SH&TNS - Throwback Thursday 1989 - Intel Ships the 486 Chip

🎙 Welcome to Shane Hewitt & the Nightshift 🎙

Shane Hewitt and the Night Shift crew "Throwback Thursday" focuses on the year 1989. The crew reminisced about their own experiences in 1989, and listeners are encouraged to share their personal stories from 1989 via text message! We also highlight significant Canadian events of that year, and a bit of pop culture from 1989, including music and movies.

Shane Hewitt and the "NightShift” Throwback Thursday continues with Technology journalist Carmi Levy focusing on the Intel 486 chip released in 1989. Carmi discusses the chip's significance, highlighting its role in the transition from text-based to graphic computing and the subsequent explosion of multimedia and internet use. He reflects on his personal experiences with early computers and the rapid evolution of technology, noting Moore's Law and the exponential growth in transistor count.

MicroChip Manufacturing in Canada

The Nightshift Throwback Thursday topic continues,with Dr. Jalal Ahamed, an engineering professor at the University of Windsor. He leads a $1 million research project to develop cutting-edge silicon-based timing chips, poised to revolutionize electronic devices worldwide. Dr. Jalal discusses the resurgence of microchip manufacturing in Canada. Dr. Jalal Ahmed, an engineering professor at the University of Windsor, highlights a project creating microelectromechanical timing chips used in computers and other devices. While Canada possesses the skilled workforce and resources (including rare earth minerals), the current limitation is investment. Historically, Canada had a strong semiconductor industry, but it declined. Now, with renewed focus driven by supply chain issues during the pandemic and geopolitical factors, there's a push to revitalize this sector, creating opportunities for Canadian engineers and boosting national security and self-sufficiency. Dr. Ahmed's project, partnered with a Montreal company, aims to design and manufacture these chips domestically, capturing a share of the multi-billion dollar timing device market and contributing to faster, more reliable electronics.

Ed Conroy 1989 in Canadian culture

Founder of RetrOntario Ed Conroy joins Shane Hewitt for a throwback to 1989. He discusses the impact of the Tim Burton Batman movie and Prince's "Bat Dance," the Calgary Flames' Stanley Cup win, and the rise of Canadian hip hop, largely attributed to the debut of MuchMusic's Rap City. Other highlights include the influence of Canadian television shows like Kids in the Hall, Electric Circus, and The Wedge, as well as the emergence of The Tragically Hip. Later Shane and Ed touch on the cultural significance of Maestro Fresh Wes' "Let Your Backbone Slide" and the impact of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement, concluding with a humorous reflection on what advice the speakers would give their 1989 selves.