Atari released Pong, the first commercial video game.
Robert Kahn and Vinton Cerf developed the protocol that became Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).
Robert Metcalfe developed a system that transferred more data over a network, which became known as Ethernet.
Texas Instruments developed the TMS1000 general-purpose 4-bit MCU family which would power the digital consumer electronics of the time.
1. Konstantin Lanzet, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
1972
1974
1972-1976
1
1973
Intel introduced its 8080 microchip and became a computing industry leader.
1975
Bill Gates and Paul Allen established Microsoft, paving the way for modern computing.
1976
Steve Wozniak designed the first Apple computer (the Apple-1), launching the personal computing industry.
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3. Rob Janoff, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
2
3
1977-1981
Monolithic Memories and Andy Chan introduced Programmable Array Logic (PAL), an easy-to-use, streamlined architecture.
1979
1981
1980
1978
1977
Apple Computer announced the Apple II, one of the first personal computers with a color display.
Bell Labs introduced the single-chip digital signal processor device, called DSP-1, with an architecture optimized for electronic switching.
Adam Osborne created the first practical portable computer, the Osborne I, weighing in at 24.5 pounds and featuring a 5-inch display.
Motorola introduced the MC68000, a 16/32-bit complex instruction set computer (CISC) microprocessor.
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2. Bilby, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
1982-1986
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) commercialized networked storage systems with the launch of VAXclusters.
The compact disc, a collaboration between Philips and Sony, was launched, eventually rendering the floppy disk obsolete.
1984
1986
1985
1983
1982
Acorn Computers introduced the ARM chip (Acorn RISC Machine/ Advanced RISC Machine), which had much computing power and required little energy.
R. Soref and J. Larenzo published research on silicon photonics, showing its compatibility with microelectronic fabrication and the potential for monolithic integration of photonics and electronics.
1. AA+W - stock.adobe.com
1987-1991
Tim Berners-Lee invented hypertext, which would evolve into the basis for the World Wide Web.
1989
1991
1990
1988
1987
NASA launched the Hubble Space Telescope, which spurred the development of new tools and techniques in aerospace engineering.
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SunDisk (now SanDisk) prototyped an SSD module coupling an intelligent controller with flash storage for mass storage.
2. photo: Qurren (talk) Taken with Canon IXY 10S (Digital IXUS 210), CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
1992-1996
Quentin Stafford-Fraser and Paul Jardetzky’s Trojan Room coffee pot connected to the internet and earned the achievement of “world’s first webcam.”
1994
1996
1995
1993
1992
Microsoft introduced Windows 95, marketed as the first commercial OS for the masses.
Microsoft, DEC, Compaq, NEC, IBM, Intel, and Nortel collaborated to create the Universal Serial Bus (USB).
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2. agencies - stock.adobe.com
1. junpinzon - stock.adobe.com
2. stas111 - stock.adobe.com
3. The original uploader was Rjcflyer@aol.com at English Wikipedia., CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
1997-2001
Bluetooth 1.0 launched, followed by Bluetooth-enabled devices like Sony Ericsson’s T36, the first Bluetooth mobile phone, and various smart devices.
Thomas Sterling and NASA’s Earth and Space Sciences group conceived the Beowulf concept, an open-source computer cluster that provided higher speeds at a much lower cost.
President Clinton made a non-degraded GPS signal available for civilian users worldwide.
Apple released the iPod, the most popular MP3 player, which would bring sweeping changes to the music industry.
1999
2001
2000
1998
1997
2002-2006
iRobot Corporation released the Roomba, an autonomous vacuum cleaner, opening the door for consumer acceptance of household utility robots.
IEEE released 802.11g Wi-Fi, the third modulation standard for wireless LANs. It enabled wireless routers to serve a household via a single access point with a 150-foot range and a 54-Mbps max speed.
2004
2006
2005
2003
2002
Mark Zuckerberg registered the URL thefacebook.com. By the end of the year, the social network had 1 million active users.
Amazon Web Services announced Elastic Compute (EC2)/Simple Storage Service (S3), allowing applications to run on rented machines.
Google launched Google Maps, eventually making personal standalone GPS devices practically obsolete.
1. Larry D. Moore, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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3. Graficriver - stock.adobe.com
2007-2011
Dutch company ASML produced the first prototype machine using EUV lithography technology, producing one wafer in 23 hours.
Apple introduced the iPhone, revolutionizing the mobile phone industry. The iPhone was also the debut of the touchscreen and app store.
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
Apple introduced the iPad, a portable “tablet” featuring an LED-backlit, multi-touch display with IPS technology powered by Apple’s A4 chip.
ARM introduced its next-generation 64-bit architecture, ARMv8.
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1. matt buchanan, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
2012-2016
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
HDR formats emerged.
World IPv6 Launch: IPv6, created by the Internet Engineering Task Force, significantly increased address space, opening the door to more internet-connected devices.
Toshiba achieved an areal density of 1 terabit per square inch in a 2.5-inch HDD by extending conventional PMR technology.
Qualcomm announced the first 5G modem, the Snapdragon X50.
2017-2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2022
ASML announced its next-generation EUV platform called EXE, projected to start shipping in 2023.
Many companies developed VR headsets, including HTC, Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Sony, and Samsung.
South Korea became the first country to adopt the 5G network broadly. 2020 — ASML announced its next-generation EUV platform called EXE, projected to start shipping in 2023.
The James Webb Space Telescope launched. It was designed primarily to conduct infrared astronomy.
Ericsson introduced the first 5G platform, offering end-to-end support for the fifth-generation wireless network.
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South Korea became the first country to adopt the 5G network broadly.
