Illustration by Pixelgarten
Process
50th Anniversary of the Integrated-Circuit Patent
It wasn't the sexiest of races, but, wow, was it important. In the 1950s, the rush to make the first functional integrated circuit was on. The unfortunately named Geoffrey W.A. Dummer, who thought up the idea, couldn't figure out how to make one, so others -- smarter, perhaps -- stepped up. The ones who stepped fastest were Texas Instruments' Jack Kilby and Fairchild Semiconductor's Robert Noyce. But only one could get the first patent. In 1959, Kilby and TI won it, but Noyce's silicon circuit ended up being the prototype on which the microprocessors we now use are based. Not that you should feel too badly for Kilby. He became a pretty wealthy man. And in 2000, he got a consolation prize honoring his achievement: a Nobel Prize in physics. -- Sean Ludwig
Log On
User-Generated Content Conference & Expo
San Jose
User-generated content may stoke Web traffic, but the (maybe) multibillion-dollar question is how to turn that into revenue. This new conference will gather experts and pros from across the UGC universe. The talk won't just be speculation, pledges Alan Meckler, CEO of organizer Jupitermedia. IStockphoto founder Bruce Livingston, whom Meckler calls "the first person in the world to think of how to make money with user-generated content," will keynote. His photo site posted revenue of $71.9 million in 2007. And in line with UGC's everyman spirit, the site paid $20.9 million in royalties to contributors. -- ACL
Be Superficial
the Surface Design Show
London
We're tired of the saying "style over substance," so thank goodness for this expo, where designers from firms including Zaha Hadid Architects and HOK get serious about aesthetics. In line with the eco-trend sweeping conferences, this year's show will celebrate materials with a sheen of green. Products on display will include earth-friendly Italian porcelain, old industrial resin turned into ceiling panels, and wallpaper with 30% recycled content. -- Clay Dillow
Say "Woof"
Global Pet Expo
Orlando, Florida
Trot down to this three-day showcase to hear a happy purr from 850 exhibitors. As other sectors languish in the economic doghouse, the pet world is bounding ahead like a golden retriever. Analyst David Lummis of research firm Packaged Facts predicts the $49 billion industry will grow 6% annually through 2013. Pets are apparently recession-proof. In many homes, "animals function as surrogate children," Lummis says. "People are more likely to cut back on purchases for themselves than for their child or pet." -- TB
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