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Atanasoff and Clifford Berry design a computer that can solve 29 equations at the same time. This marks the first time a computer is able to store information on its memory.
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Grace Hopper develops the first computer language, which becomes known as COBOL. Inventor Thomas Johnson Watson, Jr. conceives the IBM 701 EDPM to help the United Nations keep tabs on Korea during the war.
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Douglas Engelbart shows a prototype of a computer with a mouse and a graphical user interface (GUI). This marks the evolution of the computer being more accessible to the general public.
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The new Intel 1103, the first Dynamic Access Memory (DRAM) chip was created.
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Alan Shugart leads IBM engineers to invent the “floppy disk,” allowing data to be shared among computers.
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Robert Metcalfe, a member of Xerox, develops Ethernet for connecting multiple computers and other hardware.
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The IBM 5100 becomes the first commercially available portable computer.
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Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak start Apple Computers and roll out the Apple I, the first computer with a single-circuit board.
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Jobs and Wozniak incorporate Apple and show the Apple II at the first West Coast Computer Faire. Offering color graphics and an audio cassette drive for storage.
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The first IBM personal computer, “Acorn,” is introduced. It uses Microsoft’s MS-DOS operating system. It has an Intel chip, two floppy disks and an optional color monitor. Sears & Roebuck and Computerland sell the machines. This marks the first time a computer is available through outside distributors. It also popularized the term PC.
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Apple’s Lisa is the first personal computer with a GUI. It features a drop-down menu and icons. It flops but evolves into the Macintosh.
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Microsoft announces Windows. Commodore unveils the Amiga 1000, featuring advanced audio and video capabilities.
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The first dot-com domain name is registered on March 15. The Symbolics Computer Company registers Symbolics.com.
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Tim Berners-Lee, a researcher at CERN, develops HyperText Markup Language (HTML), giving rise to the World Wide Web.
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Wi-Fi becomes part of the computing language and people begin connecting to the Internet without wires.
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Apple introduces the MacBook Pro, its first Intel-based, dual-core mobile computer, as well as an Intel-based iMac.
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The iPhone hits creating a more computer like phone.
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Microsoft launches Windows 7, which offers the ability to pin applications to the taskbar and advances in touch and handwriting recognition, as well as many other things.
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Apple unveils the iPad, changing the way consumers view media and jumpstarting the tablet computer.