History

On the fifth anniversary for the iPhone and as we draw closer to the release of iOS 6 this fall (read our First Take from WWDC here), I can't help but think of how far Apple's iOS has come since the day the first iPhone was unveiled.

If you remember, that first iPhone was announced by Steve Jobs and Apple on January 9, 2007, and was more about the touch-screen interface than any extras, but it wasn't until June of that year the iPhone was released to the public. That first iOS wasn't even called iOS (… Read more

Windows 8 offers several features designed to secure your files, but one of the most useful ones is File History.

The new File History feature can back up all your documents, browser favorites, desktop icons, and other personal files. Once set, File History runs automatically at specific times, though you can always trigger it manually.

You can also set the backup destination to a USB or network drive so your files are recoverable even if your hard drive crashes or gets corrupted. If one of your personal files gets lost or damaged, you can simply restore its most recent copy … Read more

My perception of Ford Motor is probably similar to most people's. The Mustang was the hallmark car in the '70s. The company suffered the same malaise as other automakers in the '80s, while the '90s saw bigger and bigger SUVs. And, of course, there was the ever-present F-150, either seen as beat-up work truck or shiny suburban boat hauler.

Somewhere along the way Ford's trajectory changed, though, to the point where it is now leading the technology charge in vehicles.

I found out how it all changed from the horse's mouth, as it were, at a speaking … Read more

YouTube user RockeyPlanetesimal's "Go right" video might send you dashing down memory lane with its array of clips of beloved game characters running for their lives.

The beautiful montage of video game history, infused with dramatic music, shows off many popular games from past and present. As an enhancement to the experience, the footage appears self-shot, giving it a much livelier feel. … Read more

ALAMOGORDO, N.M.--A flat plaque in cement on the ground in front of the flagpoles at the New Mexico Museum of Space History marks the final resting place for Ham the Astrochimp. I've brought flowers to spruce the place up a little bit, but it still looks very plain. This isn't quite what I expected. I thought the grave of a space pioneer might have a little more flair.

Earning a real name Ham's name is an acronym for "Holloman Aeromedical," the lab where he and other space chimps were trained. He didn't earn a real name until he successfully returned from orbit. Before that, he was Chimp Number 65.… Read more

A good standalone uninstallation application can remove traces of programs that other uninstallers leave behind, and that includes the built-in Windows feature. Advanced Uninstaller Pro is a free tool that not only removes all detectable traces of the programs you uninstall but also automatically cleans traces from the Registry. Its unique installation-monitoring feature automatically or manually tracks what happens to your system when you install or uninstall programs. It not only ensures that all traces of installed programs are removed but also helps diagnose installation problems. Advanced Uninstaller Pro also packs a wide range of system maintenance tools and tweaks.… Read more

Have you ever wondered if other people might have been using your computer while you are away? Worry no more. History Viewer from Digital Forensics Studio is a free application that details a computer's specific usage. It will provide such information as programs used, visited Web sites, files opened, as well as searches that have been done on the machine.

The software has a simple but easily understandable interface. The left-most pane lets the user pick what history they want to view under the browser used: Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, or Mozilla Firefox. They can also choose to view … Read more

Just in case his billion-dollar blockbuster wasn't realistic enough for you, not to mention the new $18 million 3D version, James Cameron has created another film about the Titanic, which presents its final minutes in stunning detail.

"From iceberg to bottom, it's never been animated so precisely and so dramatically," the Canadian ubermensch and premier Titanic obsessive says in the trailer to "Titanic: The Final Word With James Cameron," which premieres on the National Geographic Channel on April 8. … Read more

Roughly 20,000 years ago the great ice sheets that buried much of Asia, Europe, and North America stopped their creeping advance. Within a few hundred years sea levels in some places had risen by as much as 10 meters -- more than if the ice sheet that still covers Greenland were to melt today. This freshwater flood filled the North Atlantic and also shut down the ocean currents that conveyed warmer water from equatorial regions northward. The equatorial heat warmed the precincts of Antarctica in the Southern Hemisphere instead, shrinking the fringing sea ice and changing the circumpolar winds. … Read more