Hi! Yes that was really interesting. I only remember the Comodor 64 but very interesting to read about all these 70’s computers. Especially from 1974 when i was a baby. /A
> 23 juni 2018 kl. 14:20 skrev Donna Goodin <doniado...@me.com>: > > What a great read, Mark. Thanks for sharing. That was quite a trip down > memory lane. > Donna >> On Jun 23, 2018, at 12:49 AM, M. Taylor <mk...@ucla.edu> wrote: >> >> How much did a personal computer cost the year you were born? >> >> By Evan Comen, The Wall Street Journal, Updated 8 hours ago >> >> Once wildly expensive and inaccessible but to the very rich, computers today >> are one of the most ubiquitous technologies worldwide. Though many personal >> computers in the early 1970s were much cheaper, the most basic model of an >> HP 3000 sold for $95,000 in 1972, the equivalent of slightly over half a >> million in today's dollars. >> Today, a brand-new computer costs just a few hundred dollars and has >> capabilities that in 1972 were in the realm of science fiction. >> The advent of the personal computer is one of the most important >> technological developments of the last century. In the early 1970s, the >> technology improved to the point that personal computers no longer needed to >> be the size of a car to function. Not all personal computers released in the >> early 1970s cost as much as the HP 3000. In fact, many became accessible to >> the public in both cost and size, offering consumers a product that could >> fit within a small room and a typical budget. >> As the computer transitioned from a technical marvel to household staple, a >> number of landmark devices came on the market throughout the years that set >> the bar higher for the generation of PCs that would follow. These computers, >> which include 1977's Apple II, 1980's Commodore VIC-20, 1981's IBM PC, were >> extremely popular at the time of their release. The Commodore 64, which was >> released in 1982, would eventually sell about 20 million units to become the >> best-selling personal computer of all time. >> 24/7 Wall Street identified the price of a specific computer representative >> of each year between 2016 and 1971 -- the year the first personal computer >> was released. >> >> >> 1971 >> . Notable computer: Kenbak I >> . Price tag: $750 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $4,659 >> Deemed to be the first personal computer by the Boston Computer Museum, the >> Kenbak I looks nothing like modern computers. The Kenback I was designed as >> an educational machine to teach students how to write programs. >> >> 1972 >> . Notable computer: HP 3000 >> . Price tag: $95,000 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $571,791 >> Hewlett-Packard's 3000 was the company's first foray into smaller business >> computers. The original 3000 was generally considered a failure, but the >> company would go on to make 20 different versions of the 3000 through 1993. >> >> 1973 >> . Notable computer: Wang 2200 >> . Price tag: $3,500 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $19,832 >> With the introduction of the Wang 2200, Wang Laboratories successfully >> transitioned from calculator manufacturer to computer company. >> >> 1974 >> . Notable computer: Scelbi-8H >> . Price tag: $440 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $2,245 >> The Scelbi was initially advertised in the back of an amateur radio magazine >> in 1974. The product would only sell about 200 units and was discontinued >> before the end of the decade. >> >> 1975 >> . Notable computer: IBM 5100 Portable Computer >> . Price tag: $8,975 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $41,970 >> At about 50 pounds, IBM's 5100 Portable Computer was hardly portable by >> today's standards. A decade earlier, a computer with the same processing >> capacity would weigh about half a ton. >> >> 1976 >> . Notable computer: Apple I >> . Price tag: $667 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $2,949 >> The Apple I was the first product sold by Apple. It was originally designed >> for computer hobbyists who could make use of its bare circuit board. After >> Steve Jobs added a keyboard and display to its design, the Apple I was sold >> as a consumer product for $666.66. It was replaced by the more user-friendly >> Apple II the following year. >> >> 1977 >> . Notable computer: Apple II >> . Price tag: $1,298 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $5,389 >> In 1977, the world was introduced to a personal computer that dramatically >> improved on the Apple I. Notably, the Apple II provided the entire personal >> computer package. It was pre-assembled, rather than in a kit. It is >> considered by many the first widely successful PC. >> >> 1978 >> . Notable computer: IBM 5110 >> . Price tag: $9,875 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $38,105 >> The IBM 5110 was designed to be an affordable machine to assist businesses >> with accounting and reporting. Despite the company's hopes, the computer >> never achieved mainstream success. Incidentally, 1978 was the year computers >> were first installed in the White House. Staffers in the president's home >> were given access to Hewlett-Packard's far more expensive HP 3000. >> >> 1979 >> . Notable computer: Heathkit H-89 >> . Price tag: $1,595 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $5,527 >> Even after pre-assembled machines such as the Apple II were being sold, many >> still bought personal computers sold as kits. Like many kits at the time, >> buyers of the H-89 needed to put together and even solder some components. >> >> 1980 >> . Notable computer: Commodore VIC-20 >> . Price tag: $299 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $913 >> Though it would not be released until January the following year, the >> Commodore VIC-20 was announced in June 1980. Once released, the Commodore >> was extremely popular and the company struggled to produce the VIC-20 fast >> enough to meet demand. The machine was also the first computer to ever sell >> more than a million units. >> >> 1981 >> . Notable computer: IBM Personal Computer 5150 >> . Price tag: $1,565 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $4,332 >> The PC 5150 was IBM's most successful attempt at a personal computer at the >> time and was used as the basis for most computers that followed. The basic >> unit sold for $1,565, and the full model for $3,000. >> >> 1982 >> . Notable computer: Commodore 64 >> . Price tag: $595 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $1,551 >> It may surprise some to learn that the best selling personal computer in >> history is not an Apple or an IBM, but rather a Commodore. The now-defunct >> Commodore International, which had also built the VIC-20, introduced the 64 >> in 1982, which was widely loved for its gameplay capability and state of the >> art sound chip. The Commodore 64 sold roughly 20 million units during its >> run. >> >> 1983 >> . Notable computer: Apple Lisa >> . Price tag: $9,995 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $25,247 >> The Apple Lisa was one of the first commercially available personal >> computers with a graphical user interface. However, the Lisa's high cost >> ultimately doomed its chances of success. The machine was inspired by the >> nearly decade old Xerox Alto, which also had a graphical user interface >> though was never made commercially available. >> >> 1984 >> . Notable computer: Apple Macintosh >> . Price tag: $2,495 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $6,042 >> The Macintosh is considered to be the first commercially successful computer >> to have a graphical user interface. Users could navigate by clicking through >> images with a mouse as opposed to the text-based commands used in earlier >> computers. Apple's TV ad evoked George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984 and >> positioned Macintosh as a savior from the market dominance IBM had >> established by selling more than 2 million of its PCs. >> >> 1985 >> . Notable computer: Commodore Amiga 1000 >> . Price tag: $1,295 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $3,028 >> The Amiga 1000 was the world's first multimedia computer. It could run >> multiple tasks at once, and its superior graphics, sound, and video >> capabilities made it a favorite amongst graphic designers. The Amiga 1000 >> launch party also attracted artists and included the likes of Andy Warhol, >> Debbie Harry, and musical group Blondie. >> >> 1986 >> . Notable computer: Compaq Portable II >> . Price tag: $3,499 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $8,032 >> The Compaq Portable II, though markedly lighter than its predecessors, is >> hardly portable by today's standards. Despite the machine's relatively small >> 9-inch monitor, it weighed 26 pounds and did not pack as neatly as modern >> laptops. >> >> 1987 >> . Notable computer: Commodore Amiga 500 >> . Price tag: $700 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $1,550 >> Like some of its predecessors, including the Commodore 64, the Commodore >> Amiga is one of the most popular computers in history, selling more than 6 >> million units. The Amiga was relatively affordable and was also the first >> commercially available machine capable of animation and graphic design work. >> >> 1988 >> . Notable computer: NeXT Cube >> . Price tag: $6,500 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $13,824 >> Just three years after being forced out of Apple, Steve Jobs introduced the >> NeXT with his new company, Cube. NeXT was eventually bought by Apple and the >> Cube's operating system served as the foundation for Apple's Mac OS. >> >> 1989 >> . Notable computer: Macintosh Portable M5120 >> . Price tag: $7,300 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $14,811 >> Apple's first portable Macintosh computer, the Portable M5120 had a crisper >> display and more processing power than most laptops available at the time. >> While it was designed to be the first portable Apple computer, people were >> known to already carry Macintosh desktops under their arms or in carrying >> cases while traveling. At 16 pounds, the laptop weighed almost as much as >> the desktop that preceded it. >> >> 1990 >> . Notable computer: Poqet PC >> . Price tag: $1,995 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $3,840 >> At the time of its release, the Poqet PC was the smallest computer on the >> market. It was powered by just two AA batteries and had innovative power >> management software that could make the batteries last for several weeks. >> >> 1991 >> . Notable computer: Apple Macintosh PowerBook >> . Price tag: $2,299 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $4,247 >> Apple's first attempt at a portable laptop computer in 1989 resulted in the >> Macintosh Portable, which at 16 pounds nearly weighed as much as the desktop >> that had preceded it. The PowerBook, however, weighed about 6 pounds and had >> all the processing power of the Portable. The PowerBook was also cheaper, >> and its keyboard position was considered an ergonomic innovation. >> >> 1992 >> . Notable computer: IBM ThinkPad >> . Price tag: $2,375 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $4,259 >> The ThinkPad utilized the PenPoint Operating System. In addition to a >> traditional keyboard system, users could touch the screen with a stylus to >> operate their computers. The ThinkPad was named with former IBM President >> Thomas J. Watson, Sr. in mind, who coined the company's motto "Think." >> >> 1993 >> . Notable computer: Apple Newton MessagePad >> . Price tag: $700 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $1,219 >> The Apple Newton MessagePad was one of the first Personal Digital Assistants >> and a precursor to many of today's smartphones. The device's flawed >> handwriting recognition software, however, led to poor sales and ultimately >> the product's discontinuation in 1998. >> >> 1994 >> . Notable computer: IBM ThinkPad 755CD >> . Price tag: $7,599 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $12,900 >> The ThinkPad 755CD was the first laptop with a built-in CD-ROM drive. While >> notebook computers were still far less popular than desktops, the innovation >> was an important step to wide public adoption of laptop computing. >> >> 1995 >> . Notable computer: Gateway Solo 2000 >> . Price tag: $3,499 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $5,776 >> By 1995, many laptops were running on Intel Pentium processors, had built-in >> CD-ROM drives, operating Windows 95, and were gaining notoriety. The Gateway >> Solo 2000 was one such popular model. >> >> 1996 >> . Notable computer: Gateway Solo 2100 >> . Price tag: $4,149 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $6,653 >> In the early days of laptop computing, computers were referred to by the >> number of spindles they had -- that is, the number of built-in storage >> drives. The Gateway Solo 2100 was the first three-spindle computer. It had >> built-in hard disk, floppy disk, and CD-ROM drives. >> >> 1997 >> . Notable computer: Dell Dimension XPS H266 >> . Price tag: $3,979 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $6,237 >> Intel introduced the second generation of its popular Pentium processor in >> 1997, the Pentium II. The Dell Dimension XPS H266 was one of the first PCs >> to feature the new chip, and it was available for a starting price just >> under $4,000, the equivalent of about $6,200 today. >> >> 1998 >> . Notable computer: iMac >> . Price tag: $1,299 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $2,005 >> Apple introduced in 1998 the next big thing in desktop PCs, combining both >> the monitor and components in a colorful case. The iMac, which offered >> one-click Internet access, also had considerably fewer previously used ports >> but two additional USB ports. This would become the standard input for most >> modern devices. >> >> 1999 >> . Notable computer: Compaq ProSignia Desktop 330 >> . Price tag: $2,699 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $4,076 >> The first computers with Pentium III processors became available in 1999. >> The Compaq ProSignia Desktop 330 was one of the most popular of the >> inaugural Pentium III computers. >> >> 2000 >> . Notable computer: Gateway Performance 1500 >> . Price tag: $3,089 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $4,513 >> The first computers with Pentium 4 processors became available in 2000. The >> Gateway Performance 1500 was one of the most popular of the inaugural >> Pentium 4 computers. >> >> 2001 >> . Notable computer: Apple Titanium PowerBook G4 >> . Price tag: $3,499 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $4,971 >> In the history of Apple, 2001 was an important year. The company opened its >> first 25 Apple stores and released the Titanium PowerBook G4 to widespread >> acclaim. >> >> 2002 >> . Notable computer: Toshiba Satellite 1955 >> . Price tag: $2,499 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $3,495 >> With its Pentium 4 processing power and detachable keyboard, the Toshiba >> Satellite 1955 was one of many advanced notebooks that heralded the public >> adoption of laptop computing. >> >> 2003 >> . Notable computer: Apple Power Mac G5 >> . Price tag: $1,999 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $2,733 >> At the time of its release, the Power Mac G5 was the most powerful Macintosh >> computer. It was the first personal computer to utilize 64-bit processing, >> allowing users to run tasks twice as fast as was possible with 32-bit >> architecture, the standard at the time. >> >> 2004 >> . Notable computer: Sony VAIO PCV-V200G >> . Price tag: $1,699 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $2,263 >> The Sony VAIO was an all-in-one system -- a fully functional PC in an LCD >> monitor with TV capabilities. It was marketed as a space-saving multimedia >> desktop, ideal for college students. The machine was introduced in 2004, the >> last year in which desktop computers outsold laptops. >> >> 2005 >> . Notable computer: Lenovo ThinkPad X41 >> . Price tag: $2,249 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $2,897 >> Lenovo purchased IBM's personal computing unit in 2005. The unit included >> the ThinkPad X41, whose security features and pen touch technology made it >> one of the year's most popular computers. Lenovo's investment has ultimately >> proven sound, and the company today is the global leader in worldwide PC >> shipments. >> >> 2006 >> . Notable computer: Dell XPS M1710 >> . Price tag: $2,845 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $3,550 >> In March 2006, Dell bought high-end gaming machine manufacturer Alienware. >> That same year, Dell sold the XPS M1710, which was one of the best-rated >> gaming notebooks of the year. >> >> 2007 >> . Notable computer: iPhone 1 >> . Price tag: $599 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $727 >> Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone in January 2007. Apple >> has since sold more than 1 billion of its eleven generations of iPhones and >> is on track to sell far more. By combining a web browser, music player, and >> cell phone with an innovative user interface, the iPhone sparked a >> smartphone revolution that continues to change how consumers and technology >> interact. >> >> 2008 >> . Notable computer: MacBook Air >> . Price tag: $1,599 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $1,868 >> The increasing efficiency of computer chips allowed manufacturers to produce >> lighter and smaller machines, and the introduction of the MacBook Air in >> 2008 marked a transition to a new era. The first version could be purchased >> with a solid-state hard drive -- the first mass-market computer to run >> exclusively with this technology -- and weighed just 3 pounds. >> >> 2009 >> . Notable computer: HP 2140 Mini-Note >> . Price tag: $499 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $585 >> Computer manufacturer Hewlett-Packard was the industry leader in global PC >> sales in 2009. It built many of the most popular PCs of the year, including >> the HP 2140 Mini-Note. >> >> 2010 >> . Notable computer: iPad >> . Price tag: $499 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $576 >> Tablet sales amounted to less than 2 million units in the year before the >> iPad's release. When the iPad was released in 2010, tablet sales shot up to >> 19.7 million. By 2016, tablet sales reached 207.1 million. The iPad combined >> the most popular features of the iPhone on a 9 inch screen, and gave a >> platform to thousands of new programs and applications. >> >> 2011 >> . Notable computer: Acer Chromebook >> . Price tag: $349 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $390 >> 2011 marked the release of Google's Chrome OS as well as the first laptop to >> run on the operating system, the Chromebook. One of the first Chromebooks, >> built by Acer to provide just basic functionality, cost just $349. >> >> 2012 >> . Notable computer: Apple iPad (third generation) >> . Price tag: $499 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $547 >> Although the iPad had been around for more than a year by 2012, sales of the >> device reached truly astronomical levels that year. Apple sold more than 50 >> million units that year. PC World rated the third generation iPad as the >> second best product of 2012, in part because it offered significant upgrades >> to the previous versions, including a high-resolution Retina display. >> >> 2013 >> . Notable computer: Toshiba Satellite C55D >> . Price tag: $330 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $356 >> The Toshiba Satellite C55D is a budget laptop. For just $330, consumers can >> browse the Internet, watch movies, and check email. It was one of the >> best-selling laptops of 2013. >> >> 2014 >> . Notable computer: Lenovo ThinkPad X240 >> . Price tag: $1,555 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $1,653 >> A long way from the 1994 ThinkPad 775CD, recognized as the first laptop with >> a CD-ROM drive, the ThinkPad X240 is notable for its numerous USB and VGA >> ports. The X240 is also the lightest ThinkPad to date and has an innovative >> dual battery system that ensures a longer charge. 2014 was the final year in >> which desktops and notebooks outsold tablet computers. >> >> 2015 >> . Notable computer: MacBook >> . Price tag: $1,299 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $1,379 >> After being discontinued for four years, the MacBook was reintroduced in >> 2015. The newest MacBook is thinner than its predecessors and has a higher >> pixel density meant to enhance the images on its screen. 2015 was the first >> year in which tablets outsold desktops and laptops. >> >> 2016 >> . Notable computer: Lenovo Yoga 900S >> . Price tag: $1,099 >> . Inflation adjusted price: $1,152 >> PC vendors continued to introduce lighter and thinner laptops to the >> marketplace in 2016, while still making improvements in processing power, >> battery life, and screen display. One popular consumer trend that remained >> strong in 2016 was the 2-in-1 convertible laptop, which allows users to flip >> their laptop screens 360 degrees to convert their devices into a tablet. The >> thinnest convertible laptop at the time of its release in 2016 was the >> Lenovo Yoga 900S, which packs up to 10.5 hours of battery life and 256 GB of >> solid-state storage in just 0.5 inches of thickness. In 2017, the Asus >> Zenbook Flip S became the world's thinnest convertible, at just 0.4 inches. >> Detailed findings >> The early desktop computers of the late 70s and 80s provided a tiny fraction >> of the graphics, storage, and processing capabilities of the devices we have >> today -- and at several times the cost. However, for the time, these >> machines represented a massive improvement in the way people processed data, >> conducted business, and interacted with the world. >> The 90s were also full of milestones in technology, in particular the >> widespread use of the internet. Computers built to be easy and accessible, >> such as the iMac in 1998, provided American families with a portal to the >> world. >> There were even more changes in the world of personal computing in the last >> 15 years. The number of available devices rose, and the increasing quality >> of components allowed manufacturers to make smaller and lighter devices >> capable of much more. >> In 2005, laptops outsold PCs in the United States for the first time. The >> iPhone's introduction in 2007 marked the beginning of an era in which >> computing became truly mobile. Other handheld devices such as the iPad >> offered yet another option. And for the first time in 2015, more tablets >> were sold than all laptops and desktop computers combined. >> Methodology >> To estimate the cost of a computer in a given year, 24/7 Wall St. identified >> the price of a specific computer representative of each year between 1971 >> and 2016. Computers were considered representative if they were released >> that year and held an important place in the history of computing. A >> computer may be chosen as representative for a number of other reasons. A >> chosen computer may have been the best-selling model of the year or contain >> a significant technological development of that year, such as an innovation >> in processing power. Computers were only ever used for the year of their >> release, even if their sales or popularity reached a peak the following >> year. The parameter of 1971 was set in accordance with the release of the >> first ever personal computer. >> 24/7 Wall Street is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and >> commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. >> Originally Published 5:02 a.m. PDT June 22, 2018 >> Updated 8 hours ago >> >> Original Article at: >> https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/06/22/cost-of-a-computer-the-year-y >> ou-were-born/36156373/ >> >> >> -- >> The following information is important for all members of the Mac >> Visionaries list. >> >> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if >> you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or >> moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >> >> Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. 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