Significant inventions in computer history

By stagephantom

  • MS-DOS was created

    MS-DOS was created
    IBM hired Paul Allen and Bill Gates to create an operating system for a new PC. The pair bought the rights to a simple operating system manufactured by Seattle Computer Products and used it as a template. IBM allowed the two to keep the marketing rights to the operating system, called DOS.

  • Compact disc was invented

    Compact disc was invented
    The CD-ROM format was first developed by Denon in 1982. The first CD was created at a Philips factory in Germany on August 17, 1982.

  • Apple commercial aired

    Apple commercial aired
    The now famous Apple "1984" commercial was aired during Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984. It introduces the Apple Macintosh computer, which utilizes a graphical user interface instead of needing to type in commands. In six months sales of the computer reach 100,000.

  • IBM announced its first laptop computer

    IBM announced its first laptop computer
    IBM PCD (PC Division) announced its first laptop computer, the PC Convertible, weighing 12-pounds, which is 18-pounds lighter than the earlier portable computer.

  • SoundBlaster sound card introduced

    SoundBlaster sound card introduced
    Creative Labs introduced the SoundBlaster, a sound card for the PC. The sound card contained an 11-voice FM synthesizer with text-to-speech, digitized voice input/output, a MIDI port, a joystick port, and bundled software.