With Samsung Electronics launching its Galaxy S 4 smartphone this week at Radio City Music Hall in New York City (sadly, there was no sign of the famous Rockettes), it’s an opportune time to look back at some memorable technology product launches. Some had star power, some were flashy, and some just needed a guru in a turtleneck. Here’s five of our favourites.

1. Memorable technology product
launches
With Samsung Electronics launching its
Galaxy S 4 smartphone this week at Radio
City Music Hall in New York City (sadly,
there was no sign of the famous
Rockettes), it’s an opportune time to look
back at some memorable technology
product launches.
Some had star power, some were flashy,
and some just needed a guru in a
turtleneck.
Here’s five of our favourites.
By Jeff Jedras

2. Windows 95
Say what you will about versions of
Microsoft’s globally dominant operating
system since, but Windows 95 was a
major leap forward, and the team from
Redmond went all out for the 1995 event.
Bill Gates opened up the coffers and paid
The Rolling Stones a reported $3 million
to play the launch, and make “Start me
up” the theme song of the Windows
marketing campaign. Jay Leno probably
got less for his appearance.
And in Toronto, a 300 foot Windows 95
banner was hung from the CN Tower.

3. Apple iPad – the original
Was it only in January of 2010 that former
Apple CEO Steve Jobs transformed the IT
industry (again) by launching the first
Apple iPad?
It’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Derided at
the time by cynics as an oversized iPhone
that doesn’t make phone calls, it helped
change the way we work and play and
create the bring your own device trend.
As usual, Apple kept its launch event
simple though – just jobs in the signature
turtleneck, jeans and sneakers, talking
tech.

4. Samsung 3D LED TVs
When Samsung launched its new line of 3D
LED televisions in March of 2010, it spared
no expense.
Times Square in New York City was
secured, the Black Eyed Peas were hired to
headline, and Avatar director James
Cameron filmed the whole thing in 3D.
At this time, there’s no word if he’s
planning a new director’s cut with more
special effects.

5. Google Glass
More a product demo than a launch per se –
Google Glass is still under development –co-
founder Sergey Brin went all out at Google
I/O last year in San Francisco to show off the
potential of the augmented reality glasses.
Allowing the user to share what they’re
seeing, a team raced to relay a prototype to
Brin, with viewers watching a live sky dive
onto the roof of the Moscone Centre, a rappel
down the building, and a bicycle race to the
stage.
This is one demo where failure would have
been costly.

6. BlackBerry 10
It was the first major test for BlackBerry
CEO Thorsten Heins.
He took the baton and delivered a name
change (Research in Motion became
BlackBerry), an attractive new handset in
the Z10 with another, the Q10, due
shortly, an impressive new OS in
BlackBerry 10 and, for some star power
at the late January 2013 New York City
event, introduced Alicia Keys as the
company’s new creative director.
BlackBerry lives to fight another day.