Computer Technology - Then vs. Now
It's no surprise that the evolution of computers, especially the Internet, has defined the way we live our daily lives. Although the first personal computer was not released until 1981, computer technology dates back to 2400 BC with the invention of the abacus. It's hard to believe that the abacus laid the foundations for encoding numbers and thousands of years later major computing developments.
The Advancement of Computer Technology
Computer technology is evolving not only in its widespread use but in overall design and function as well. Think about the recent popularity of tablets, it is hard to believe that the first iPad was released only 3 short years ago and now there are over 100 varieties of tablets that existence in today's marketplace.
Here is a timeline of significant events over the lifespan of the computer as we know it:
1944 - First operational computer used at Harvard
1975 - The development of microprocessors made the concept of personal computing possible.
1976 - The first Apple computer was released.
1981 - The first personal computer was released by the IBM Company.
1986 - The number of PC's shipped worldwide reaches nearly 64 million and a 15-year period of continuous growth began.
1988 - Recordable discs became available.
1989 - The World Wide Web was invented.
1990 - The laptop was introduced.
1993 - The World Wide Web (WWW) is released to the public.
1995 - Microsoft launches Windows 95 & Internet Explorer selling more than 1 million copies in the first 4 days of its release.
1996 - Approximately 40 million people are connected to the internet.
1997 - Recordable and re-writeable DVD discs become available.
1998 - MP3 digital music technology is introduced by Diamond Multimedia Systems, Inc.
1999 - Napster is founded, giving users the ability to share music online.
2000 - Approximately 400 million people worldwide are connected to the Internet by the end of the year.
2002 - The industry ships the 1 billionth PC, according to industry analyst firm Gartner Dataquest.
2003 - Electronic devices that could send emails, access the web and could receive phone calls became commercial.
2004 - Mark Zuckerberg launched "The Facebook" to students at Harvard by invite only.
2005 - Social networking sites begin to gain popularity
2006 - Facebook opened its membership to everyone over the age of 13 with a valid email address.
2007 - Amazon releases the first Kindle reader
2007 - The first generation iPhone was released.
2009 - The BlackBerry Curve is the most popular phone device on the market, dominating the smart phone category in sales.
2010 - Apple released the first iPad handheld computer
2012 - Apple introduces the iPad mini
2013 - There are over 1.5 billion Facebook users worldwide who spend over 700 billion hours on social media each month.
2015 - Apple release the Apple Watch. Microsoft releases Windows 10.
2016 - The first re-programmable quantum computer was created. Until now, there hasn't been any quantum-computing platform that had the capability to program new algorithms into their system. They're usually each tailored to attack a particular algorithm.
2017 - The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a new "Molecular Informatics" program that uses molecules as computers. Chemistry offers a rich set of properties that we may be able to harness for rapid, scalable information storage and processing," Anne Fischer, program manager in DARPA's Defense Sciences Office, said in a statement.
Advances in technology have been on a rapid incline for the past years. While it may be virtually impossible to keep up on all of the various devices, trends, and computing systems, you can audit your current inventory to ensure that your devices are in-line with your business module and needs.
Looking for more help?
The experts at Brave River Solutions can assess your current technology system. We are able to assist with business solutions ranging from system upgrades to web presence evaluations. For a free consultation, we welcome you to call us at 401-828-8911.