|
|
Kenbak-1
|
|
Computers
The Kenbak-1, the first personal computer, advertised for $750 in Scientific
American. Designed by John V. Blankenbaker using standard medium-scale and
small-scale integrated circuits, the Kenbak-1 relied on switches for input and
lights for output from its 256-byte memory. In 1973, after selling only 40
machines, Kenbak Corp. closed its doors.
|
|
|
Intel 4004
|
|
Components
The first advertisement for a microprocessor, the Intel 4004, appeared in
Electronic News. Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and others at Intel designed the
4004 while building a custom chip for Busicom, a Japanese calculator maker.
The 4004 had 2,250 transistors, handling data in four-bit chunks, and could
perform 60,000 operations per second.
|
|
|
|
|
Components
An IBM team, originally led by Alan Shugart, invented the 8-inch floppy
diskette. It was initially designed for use in loading microcode into the
controller for the "Merlin" (IBM 3330) disk pack file. It quickly
won widespread acceptance as a program and data-storage medium. Unlike hard
drives, a user could easily transfer a floppy in its protective jacket from one
drive to another.
|
|
|
|
|