Personal computers first entered our workplaces and then our homes more than 40 years ago.
The effervescence of personal computers thanks to the appearance of the first microprocessors on the market would bring about a full-fledged revolution.
First built by hand from the knowledge shared in microelectronics fan clubs, and later in mass production, they would form the basis of a flourishing microcomputer industry.
USA
USA
The computer was featured on the January 1975 cover of "Popular Electronics," a magazine aimed at the electronics hobbyist.
The company was amazed by the sales of its kits. It soon sold pre-assembled units as well.
USA
The computer had an Intel 8080 CPU and an S-100 bus, copied from the Altair 8800.
Later versions were equipped with a 3 MHz Intel 8085 CPU.
Iceland
This evolution of the IMSAI 8080 had two 80/160KiB floppy disk drives built in, retained the S-100 bus, and had a built-in CRT monitor.
Iceland
This was the evolution of the IMSAI VDP40.
Iceland
The PCS 80 came with a host of peripherals: line and character printers, CRT terminals, smart keyboards, 8" and 5.25" floppy disk storage.
USA
USA
This evolution of the Apple II included Microsoft's Applesoft BASIC programming language in ROM.
It had more expandability than its younger brother, the Atari 400.
United Kingdom
It was the first computer available in the UK for one hundred pounds.
USA
The Apple computer that wanted to take over the office market.
USA
The second model sold by RadioShack.
Despite sharing a name with the previous TRS-80, the Color Computer is a completely different and incompatible system, a radical change in design and compatibility with its Motorola 6809E processor instead of the previous Zilog Z80 models.
United Kingdom
The successor and improved version of the ZX80 was the lowest-priced computer of its time and was sold in kit form for 49.95 pounds sterling, and for 69.95 assembled.
USA
USA
USA
The Osborne 1 was the first commercially successful portable microcomputer.
It weighed 11 kg, cost US$1,795, and ran the then-popular CP/M 2.2 operating system.
USA
United Kingdom
Seeing the success of the ZX Spectrum, the company Tangerine (which produced one of the first kit computers based on the 6502) launched this computer under its subsidiary Oric, which was slightly cheaper, had an RGB monitor output, a sound chip and a better keyboard... but its ROM had numerous bugs.
United Kingdom
The original model is known as the ZX Spectrum 16.
In a later version, 32KiB more memory was added to this device, giving rise to the ZX Spectrum 48 model.
This model, which was supposed to be the evolution of the 400 and 800, lasted less than a year on the market.
USA
USA
Despite being the first model to be commercially released, it was called the "Kaypro II" (at a time when one of the most popular microcomputers was the Apple II).
The Kaypro II was designed to be portable like the Osborne, housed in an aluminum case containing all the components and with a handle for carrying.
Netherlands
Philips produced a few of its own computers in the late 1970s and early 1980s, but later adopted the MSX standard. This VG8020 was manufactured for Philips by Kyocera (in Japan).
USA
This computer, about the size of a suitcase, will be the progenitor of modern portable computers, an honor shared with the Osborne 1 (which used CP/M) and the Hyperion (although it used MS-DOS as its operating system, it was not fully compatible).
USA
The Model 4P is a portable version introduced in September 1983 and discontinued in early 1985. It is functionally identical to the dual-drive desktop model but lacks the card-edge connector for two external floppy drives and the cassette tape interface. It has a slot for an internal modem card and could emulate a Model III.
USA
The Apple III didn't comply with FCC regulations, so a new model had to be released.
It came with 256 KB of RAM as standard and a redesigned keyboard similar to the Apple IIe.
The 800XL was the best-selling model in Atari's 8-bit line.
The Kaypro 10 was one of the first computers to come with a hard drive as a standard component. It came with a 10-megabyte internal hard drive and a single DS/DD floppy disk drive.
It was created with the intention of replacing the Commodore VIC-20.
A low-cost model sold in Europe (mostly in Germany).
Technically, it was identical to the C16, but had a smaller case and a rubber keyboard.
USA
Its name refers to the ROM-resident office suite composed of four applications (word processor, spreadsheet, database, and graphics).
It was not a success in the United States, but it was sold in Europe.
United Kingdom
This second model corrects the main problem of the Oric-1, which was its "semi-mechanical pivot" keyboard.
United Kingdom
This computer was Sir Clive Sinclair's first attempt at creating a business computer.
USA
The first Apple Macintosh.
USA
It was the first portable Apple II.
USA
It was the first update to the original Macintosh 128K.
It was identical to the previous Macintosh, differing only in the amount of RAM (random access memory) it included.
This allowed it to run more complex software, giving it greater business capabilities.
United Kingdom
Sinclair incorporated a professional-looking keyboard by abandoning the rubber keys.
USA
The Tandy compatible PC.
This is IBM's first computer designed for the home, with a cost-cutting approach compared to its professional terminals.
Netherlands
The Mitsubishi ML-F48 is the adaptation for Europe of the ML-F120.
A repackaged 800XL with a new case and keyboard.
The US and Canadian versions of the 65XE had no PBI or expansion ports.
The 65XE was called the 800XE in Germany and Czechoslovakia, to capitalize on the popularity of the 800XL model in Europe.
Its bigger brother, the 130XE, came with 128KiB of RAM and an Enhanced Cartridge Interface (ECI) instead of a PBI.
USA
Commodore's last 8-bit computer, introduced three years after the successful Commodore 64, with which it was almost completely compatible.
It was intended to compete with the Apple Macintosh and the IBM PC.
The C128's principal hardware designer was Bill Herd.
USA
The 130XE was the same as the 65XE, but came with 128KiB of RAM and an Enhanced Cartridge Interface (ECI) instead of a PBI.
United Kingdom
This was the logical evolution of the CPC 464 model.
But it had a short life, being replaced after six months by the CPC 6128, which had twice the RAM, allowing it to run programs that couldn't be run with the CPC 464's limited memory.
The ST family (which stands for Sixteen/Thirty-two, referring to the internal and external bus of the Motorola 68000 processor it included) is the successor to the Atari 8-bit family.
It rivaled the Commodore Amiga and the Apple Macintosh, for which it was a cheaper alternative.
It included the 260, 520, 1040, and Mega models, which were released between 1985 and 1991.
Hong Kong
At the height of the 8-bit home computer boom, Locumals, a Hong Kong company, decided to enter the newly emerging market, creating a computer that sought to overtake its competitors. It ended up being a resounding failure.
Despite having superior technical specifications, brands like Amstrad and Spectrum were already established in the market, which, combined with continuous delays in its release (two years after its introduction in 1983), spelled doom.
Only in Hungary, where the remnants of the production ended up after the closure, did it have any impact.
In Germany, it is known as the Mephisto PHC.
USA
The Amiga 1000 was Commodore's first multimedia personal computer model.
Created by Jay Miner, who also created the Atari 800 years earlier, when he was already working at his company, he took out a loan from Atari to develop the new model, which he couldn't repay. Commodore then acquired Amiga Corp. and paid off the loan.
Model of the first generation of the Amstrad PCW series of office-oriented computers, which came to replace the typewriter and the expensive proprietary word processors on the market, along with the 8512. Both were launched in 1985, and have no more differences than the RAM memory chips fixed in sockets and a second disk drive as standard in the 8512.
This Amstrad PCW model was the superior version of the PCW 8256, both launched in 1985, and has no differences other than the RAM memory chips fixed in sockets and a second disk drive as standard on the 8512.
USA
The Model 4D with the Deskmate Productivity Suite included was introduced in early 1985. It has a revised CPU board using faster gate array logic and includes the floppy disk controller and RS-232C circuitry, all on a single board.
It has two internal double-sided floppy disk drives and is the last model descended from the 1977 Model I.
It retailed for $1,199 upon its introduction in 1985.
During 1987-1988, retail stores removed the Model 4D from display, but it was available by special order until 1991.
Spain
The implementation of the decree on tariffs on microcomputer imports, which imposed a tax of 5,800 pesetas on devices imported from the EEC, led Investronica (exclusive importer of the ZX Spectrum) to decide to manufacture them in Spain.
Spain
A variant of the Dragon 200 modified specifically for the Spanish market, which expanded the ROM character set to include lowercase letters, letters specific to Spain such as ñ, ü, ç, and accented vowels, along with other symbols.
This was achieved at the expense of reverse video characters, since the original version of this computer only allowed capital letters.
The model was initially launched in the United States (June 13, 1985) imported and distributed by Indescomp, Inc. of Chicago, and was the first Amstrad sold in North America, a hostile region for European computers.
Two months later (August 15, 1985), it entered the European market, replacing the CPC 664.
In Spain, it was distributed by Indescomp (later renamed Amstrad España, after its acquisition by the British manufacturer Amstrad Consumer PLC), with a keyboard that included the letter Ñ.
Aside from the British market, this same model was distributed by Awa (in Australia) and Schneider (in Germany).
Amstrad's split with Schneider led Schneider España to distribute the Schneider CPC 6126 in the Spanish market, with the keyboard and manuals in Spanish.
United Kingdom
An Amstrad distributed by Indescomp (the brand's distributor in Spain, which would later become the subsidiary Amstrad Spain) exclusively for the Spanish market. It was identical to the CPC 464, but had a printed circuit board in the ROM socket that included an 8KB RAM chip, increasing the original CPC 464's memory from 64KB to 74KB, theoretically to accommodate the new commands and routines of the new BASIC 1.1 it incorporated.
But this was only a ruse to avoid the 15,000-peseta tariff that all microcomputers imported into Spain with 64KB or less of RAM had to pay starting in August 1985.
Subsequently, all computer keyboards sold in Spain were required to be adapted to Spanish, so the Ñ key had to be added to the computer, and the translated ROM version of BASIC 1.0 was used.
A few months later, Spain joined the European Economic Community, so the import tax had to be eliminated.
Amstrad then incorporated the Ñ key into the original CPC 464 model and stopped selling the CPC 472 model.
France
USA
USA
This is an improved version of the 128. Designed with a separate keyboard and a plastic casing for the CPU unit, it featured an integrated 1571 disk drive and a fan for cooling.
This model was sold primarily in Europe.
France
Evolution of the Atmos, which included a 3" floppy disk drive, MIDI connector, and Minitel connector.
This computer arrived in Spain thanks to Mabel.
USA
The Macintosh Plus is the third model in the Macintosh line. It was based on the case of the 128K and 512K Macintoshes with a 9-inch display (512x342 pixels, monochrome), but with more memory (1 MB, expandable to 4 MB), a larger ROM (128 KB instead of 64 KB), and a SCSI interface, through which external hard drives and data exchange drives could be connected, as well as a SCSI Ethernet adapter. The case was initially beige in color and later became available in platinum gray.
USA
A clone of the IBM-PC AT.
Spain
In 1986, Inves manufactured its first "IBM-compatible" PC, the first PC manufactured in Spain, and distributed by El Corte Inglés.
It could be purchased with a color (CM) or monochrome (MM) monitor.
And with floppy disk drives for low-density (PC1512SD) or double-density (PC1512DD) disks.
This computer initially didn't have a hard drive, but one could be included. Its floppy disk drives could also be replaced with high-density ones.
The keyboard:
When Amstrad manufactured the PC1512 in 1986, it was careful to avoid any conflict with IBM and made sure not to infringe any of IBM's patents on the IBM PC. In fact, there were very few patents registered other than the keyboard interface.
Therefore, Amstrad designed a new keyboard interface that was quite different (and therefore incompatible) with the IBM interface. The connector and protocols were different, so an Amstrad keyboard cannot be used (even with an adapter) with an IBM PC, or vice versa.
The proprietary keyboard interface was used on all machines in the 1000, 2000, 3000 and 4000 series. Later (from the 5000 series onwards), Amstrad followed what had become common practice and switched to the IBM PS/2 keyboard interface.
United Kingdom
This was an update to the previous model, the PC1512, which increased the RAM to 640 KB and incorporated EGA graphics.
There was a version with a dual 5.5-inch floppy disk drive or a hard drive (PC1640HD20).
After the company was sold to Amstrad, the company began producing this model, based on the ROM of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum 128 model, and similar in appearance to it, but incorporating a cassette drive.
The +2A and +2B variants, produced in Taiwan and China, respectively, did not include the disk drive controller circuit.
USA
The Compaq Portable II is the fourth product in the Compaq Portable series to be released by Compaq Computer Corporation in 1986 at a price of $3499.
France
PC-AT compatible made in France.
USA
The PCA model that was equipped with a faster processor.
USA
Very similar in appearance to the 128D, it was a low-cost model thanks to its more compact design.
It was sold primarily in the United States and Canada starting in 1987.
USA
Despite being aimed at the high-end market, it was technically very similar to the Amiga 500.
The Amiga 2500 model was a variant with two pre-installed floppy drives, sold in the United Kingdom.
USA
USA
It was the first of what would become the second generation of Macs, in which the display was an external component of the computer and no longer integrated into it.
It was the first Mac to have a color display.
It had a highly modular system, with the video card in a NuBus-type slot, allowing it to be replaced with a third-party card to achieve millions of colors on screen.
It was equipped with a Motorola 68020 microprocessor running at 16 MHz and a 32-bit bus (compared to the 8 MHz and 16-bit bus of the 68000).
USA
Netherlands
An IBM PC compatible equipped with an NEC V20 microprocessor, which, being a clone of the i8088, surpassed it in performance.
This low-cost Commodore, aimed at the home market, was a huge success in Europe, where it dominated the computer video game market, rivaling the Sega Megadrive and Super Nintendo video game consoles.
USA
USA
It was released a few months after the Model 30. Designed as a low-cost model for the home, it eliminated the MicroChannel bus and replaced it with the previous ISA bus so that users could use more common and cheaper cards.
USA
USA
United Kingdom
Spain
Spain
Spain
United Kingdom
It incorporated a 3" disk drive and a disk operating system, +3DOS, in ROM.
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Spain
This computer was an advanced clone of the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, manufactured by Miles Gordon Technology.
It was marketed under the names SAM Coupé and SAM Élite.
In Spain, it was distributed by LSB.
USA
For the creation of its first laptop, Apple based its design on the Macintosh SE of the time.
Next to the keyboard, it included a novel trackball.
United Kingdom
Version of the PC2286 intended for the large business market.
United Kingdom
In late 1989, Atari Corporation released the 520STE and 1040STE, an improved version of the ST with improvements in multimedia hardware and the operating system.
USA
It was a professional multimedia computer, successor to the Amiga 2000.
In 1990, IBM returned to the home market, five years after its previous attempt with the IBM PCjr.
The name PS/1 suggested that it was a more limited line than its previous PS/2.
The 2011 model was the first in a line of PS/1s that would be produced until 1994, when they were replaced by the IBM Aptiva.
Its processors evolved from the 286 to the 486, and its memory would also progressively increase.
United Kingdom
The upgrade to the Amstrad 6128 model, which was only on the market for three months.
Compared to its competitors in the 1990 market (the Atari ST and the Commodore Amiga), its 8-bit processor was already outdated.
Spain
Inves sold these bulky computers as multi-user workstations with a UNIX operating system, with clock speeds of 20 or 25 MHz.
It was the last computer in the Amiga family based on the Motorola 68000 and the 1990 Amiga Enhanced chipset.
It was smaller than the Amiga 500 because it lacked the numeric keypad. It also added the option of an internal hard drive and a PCMCIA port.
USA
It was the most powerful of the Amiga family.
The tower box version was called the Amiga 4000T.
USA
This computer was supposed to be the replacement for the successful Amiga 500, but by the time it was released, the PC compatibles already offered similar graphics and sound features at a similar price.
Spain
USA
The PC 300GL series used Celeron, Pentium I, Pentium II, and Pentium III processors throughout its lifespan. Celeron-based models had processors clocked at 333, 366, 433, 466, 500, or 533 MHz; Pentium I models had processors clocked at 133 or 166 MHz; Pentium II-based models had processors clocked at 350, 400, and 450 MHz; and Pentium III-based models had processors with clock speeds of 450, 500, 533, 550, 600, 667, 733, 800, or 866 MHz.
These systems came in two case types: desktop and microtower.
There were two variants of the desktop case, one with two expansion slots and the other with four. Both variants had four drive bays.
The microtower case had four expansion slots and four drive bays.
USA
The PC 300XL computer uses the Pentium MMX clocked at 233 MHz or the Pentium II clocked at 233, 266, or 300 MHz.
And it featured built-in 10/100 Ethernet.
USA
