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First IBM Computer
The first computer to use a semiconductor memory. The new model 145 stored an equivalent amount of data in half the space, compared to a computer using core memory. -
Pong is Released
A table tennis themed arcade video game, engineered by Al Acorn and manufactured by Atari. The game featured a simple two-dimensional graphics. -
The Silver Arm
A student of MIT, David Silver, invented the silver arm. The silver arm was a robotic arm intended to do small part assembly and give feedback from the pressure sensors. -
Atari Video Computer System
VCS was the first widely successful video game system. The VCS used a microprocessor and was designed to be connected to a home television set. -
LaserDisc (CD)
The LaserDisc was introduced as "DiscoVision" by MCA and Philips. It was the first commercial optical disc storage medium. It is not a fully digital format and stores analog video signals. -
Texas Instrument TI 99/4 is Released
The TI 99/4 has one of the fastest CPUs available in a home computer. The TI99/4 had a wide variety of expansion boards, with an especially popular speech synthesis system that could also be used with TI's Speak & Spell educational game. The TI 99/4 sold well and led to a series of TI follow-on machines.
