoma and the Mac Studio (2023), Apple launched Mac OS X Jaguar. Marked as version 10.2, this release introduced a number of improvements and features, including some foundations that today's machines still rely on. So, how notable was Mac OS X Jaguar? Let's find out!

On this day 19 years ago, Google went public at a valuation of $23 billion

Usama Jawad — Sat, 19 Aug 2023 17:01:24 GMT

Despite having software and hardware products in a lot of major consumer and enterprise categories, Google is perhaps best known for its internet search engine. It's a name that has become synonymous with any terminology relating to searching the web, to the point that it's used as a verb. However, Google wasn't always this big, a major turning point for the company was the day it decided to go public 19 years ago today. Indeed, Google's initial public offering (IPO) happened on August 19, 2004, putting the company to become the behemoth it is today.

On this day in 1947, HP was incorporated, thanks to a coin toss

Tanveer Singh — Fri, 18 Aug 2023 15:00:26 GMT

On August 18th, 1947 — exactly 76 years ago — Hewlett-Packard or HP (now known as HP Inc.) was incorporated, although the multinational personal computing giant was founded earlier in 1939. For many decades now, HP has been a household name in the personal computer, enterprise server, and printer industries, among many others. The world's leading PC manufacturer from 2007 to 2013, HP has produced widely respected products over its illustrious history.

On this day in 1995, Microsoft launched Internet Explorer and changed its course forever

Rich Woods — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 15:03:30 GMT

On August 16, 1995, Microsoft first launched its web browser, Internet Explorer. Codenamed O'Hare (after the airport), it was officially named after Windows Explorer and, well, the internet.

25 years ago, Apple changed everything with the first iMac

Arif Bacchus — Tue, 15 Aug 2023 17:00:23 GMT

Apple is often at the forefront of innovation in the tech industry. For example, these days, Macs are all the rage thanks to the powerful Apple silicon, which helps these computers place at the top of the pack, even against the best Windows laptops and gaming PCs. The company's custom silicon changed the industry, but it wasn't the first time Apple made such an impact.

29 years ago, Microsoft thought of bundling Internet Explorer with Windows

Usama Jawad — Mon, 14 Aug 2023 15:01:23 GMT

Most of us now consider it common practice for a vendor to bundle a web browser in its operating system; Windows ships with Microsoft Edge, ChromeOS comes with Google Chrome, macOS sports Apple Safari, while Ubuntu has Mozilla Firefox pre-installed. However, this wasn't always the case, especially in the early days of the internet when the technology was yet to reach mass market. In fact, Microsoft bundling Internet Explorer (IE) in Windows 95 was a pretty major move and was meant as a way to combat Netscape's growing popularity in the web browser space, in what would eventually be known as the "First Browser War".

The IBM PC came out 42 years ago today

Matthew Connatser — Sat, 12 Aug 2023 17:00:24 GMT

Today, IBM's Personal Computer, also known as the PC, turns 42 years old. It's hard to understate how important the PC was, not just in how it pushed the home computing market forward, but also how it had decisive implications for how the computing industry developed. Even 42 years later, we can still very much appreciate the consequences of the PC.