30th anniversary
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30 years of Super Mario in pop culture
Mario may have cut his teeth hopping barrels as "Jumpman" in Donkey Kong back in 1981, but his true claim to fame came with Super Mario Bros. Created by acclaimed video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto, that game launched in September 1985, landing on the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES)/Famicom consoles. This year, the highly influential Mario series celebrates its 30th birthday, having entertained generations of arcade and console fans throughout several iterations over three decades. The impact of Nintendo's iconic Mario and his player-two bro Luigi on pop culture has gone far beyond just gaming itself; they've appeared in cartoons, movies, comics and even art. To join in celebrating 30 years of Super Mario Bros., we've put together a photo album of all things Mario over the years.
One man's story about how Macs saved him from his learning disabilities as a child
Now that he's an adult Mike McHargue is the CTO of the Zimmerman Agency, finding success in advertising and social music. But McHargue wasn't always on the path for success that landed him where he is today. As a child, he struggled with learning disabilities that impacted his ability to express himself in writing and class. It was only after he was introduced to the Macintosh as a child that he truly started to flourish as a student. McHargue has published a wonderful happy birthday tribute to the computer that changed his life over on his personal blog. Anyone who has ever struggled with a learning disability -- shout out to all the other dysgraphics out there -- knows how hard it is to reconcile the disconnect between what you think in your head and what your hands produce when you write. But for the rest of you, consider McHargue's story as a look into how much technology has opened doors for children who would have otherwise been left behind. As a child, he was put in special classes, but the results were mixed. I was such a poor early student that I was put in special classes. To this day, I'm not sure if the teachers suspected me of hidden brilliance or too-far-below-the-bell-curve intelligence. I suspect they were unsure as well. This individualized instruction didn't accomplish much, aside from a safe harbor from the teasing of my schoolmates. There were discussions in some years about holding me back. Things changed, however, when he was introduced to the Apple II in fourth grade. He started to teach himself programming, and learned about the magic of word processing. Our readers who have struggled with dysgraphia in the past will completely understand the wonder it brought to him. I can still remember the room where the computers were kept, and the exhilaration I felt when you could simply *press a key and letters would appear on screen.* It was writing, but without handwriting. I could type thoughts far easier than I could write them. The Apple II opened up the possibility of education, but it was the Macintosh that changed his life. Its cutting-edge graphic design options and easy-to-learn controls inspired him. Working on a computer provided the freedom to work without fighting to get his hand to write words. Before he was out of high school, he was building campus-wide networks out of unused intercom cabling, and helping science teachers set up computers. In eighth grade he was honored with the title "Computer Trainer of the Year." It was the first trophy he'd ever received. McHargue's story doesn't end there, but frankly as much as I relate to it, it's not mine to tell. You should read the whole thing yourself over on his blog, including how this former candidate for being held back was hired by the government when he was 17. Or how he met Steve Jobs. Or became a VP of a company by 25. As another person who struggled with learning disabilities as a child -- my parents were told when I was 8 years old that I'd never graduate from high school -- and who succeeded in life only with the help of computers, McHargue's story hits close to home. He beautifully expresses the idea himself at the end of the piece. I owe my life to that machine. Without it, I would have no career and no education. I wouldn't be able to blog. Steve Jobs said he wanted to put a dent in the Universe, and that dent created the space for me to have the life I live today. McHargue is part of the first generation of kids who had the opportunity to succeed because computers like the Macintosh were made available to them in schools. For children like him, and the ones who came after, the 30th birthday of the Macintosh is something special. It's not just the anniversary of a computer. It's the birth of hope for kids who might otherwise have never believed they were capable of more than traditional education told them they could do. Happy birthday indeed.
Macintosh 30th anniversary event set for January 25
On January 24, 1984 the world of home computers was forever changed by the debut of the Apple Macintosh. With a gigantic 9-inch monitor, a keyboard, a mouse and 128 KB of built-in memory, the computer could be yours for the low, low price of US$2,495 dollars. This year marks the Macintosh's 30th anniversary, and its birthday is getting its own special event. On January 25, 2014, All Planet Studios, the Computer History Museum and Macworld/iWorld will be throwing a celebration at the Flint Center in Cupertino, Calif. The event will be held in the same 2,300-seat auditorium where Steve Jobs first introduced the Mac, though the space has since been renovated. Of course, you wouldn't go just to see the auditorium, so the organizers have put together some fantastic panels. Members of the original development team will be holding a series of discussions about the creation of the Macintosh from conception to the modern day. Using previously unreleased video, attendees will be taken back in time to experience those early days. And, in what is possibly the coolest aspect of the event, directer Ridley Scott will be on hand to discuss his iconic "1984" ad. Daniel Kottke will be one of the main hosts of the event, with author Steven Levy, Randy Wigginton, George Crow, Rod Holt, Larry Tesler, Bill Fernandez, Bruce Horn, Ron Nicholson, Larry Kenyon, Jerry Manock, Donn Denman, Bill Bull, Martin Haeberli, Bryan Stearns, Bob Belleville, David Beaver, Sam Lyall, Carolyn Rose, Joe Sheldon, Debi Coleman, Brian Robertson and Pamela Wyman making appearances along with other original Macintosh team members. Profits from the event will go to supporting charities that promote computer and internet literacy, though no specific charities have been announced as of press time.
E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial Blu-ray full specs revealed, arrives in October
We already got an early peek at the trailer, but Universal has finally issued a press release that breaks down everything that will be included in the E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial 30th Anniversary Blu-ray. The disc will include only the 1982 theatrical version of the movie, a Dolby Digital 7.1 surround sound audio track and two brand-new featurettes. Those include an interview with the director Steven Spielberg and a behind the scenes look in The E.T. Journals. There's also support for the pocket BLU remote app, Ultraviolet and standard Digital Copy, and more. It certainly seems to be a package befitting the fourth-highest performing movie of all time, check after the break for another look at the trailer and the full press release. It's already up for preorder on Amazon for $24.49, although we'll have to keep waiting for an exact release date.
HP's 12c calculator hits middle age, copes by releasing Anniversary edition (video)
HP's tablet ship may have sailed, but at least you can still count on the outfit for your next reverse Polish notation calculator. That's right, HP's 12c just hit the big three-oh. The classic calculator is celebrating its mid life crisis 30th year in production with a special limited edition number cruncher, featuring an etched faceplate declaring its pedigree. If 1981's coolest calculator isn't your style, don't fret -- HP is also releasing a limited edition run of 1982's HP 15c, boasting a hundred-fold improvement in performance over its predecessor. Retro calculation can be yours for $80 and $100, respectively. Hit the break to see HP toot its own horn in the 12c's official 30th anniversary "Then & Now" video.
Today the MUD and the MMO turn 30
Today marks the 30th birthday of the original MUD, created at Essex University by Roy Trubshaw in 1978. We recommend you check out what Richard Bartle -- who worked on later iterations of the project -- has to say about this event, as well as Raph Koster's words on the subject. The question at hand, as presented by Bartle, seems to be: does this matter?While he is skeptical, we would like to posit that it does matter a great deal -- or at least that it should. Graphics alone shouldn't lead to a strong distinction when the fundamentals are the same, so let's consider the modern MMO to be part of the same tradition as the MUD -- let's say that this is the MMO's 30th birthday too.
Luke Skywalker's lightsaber heading into space
According to recent news out of NASA, the next time the Discovery crew take their ship into orbit, the "force" will be with them -- because they're taking Luke Skywalker's lightsaber along for the ride. That's right, for the film's 30th anniversary, the original lightsaber prop from the first Star Wars film is taking a ride into actual space... but that's not all. Apparently, Chewbacca will be on hand to pass the saber to officials from the Houston Space Center, and then together with Jango and Boba Fett, he will help push a plane back on the tarmac (for reasons unknown to us). But wait, there's more. When the Discovery lands in Houston returns after its space travels, the crew will be greeted by a group of Stormtroopers and other "Star Wars notables," including the much-loved R2-D2, who will then deliver the lightsaber to a waiting line of Hummers. Afterwards, there will be a party at the Mos Eisley Cantina, where Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes will play a set of their greatest hits.[Via Slashdot]
Star Wars 30th anniversary game, TV shows update
The Force was strong at the Licensing 2006 International trade show in New York last week. Lucas Licensing is coming off a record year of $3 billion in worldwide retail sales of its Star Wars consumer products. And despite the end of the movies, the franchise appears stronger than ever.In addition to this year's launch of Lego Star Wars II and the DVD release of the unaltered original trilogy, fans of the Force will have a 30th anniversary game to look forward to in Fall 2007. Lucas reps also confirmed both the CG-animated and live-action Star Wars TV shows are scheduled to debut in 2008.Now, if only they could get Galaxies out of its galactic funk.See also: E3 euphoric over Indiana Jones 2007
Thank you Steve site adds "Daily Stevequote"
Apple is celebrating it's 30th anniversary this year, and Thank You Steve is a site that has been set up to commemorate the occasion. Their official launch is scheduled for this Friday, January 27th, but in the meantime you can check out the daily "Stevequote." Some of the selected gems include "...You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new." Ah, Steve, you're so smart. We're also glad to see that they're including Woz in their list of quotes.Good luck to Thank You Steve! We look forward to Friday.
