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What happened in history on this day: April 2?
On April 2 in ...
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Personal Computer history:
- 1986 - IBM introduces the IBM PC Convertible laptop computer. It features 80C88 processor, 256 kB RAM, LCD screen, and two 3.5-inch 720 kB floppy disk drives. The detachable LCD screen can be replaced by a high-resolution monitor. Weight is 12 pounds; price is US$2000; size is 14 x 12 inches.
- 1986 - IBM announces a new version of the IBM PC AT, with an 8 MHz 80286 processor.
- 1987 - In New York and Miami, IBM introduces the IBM Personal System/2 (PS/2) line, with IBM's first 386 PC, and 3.5-inch floppy drives as standard. The Model 30 features 8 MHz 8086 processor, 640 kB RAM, 720 kB 3.5-inch floppy drive, 20 MB hard drive, three expansion slots, PC-DOS 3.3, for US$1695-2295. Model 50 features 10 MHz 80286 processor, 1 kB RAM, 1.44 MB 3.5-inch floppy drive, 20 MB hard drive, three expansion slots, PC-DOS 3.3, OS/2, for US$3595. Model 60 features 10 MHz 80286 processor, 1 kB RAM, 1.44 MB 3.5-inch floppy drive, 44 or 70 MB hard drive, seven expansion slots, PC-DOS 3.3, OS/2, for US$5295-6295. Model 80 features 20 MHz 80386 processor, 2 kB RAM, 1.44 MB 3.5-inch floppy drive, 44/70/115 MB hard drive, seven expansion slots, PC-DOS 3.3, OS/2, for US$6995-10995.
- 1987 - IBM unveils its Video Graphics Array (VGA) in its Model 50 and higher of the PS/2 line. VGA offers 256 simultaneous colors at a resolution of 320x200, and 16 colors at 640x480. The colors displayed have six bits of depth for each primary color, giving a palette of 262,144 different colors to select from.
- 1987 - IBM unveils its Multicolor Graphics Array (MCGA) on its PS/2 Model 30. The MCGA is limited to 64K of memory, limiting 640x480 resolution to just 2 colors, but still allowing 320x200 in 256 colors.
- 1987 - IBM introduces its Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) on its Model 50 and higher of the PS/2 line.
- 1987 - IBM announces the 8514/A Display Adapter, a high-resolution graphics card for the MCA PS/2 line. The 8514/A adds 1024x768 in 16 colors to the standard VGA, at a cost of US$1290. With the addition of a US$270 Memory Expansion Kit, 640x480 and 1024x768 resolutions can be had in 256 colors.
- 1987 - IBM and Microsoft announce Operating System/2 (OS/2), Standard Edition for the IBM PS/2 computer line.
- 1987 - IBM announces Operating System/2, Extended Edition, Version 1.1.
- 1987 - IBM announces DOS 3.3 for PCs, for US$120. It adds support for 1.44 MB floppy disks, and multiple 32 MB hard drive partitions.
- 1987 - Microsoft announces Microsoft Windows 2.0.
- 1997 - The second JavaOne developers' conference is held. Over 10,000 attend.
- 1997 - Advanced Micro Devices introduces the K6 processor, featuring MMX instructions and dual 32 kB on-chip caches. Speeds and prices in 1000-unit quantities are 166 MHz (US$244), 200 MHz (US$349), 233 MHz (US$469). The processor incorporates 8.8 million transistors in a 0.35 micron process, and is based on the NexGen Nx686.
- 1997 - Prince Walid bin Talal of Saudi Arabia announces he has acquired 5 percent of Apple Computer for US$115 million, becoming the company's largest shareholder.
- 1998 - Intel introduces the Mobile Pentium II processor, in speeds of 233 and 266 MHz. It features 66 MHz memory bus, and a bus to the Level 2 cache at half the processor clock speed. Code-name during development was Mobile Deschutes.
- 2002 - Intel releases the 2.4 GHz Pentium 4 processor, with 400 MHz front-side bus. Price is US$562 in 1000-unit quantities.
- 2004 - Sun Microsystems and Microsoft sign a ten-year cooperative agreement, settling long-standing hostilities. The agreement includes server technology cross-licensing, US$700 million paid to Sun to resolve pending antitrust issues, US$900 million paid to Sun to resolve patent issues, and US$350 million paid to Sun in royalty payments. Sun and Microsoft will collaborate on Java and .NET technologies.
- 2008 - At the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai, China, Intel introduces the low-power Atom microprocessor, in speeds up to 1.86 GHz.
Video Game history:
- 1998 - Sony CEA sells the 10 millionth PlayStation video game system in North America.
- 2005 - In New York City, the Design and Technology department of Parsons School of Design hosts "Retro Redux", a 24-hour competition of participants from five New York design schools to create a game to the same specifications used for the Atari 2600. Nine teams compete. The winning game, Ninja Garden, by Club Awesome, will be included in a future release of Atari's Flashback video game system.
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