 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computers |
| Founded | 1992 in Lenexa, Kansas |
| Founder | Jeffery Alholm |
| Defunct | 1998 |
| Fate | Acquired by Harris Semiconductor |
| Headquarters | |
| Website | was digitalocean |
Digital Ocean, Inc., was founded in 1992 by Jeffery Alhom. Digital Ocean was a maker of wireless products from 1992 until it was disbanded in 1998.
The company was founded in May 1992 by Jeffery Alholm and headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. [1] The company had several contracts with Apple Inc., [2] [3] [4] AT&T, [5] Aironet Wireless Communications [6] (later acquired by Cisco as its wireless LAN division), Harris Semiconductor, [7] the United States Department of Defense. [8] It was a co-developer of the IEEE 802.11 wireless standard and of the industry's first 802.11 chipset. It developed the Seahorse, arguably the world's first smartphone. [9] In addition, by specializing in rapid, custom development, the company concluded multiple individual development contracts for application-specific wireless products in vertical markets. Digital Ocean was granted approximately 20 patents for its development of wireless technologies.
In 1998 it was sold with its assets to Harris Semiconductor to become part of their Intersil division; Intersil was then spun off from Harris one year later.
Several products included:[ citation needed ]
The Starfish product lines include the Starfish Wireless Access Point for LocalTalk and EtherTalk Macintosh, the Starfish with Microcellular Roaming Software[ citation needed ] which enables seamless roaming, and the Starfish II Ethernet Access Point which Business Wire Magazine explained, "The Starfish II connects to wired networks and acts as the access provider for Manta and Digital Ocean's other station products." [10]
The Manta product lines include the Manta 500EN EtherTalk Wireless Station with AAUI Connection [11] , and the Manta 10BaseT which allows Wireless network connections at full Ethernet speeds. [10]
The Grouper line of products were networking devices that used spread-spectrum radio waves to communicate. Groupers could be attached to any PowerBook or used freestanding with any desktop Mac. Placing one Grouper on a wired network would have it serve as a hub for up to 15 other wireless Groupers. Keeping with Digital Ocean's theme, the collection of networked computers was called a school. Wireless devices could access the Grouper-enabled network from within a 250-foot distance indoors to an 800-foot distance outdoors, and the Grouper only used one-sixtieth the power of other comparable wireless devices. [12] [13] [14] [15]
The Macintosh products include; 200LTS Wireless LocalTalk Station for Macintosh [11] [16]
100MPS [17] which allows for a wireless local area connectivity for all Newton MessagePads.
Wireless local area connectivity for all Newton MessagePads; included additional port for serial devices, such as wand barcode readers, laser barcode scanners, and printers.
Package included Grouper 100MPS+ with Digital Ocean Pen Reader, bundled with AllPen barcode software for wireless data collection.
The original Wireless LocalTalk station for Macintosh that mounted directly to the bottom of 100xx PowerBooks. [18]
The Tarpon integrated an Apple Newton and Digital Ocean Grouper [2] with backlighting, a water-resistant and ruggedized case, and built-in wireless LAN, WAN, modem, voice capability for anything from simple peer-to-peer conversations to full telephony, and optional GPS via the PCMCIA slot. [2] [7] [21] [22] The addition of wireless capabilities to Newton-based devices was called "a major step forward" because "without it, they are not really useful." [23] The Tarpon began as the SuperTech 2000, [24] but was then further modified and released to the general public under the new name.
[25] A rugged handheld computer based on the Newton OS 2.0, the Seahorse was backlit, lightweight, and durable, with a variety of integrated communication capabilities: the first CDPD modem ever in a wireless PDA, PCMCIA slot, WLAN modem, and a modular snap-on nose for optional GPS and diffused infrared capabilities. A rugged boot protected Seahorse, while large-capacity, slide-in rechargeable batteries provided around eight hours of continuous use. Together these features made Seahorse a good solution for: remote handheld access to customer service databases, wireless Internet access, precision location applications utilizing handheld GPS systems, and wirelessly accessing corporate and Internet databases to utilize schematics and manuals while in the field. [26] [27]
Digital Ocean began sales of the Seahorse in 1996. Though not its original intention, the Seahorse arguably contained all the intellectual property and engineering in one integrated device to constitute the world's first smartphone, [9] as defined by four parameters:
Business Wire Magazine wrote, "'The UB-1 provides Seahorse with a fully featured, economical module in an easy to integrate form factor,' said Jeff Alholm, president and chief executive officer of Digital Ocean. 'Combining PCSI's proven cellular voice and data technology with Seahorse's power performance and options makes Seahorse a leading industry choice for users seeking a versatile and affordable handheld computer.'" [9] As such a groundbreaking product, the Seahorse received the Cellular Telephone Industry Association's (CTIA) 1996 award for Product of the Year. [9] [28]
All Digital Ocean wireless LAN (WLAN) [29] products utilized the company's patented protocol and software technologies along with a direct-sequence spread spectrum radio, giving Digital Ocean products superb penetration through walls, exceptional range, reliable data transfer, secure transmissions, and excellent throughput, [30] especially when compared to infrared LAN communication. [31] Digital Ocean products required no additional network operating hardware or software, and fully supported AppleTalk protocol services.
Digital Ocean developed and sold a complete family of LocalTalk and Ethernet wireless network adapters for use with Macintosh desktops, PowerBooks, and Newtons. In addition, the company's microcellular roaming permitted virtually unlimited wireless coverage areas. Their Starfish Access Points deployed microcellular roaming over a building or campus, allowing seamless wireless LAN connections over the entire area, similar to cellular telephones.
In 1996, Digital Ocean partnered with two other companies to provide Apple and PC platforms with their first ability to be on the same wireless LAN network through a single access point. The solution viewed each computer as an agnostic system when accessing the network, which placed all computers on equal footing in regards to their ability to communicate across an enterprise. [32]
In 1995 and 1996, Digital Ocean entered into three-way development contracts [6] with AT&T/Lucent [5] and Aironet to license Digital Ocean's media access control (MAC) chipset technology in return for access to AT&T/Lucent's semiconductor line, the PHY companion chips for each partner (DSSS and FHSS), plus broad development support from all parties. This work led to one common MAC chip for the three parties. Although branded differently for each partner, this common chip came from one manufacturing line and was then sorted and sold by AT&T/Lucent, Harris Semiconductor/Intersil (which by 1998 had acquired Digital Ocean and its assets), and Aironet/Cisco.
Before it was ratified as a standard, Digital Ocean was the leader in 802.11 capabilities, [33] [34] [35] placing great emphasis on wireless as the future of communication and technology in general. Digital Ocean's portfolio of around 20 patents weighted heavily in the wireless category. The IEEE had already decided that any standard ratified would need to be at no cost, therefore, as a strategy to maintain their stake in the trajectory of the wireless business, Digital Ocean formed a consortium with its partners to publish an open standard for interoperability among different vendors and their products. [6] They also licensed many of their patents to the emerging 802.11 standard. Some of Digital Ocean's patents included:
The MessagePad is a discontinued series of personal digital assistant devices developed by Apple Computer for the Newton platform in 1993. Some electronic engineering and the manufacture of Apple's MessagePad devices was undertaken in Japan by Sharp. The devices are based on the ARM 610 RISC processor and all featured handwriting recognition software and were developed and marketed by Apple. The devices run Newton OS.
Cellular Digital Packet Data (CDPD) is an obsolete wide-area mobile data service which used unused bandwidth normally used by Advanced Mobile Phone System (AMPS) mobile phones between 800 and 900 MHz to transfer data. Speeds up to 19.2 kbit/s were possible, though real world speeds seldom reached higher than 9.6 kbit/s. The service was discontinued in conjunction with the retirement of the parent AMPS service; it has been functionally replaced by faster services such as 1xRTT, Evolution-Data Optimized, and UMTS/High Speed Packet Access (HSPA).
A personal digital assistant (PDA), also known as a handheld PC, is a multi-purpose mobile device which functions as a personal information manager. PDAs have been mostly displaced by the widespread adoption of highly capable smartphones, in particular those based on iOS and Android, and thus saw a rapid decline in use after 2007.
A wireless LAN (WLAN) is a wireless computer network that links two or more devices using wireless communication to form a local area network (LAN) within a limited area such as a home, school, computer laboratory, campus, or office building. This gives users the ability to move around within the area and remain connected to the network. Through a gateway, a WLAN can also provide a connection to the wider Internet.
AirPort is a discontinued line of wireless routers and network cards developed by Apple Inc. using Wi-Fi protocols. In Japan, the line of products was marketed under the brand AirMac due to previous registration by I-O Data.
Wi-Fi is a family of wireless network protocols based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards, which are commonly used for local area networking of devices and Internet access, allowing nearby digital devices to exchange data by radio waves. These are the most widely used computer networks, used globally in home and small office networks to link devices and to provide Internet access with wireless routers and wireless access points in public places such as coffee shops, hotels, libraries, and airports to provide visitors.
John Sculley III is an American businessman, entrepreneur and investor in high-tech startups. Sculley was vice-president (1970–1977) and president of PepsiCo (1977–1983), until he became chief executive officer (CEO) of Apple Inc. on April 8, 1983, a position he held until leaving in 1993. In May 1987, Sculley was named Silicon Valley's top-paid executive, with an annual salary of US$10.2 million.
Wireless communication is the transfer of information (telecommunication) between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The most common wireless technologies use radio waves. With radio waves, intended distances can be short, such as a few meters for Bluetooth or as far as millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications. It encompasses various types of fixed, mobile, and portable applications, including two-way radios, cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), and wireless networking. Other examples of applications of radio wireless technology include GPS units, garage door openers, wireless computer mouse, keyboards and headsets, headphones, radio receivers, satellite television, broadcast television and cordless telephones. Somewhat less common methods of achieving wireless communications involve other electromagnetic phenomena, such as light and magnetic or electric fields, or the use of sound.
Newton OS is a discontinued operating system for the Apple Newton PDAs produced by Apple Computer, Inc. between 1993 and 1997. It was written entirely in C++ and trimmed to be low power consuming and use the available memory efficiently. Many applications were pre-installed in the ROM of the Newton to save on RAM and flash memory storage for user applications.
A hotspot is a physical location where people can obtain Internet access, typically using Wi-Fi technology, via a wireless local-area network (WLAN) using a router connected to an Internet service provider.
The history of mobile phones covers mobile communication devices that connect wirelessly to the public switched telephone network.
General Magic was an American software and electronics company co-founded by Bill Atkinson, Andy Hertzfeld, and Marc Porat. Based in Mountain View, California, the company developed precursors to "USB, software modems, small touchscreens, touchscreen controller ICs, ASICs, multimedia email, networked games, streaming TV, and early e-commerce notions." General Magic's main product was Magic Cap, the operating system used in 1994 by the Motorola Envoy and Sony's Magic Link PDA. It also introduced the programming language Telescript. After announcing it would cease operations in 2002, it was liquidated in 2004 with Paul Allen purchasing most of its patents.
Steve Capps is a pioneering American computer programmer and software engineer, who was one of the original designers of the Apple Macintosh computer and co-designers of the Finder in the 1980s. He also led development of the Apple Newton PDA and designed music software such as SoundEdit, before developing user interface (UI) designs for Microsoft's Internet Explorer and online/mobile payment systems.
ORiNOCO was the brand name for a family of wireless networking technology by Proxim Wireless. These integrated circuits provide wireless connectivity for 802.11-compliant Wireless LANs.
WaveLAN was a brand name for a family of wireless networking technology sold by NCR, AT&T, Lucent Technologies, and Agere Systems as well as being sold by other companies under OEM agreements. The WaveLAN name debuted on the market in 1990 and was in use until 2000, when Agere Systems renamed their products to ORiNOCO. WaveLAN laid the important foundation for the formation of IEEE 802.11 working group and the resultant creation of Wi-Fi.
A wireless configuration utility, wireless configuration tool, wireless LAN client, or wireless connection management utility is a class of network management software that manages the activities and features of a wireless network connection. It may control the process of selecting an available access point, authenticating and associating to it and setting up other parameters of the wireless connection.
Cisco Aironet is a maker of wireless networking equipment currently operated as a division of Cisco Systems. It was started by ex-Marconi Wireless employees in 1986 as Telesystems SLW in Canada, right after the United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC) opened up the ISM bands for spread spectrum license-free use. Telxon acquired Telesystems SLW in 1992, and Aironet Wireless Communications was spun off from Telxon's RF Division in 1994. Cisco Systems acquired Aironet in 1999.
The Newton is a series of personal digital assistants (PDAs) developed and marketed by Apple Computer, Inc. An early device in the PDA category, it was the first to feature handwriting recognition. Apple started developing the platform in 1987 and shipped the first devices in August 1993. Production officially ended on February 27, 1998. Newton devices ran on a proprietary operating system, Newton OS; examples include Apple's MessagePad series and the eMate 300, and other companies also released devices running on Newton OS. Most Newton devices were based on the ARM 610 RISC processor and all featured handwriting-based input.
TeleType Co., Inc. is a privately held company in the United States, specialized in developing software for GPS devices. It was founded in 1981, under the name TeleTypesetting Company and it is based in Boston, Massachusetts. The company's product line includes automotive and commercial GPS navigation systems and other products including GPS receivers and tracking units. It develops and sells the WorldNav software for PC and Windows CE, tools for converting third party maps into WorldNav maps, an SDK and an API that allow the customization of the WorldNav application. TeleType Co. also offers consultancy services for those interested in acquiring and adapting the source code of their software products.
The following outline of Apple Inc. is a topical guide to the products, history, retail stores, corporate acquisitions, and personnel under the purview of the American multinational corporation Apple Inc.
