Jumping ahead 30 some years to 1973, one of the earliest personal computers, the Kenbak 1, is created. After only selling 40 devices, the Kenbak Corporation is shut down. Though The Kenbak 1 was a failure with the public, its advancements helped to improve the other innovations of the time. Disclaimer: the majority of the first personal computers and their components sold terribly. For example, the first commercially advertised computer made entirely in the USA sold only 200 devices. Scelbi, the company producing the computers, lost $500 per device.
This is not to say that all attempts at comercalizing computers were unsuccessful. In fact, in 1975 the MOS 6502 was introduced. This microprocessor cost only $25 and became insanely popular with companies such as Nintendo, Commodore, and Apple! According to an article in Computer History “The 6502 and its progeny are still used today, usually in embedded applications.”
Speaking of Apple, The Apple One, created by Steve Wozniak and marketed by Steve Jobs was a single board computer for hobbyists. 200 boards were sold before Apple announced the Apple 2. The Apple 2 was much more accessible and sold millions between 1977 and 1993. It is still one of the longest living lines of personal computers. Continuing on from Apple, in 1984 Apple released the Lisa computer. It had a graphic user interface (also known as a GUI) and was an incredible advancement in computer tech. After the Lisa, both Windows and Apple would adopt GUIs for their permanent PC designs. Jumping up to 2003, the Power Mac G5 is released. The G5 was the most powerful computer that Apple had released up till this point. Virginia Tech bought more than 1,000 g52 to create its system X supercomputer. In November of 2003, the G5 was rated in the world's top 500 fastest computers. (I mention this because Mr. Kassay has a G5 in his classroom holding down the projector screen which I find hilarious.) The 2000s were an incredible time for computers and computer engineering. In 2007 the Amazon Kindle, Macbook, and iPhone were released.
At this point the internet is in its early years, but as any parent knows, the early years can be the most formative.
I feel like I should mention, I'm not trying to only talk about apple, but information on Apple seems to be the most accessable and I'm lazy :/