Test Your Nerd Knowledge: July 19, 2022
Here’s a review of this week’s questions:
- What computer hardware giant started in 1942 as Daiwa Kogyo, Ltd., on the shore of Lake Suwa in Nagano, Japan?
- What free online web service started in 1967 with the founding of Cartographic Services?
- In what U.S. city would you find software companies such as Flatirons Development, Gorilla Logic, and Spire Digital?
And here are the answers:
- Epson Printing. Anyone who has ever used their inkjet, dot matrix, thermal, or laser printers is familiar with the name Epson. However, the company’s history may not be as well known. Officially recognized globally as Seiko Epson, the roots of the company go back to its Japanese origins, and Daiwa Kogyo, Ltd, which was founded in May 1942. Originally a manufacturer of watches and watch parts, the Seiko company rose to prominence as the official timekeeper for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. Shortly thereafter, a subsidiary called Shinshu Seiki introduced the EP-101, the world’s first mini-printer.
- Mapquest. MapQuest.com officially launched in 1996, and even though it’s been surpassed by Google Maps and other applications, it is still guiding travelers the world over. It all started in 1967, when R.R. Donnelley and Sons created a new division, Cartographic Services, to produce printed road maps and distribute them for free at gas stations. In 1994, Cartographic Services became an independent company and was renamed GeoSystems Global Corporation. MapQuest was acquired by America Online in 2000.
- Denver, Colorado. According to choosecolorado.com, “All tech eyes should be turned to Colorado. From the startups to the major technology corporations, nearly 11,000 technology companies are located in Colorado.” Denver alone is home to 27 major software headquarters, from Vizio to Zoom to RingCentral. Due to its almost-equal distance from Midwest cities such as Chicago and St. Louis and West Coast cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, Denver provides great benefits for the telecommunications and IT industries, as the Mountain Time Zone allows same-day communication with both coasts of the U.S., South America, Asia and Europe.