-
IKEA PC??
The LINC was a pc, that was assembled from kits of parts by the end users. -
The first of its kind
Apple II was the first complete computer. It had color graphics, a full QWERTY keyboard, and internal slots for expansion, which were mounted in a high quality streamlined plastic case. The monitor and I/O devices were sold separately. The original Apple II operating system was only the built-in BASIC interpreter contained in ROM. -
Period: to
The rule of 'the Trinity'
By 1976, there were several firms racing to introduce the first truly successful commercial personal computers. Three machines, the Apple II, PET 2001 and TRS-80 were all released in 1977, becoming the most popular by late 1978. Byte magazine later referred to them as the "1977 Trinity". -
Byte magazine announcement
In an editorial, Byte magazine says: "the era of off-the-shelf personal computers has arrived". -
IBM PC
It was a response for Apple II. The impact of these two was clear, when Time magazine named the home computer the "Machine of the Year", or Person of the Year for 1982. -
The best selling PC of all time
Commodore64 or C64 for short sold 17 million units before it's end. -
Period: to
PC with graphical user interface
Although Apple failed with 'Lisa', it's follower, the Macintosh was the first successful PC with a graphical UI or WIMP (Windows, Icons, Menus, Pointers). -
Laptops start to take over
In 1992 IBM introduced its ThinkPad range, the first really successful laptops on the market -
Custom built gaming computers
By the 2010s it became a standard for gamers to put together powerful machines from separately purchased parts to get more performance. -
The high-end today
There are obviously debates as to where lies the peak of personal computers, but one strong contender would be the Apple Mac Pro
