This document provides a brief overview of some key events and innovations in computer history from 1937 to 2015. It describes the creation of some of the earliest computers like the Model K adder and Z2, the founding of Hewlett-Packard, and the completion of the Complex Number Calculator which enabled remote access computing. Later developments discussed include the Ferranti Mark I as the first commercially available general-purpose computer, the introduction of early transistor computers like the NEAC 2203, and the release of early home computers like the VIC-20 and personal devices like the Apple Watch.

1. COMPUTER HISTORY
By Hayden Heckenkemper &
Sadie Abraham
1

2. Introduction
Today we will skim over
some highlights of
computer history. We hope
that you enjoy and that you
learn something new.

3. The Beginning (1937)
• The 1st computer was
called the “Model K”
adder because it was
made on a kitchen
table.
• The same year in
Germany, engineer
Konrad Zuse built
his Z2 computer.
3

4. Hewlett-Packard is
founded (1939)
• David Packard and Bill
Hewlett founded their
company in a Palo Alto,
California garage.
• The 1st product was the HP
200A audio oscillator ,
quickly became a popular
piece of test equipment
for engineers.
• Walt Disney pictures
ordered 8 of the 200B
model.
4

5. The Complex Number
Calculator(CNC) is completed (1940)
• Bell Telephone Laboratories completed
this calculator which was designed by
George Stibitz (1939).
• Stibitz performed calculations
remotely on the CNC, located in New
York City, and stunned the group.
• This is likely to be the first example
of remote access computing.

6. Konrad Zuse finishes the Z3
computer(1941)
• An early computer built
by German engineer
Konrad Zuse(the Z3) is
working in complete
isolation from
developments elsewhere.
• Zuse supervised the
reconstruction of the
Z3 in the 1960’s,
which is now on display
at the Deutsches Museum
in Munich.

8. Ferranti Mark I sold (1951)
• The title of the first commercially
available general-purpose computer
goes to Ferranti Mark I computer to
Manchester University.
• A British government contract spurred
its initial development but a change
in government led to loss of funding
and the second and only other Mark I
was sold at a major loss to the
University of Toronto.

9. ERA 1101 introduced(1950)
• One of the first
commercially produced
computers customers was
the U.S. navy.
• The 1101, designed by by
ERA but built by
Remington-Rand, was
intense for high-speed
computing.
• Many of the 1101’s basic
architectural details will
be used again in the 1960s
later by Remington-Rand.

10. IBM 650 magnetic drum calculator
introduced (1954)
• IBM establishes the 650 as its
first mass-produced computer, the
company sold 450 in just one year
• It spun at 12,500 rpm’s
(revolutions per minute)the 650s
magnetic data storage drum allowed
access to stored info much
quicker than other drum fixed
machines

11. NEAC 2203 (1960)
An early
transistorized
computer, the NEAC (
Nippon Electric
Automatic Computer)

13. Amdahl 740 is introduced(1970)
It was the
companies first
product and ran
the same software
as the IBM

14. VIC-20 is introduced(1980)
Commodore release
the VIC-20 home
computer as the
successor to the
Commodore PET

15. Intel’s Touchstone Delta
Supercomputer(1990)
Caltech researches
used this model
early on. For AIDS
research.

16. First Camera phone is
introduced(2000)
Japan’s SoftBank
introduces the first camera
phone, the J-Phone

17. Apple Retina display is
Released(2010)
In 2012 , Apple introduced
the Retina display for the
MacBook Pro Laptop and
iPad Tablet.

18. Apple Watch(2015)
Building a Computer into a
watch has been attempted
many times before but as
recently a success by
Apple.

19. Conclusion
Thank you for letting us teach you
about some main parts of computer
history. We hope that you walk away
with something new that you never
knew before.

20. Sources
1) http://www.computerhistory.org/timeline/19
40/
2) http://history-
computer.com/ModernComputer/Relays/Sti
bitz.html
3) http://ethw.org/First-
Hand:The_Navy_Codebreakers_and_Their
_Digital_Computers_-
_Chapter_2_of_the_Story_of_the_Naval_T
actical_Data_System