1970's Computer Evolution

Email

1971

Ray Tomlinson is credited as the inventor of Email when he sent a message from one computer to another using Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). This development laid the groundwork for a revolutionary form of communication.

Floppy Disk

1972

Created by Warren L. Dalziel and team, the floppy disk became the standardized storage device used by computers for more than 20 years.

Cell Phone

1973

Although the first commercialized cell phone appeared in 1983, Martin Cooper made the first cellular phone call with a prototype ten years prior.

The Microcomputer

1975

The Altair 8800, invented by Ed Roberts and produced by Micro Instrumentation and Telemetry Systems (MITS), was a kit with no operating system, but could recognize commands via switches, and would inspire Gates and Allen to write a BASIC interpreter that would become Microsoft's first product.

The Apple Computer

1976

Steve Wozniak designed and built the prototype for the Apple 1 Computer to showcase it was possible to build a computer that was affordable to the builder and the buyer. His partner, Steve Jobs, implored him to sell the product, and that became the first product under Apple Inc.