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Hewlett Packard is founded
When Hewlett Packard was first founded they sold audio oscillators to Walt Disney. These audio oscillators generate one frequency or sound and were used in the production of Fantasia. They would later become a large name in the computer industry. -
The First Generation of computing starts
The first generation of computing used mostly vacuum tubes for circuits and magnetic drums for storage. These are the earliest examples of computers and thus were inefficient and primitive. -
The Complex Number Calculator is complete
The CNC (Designed by George Stibitz) is likely the first example of remote access computing, a huge milestone especially for the time. -
John von Neumann
Neumann was a mathematician who helped the world of computer science greatly. He made contributions to sequences of instructions and data. He also wrote about computers (specifically more efficient ways for storing data electronically) in a widely circulated paper. This showed many people how to make better computers and exposed the industry to many more people. -
Manchester's SSEM runs its first computer program
The SSEM ran a 17 instruction program, being the first computer to run a computer program. -
The Second Generation of Computing Begins
Now most computers use transistors instead of vacuum tubes. They made computers smaller, faster, cheaper, and easier to run. -
MIT's Whirlwind uses the first keyboard
The Whirlwind was the first machine to use a keyboard to easily input data to the computer. -
John Bardeen
John Bardeen's largest contribution to computing was his assistance in inventing the transistor. The transistor replaced the vacuum tube as a circuit and was used widely in the 2nd generation. -
The PDP-1 is the first computer to play a video game
The PDP-1 plays the game "Spacewar!" a simple space shooter where going off the screen returns you on the other side. Video gaming on the computer would later become hugely popular. -
The SAGE system is fully developed
The SAGE (Semi-Automatic Ground Environment) system was a large scale air defense system using multiple supercomputers to produce a image of the area above the United States. It would have been used to detect soviet air attacks. -
The CDC 6600 is the worlds fastest computer until 1969
The CDC 6600 was the fastest supercomputer of its time, doing 3 million calculations per second. -
The Third Generation of Computers Begins
Generation 3 computers now used integrated circuits. This new method made computers smaller still. These new generation computers involved keyboards and monitors like most machines today. -
Jack Kilby
Kilby was the inventor of the integrated circuit, the standard for computers in the 3rd generation and a step in the right direction for smaller computers and eventually personal computers. -
The LGP-30
The LGP-30 is the first semi commercially successful computer. -
The PDP-8 is the first commercially successful minicomputer
The PDP-8 sold over 50,000 times, largely attributed to the fact that it was the first computer to be sold for under 20,000 dollars. -
The Apollo Guidance Computer is installed and used on many ships within the Apollo program
The AGC weighed on 70 pounds, and was used for controlling the spacecraft. The astronauts inputted commands to the machine through a key pad. -
Hewlett Packard released the HP-35
The HP-35 was the worlds first scientific calculator, being able to do exponent and trigonometric functions. This calculator could do all this while only fitting in a shirt pocket. -
The Xerox 9700 is the world fist laser printer
Laser printers were a huge innovation in the computing world, and Xerox gained billions of dollars from this discovery -
The Fourth Generation of Computers begins
Now computers use microprocessors. This made storage space significantly smaller than ever before, allowing the "Home Computer" to thrive. These computers new power also allowed them to link together, paving the road to establishing the internet. -
The Apple 2 is released
The Apple 2 was a major innovation in the computer world. It was one of the first extremely successful personal computers. Not only was it influential for its good design, but also because of the amount donated to schools. Many students had access to these machines, giving the common person access to computers. -
Bill Gates
Bill Gates is the founder of Microsoft, the largest software business in the world. He helped develop the Microsoft systems as well as creating the BASIC language, a pioneer of computer languages and a very popular one at its time. This operating system was used by IBM computers which was a front runner in the industry at the time. Finally, Bill Gates is currently the richest man in the entire world. -
The Commodore 64 is released
The Commodore 64 was another example of a extremely successful personal computer, with 10 to 17 million units sold. The C64 had better graphics systems, multi colored sprites, and a better sound system then its competitors. -
Macintosh
The Macintosh was the first computer to actually use a mouse,as well as having an updated graphical interface. This was another major computer in the 80s -
The World Wide Web is first Launched
Although primitive, the world wide web allowed people to access plenty more information than ever thought possible. -
The Apple iPhone is Released
The first iPhone had a extremely noticeable impact on the computing world. It was a handheld computer with a web browser, a music player, the ability to call other phones, a camera, a GPS, and a store with which a user can purchase or download new applications or "Apps" -
The Fifth and current generation of computers begins
The Fifth Generation of computers has begun recently, and is still in development. The main focus around the 5th generation is artificial intelligence. This includes voice recognition,and eventually the ability for a computer to learn. -
Steve Jobs
Though Steve Jobs died in 2013, his impact on the computer world was massive, especially in his development of the iphones. The newest iPhone is likely the most anticipated released of all times, and Job's legacy will live on years after his death. -
Siri is released for the iPhone
Siri is a great example of modern AI by using voice recognition. Siri helps user find information simple by asking aloud. -
The Apple Watch is released
The apple watch runs iOS and does most things a iPhone will do, but fits like a watch on the users hand. It also has sensors for health monitoring. -
The Oculus Rift is released
The Oculus Rift allows users to play video games in virtual reality. The headset fits around the players head and detects motion so as to make it appear they are inside the game.
