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The Personal Computer Turns 25:
Then and NowTechnology Timeline
1980's 1990's 2000's
From 19812006: 25 years of PC evolution
The introduction of the IBM personal computer (PC) in 1981
marked a fundamental turning
point in computing. Looking back now, on the PC's 25-year
anniversary, its difficult to grasp
the full impact that a quarter century of personal computing has
had on our daily lives.
Today it is hard for many of us to imagine life without PCs in
our homes and workplaces.
1980's back to top
1981IBM introduces its first PC, which features an I ntel 8088
microprocessor as the "brains" insidethe computer.
1981Adam Osborne completes the first portable computer, the
Osborne I, which weighs 24pounds.
1983Microsoft releases Windows* and introduces a "low-cost"
mouse at $195.
1983Time magazine names the computer "Machine of the Year."
1984Apple debuts the Macintosh*, which popularizes the graphical
user interface.
1984Hewlett-Packard markets the laserjet printer, which prints
eight pages per minute.
1985Grolier's Electronic Encyclopedia* becomes available on
CD-ROM.
1985Intel introduces the Intel386 microprocessor and Compaq is
the first to ship a PC based onthe chip.
1987IBM's PS/2 machine, with the I ntel386 microprocessor, makes
the 3.5-inch floppy disk drivestandard on IBM computers.
1987Aldus releases its PageMaker* program for use on IBM and
IBM-compatible computers.
1989Intel releases the In tel486 microprocessor, which contains
more than one milliontransistors.
1989Creative Labs releases its first Sound Blaster* audio card
for the PC.
1990's back to top
1990In Geneva, Switzerland, Tim Berners-Lee develops a new
technique for distributinginformation on the Internet, eventually
called the World Wide Web.
1991Creative Labs introduces a multimedia upgrade kit containing
a CD-ROM drive, Sound BlasterPro* board, speakers, and multimedia
software.
1993Intel introduces the Intel Pentium processor and the number
of people in the UnitedStates connected to the Internet reaches
three million.
1993Silicon Graphics founder J im Clark collaborates with Marc
Andreessen to create an Internetbrowser called Netscape*.
1995Microsoft launches Windows* 95 and its browser, Internet
Explorer*.
1996Palm introduces the Pilot 1000* and Pilot 5000*
products.
1997Time magazine names Intel's Andy Grove "Man of the
Year."
1997Intel introduces the Intel Pentium II processor and the
number of people worldwide
connected to the Internet surpasses 100 million.
1998Microsoft introduces Windows* 98 with universal plug and
play capabilities.
1998Intel CEO Craig Barrett predicts there will be one billion
connected PCs within the nextdecade.
1999Intel introduces the Intel Pentium II I processor and the
number of people worldwideconnected to the Internet grows beyond
201 million.
2000's back to top
2000Approximately 35 million Americans listen to music online1,
45 million play games online
2, and
the number of people worldwide connected to the Internet passes
400 million.3
2000Intel introduces the Pentium 4 processor designed for
Internet audio and streaming video,image processing, video content
creation, speech, 3-D games, multimedia, and multitasking
userenvironments.
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2001The PC turns 20 and the number of PCs sold worldwide between
1981 and 2000 reaches 835
million.4
2001Apple launches the iPod* personal music player, which marks
a major turning point in the
digital music revolution.6
2003Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe found MySpace.com, one of the
world's most popular onlinesocial networking services.
2003Intel introduces Intel Centrino processor technology for
notebook PCs, enablingbreakthrough mobile performance with built-in
wireless connectivity to provide everything mobilelifestyles
demand.
2004Notebook PCs outsell TVs during the 2004 holiday season for
the first time.
2005Lenovo acquires IBM's PC division.
2006Intel launches Intel Viiv technology, the company's premier
brand for PCs designed forentertainment in the home to enjoy,
share, manage, and control digital contentfrom photos andmusic to
games and movies.
2006Intel announces Intel vPro technology, its forthcoming PC
platform brand optimized forbusinesses. Intel vPro technology is
Intel's premier platform for superior manageability,
enhancedsecurity, and energy-efficient performance.
2006Intel launches the Intel Core2 Duo processor for drastically
improved performance andenergy efficiency. The Intel Core 2 desktop
processors provide up to a 40 percent increase inperformance and
are more than 40 percent more energy efficient versus Intel's
previous best
processor.7
2006Intel estimates that there are close to one billion I
nternet-connected PCs worldwide.
1Pew Internet & American Life Projects Online Music Report,
September 2000
2J upiter Consumer Survey, December 1999
3Nua Internet Surveys, December 2000
4Gartner Dataquest
5Concept PC jointly developed by Intel and Hewlett- Packard
6Apple
7Performance based on SPECint*_rate_base2000 (2 copies) and
energy efficiency based on Thermal DesignPower (TDP), comparing
Intel Core2 Duo E6700 to Intel Pentium D Processor 960. Actual
performancemay vary. See www.intel.com/ performance for more
information.
Intel
Corporation
*Trademarks
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