By Newsweek Special Edition On 3/19/16 at 4:00 PM EDT. (Yes, cloning has been around that long!) Both used the Intel 8080 CPU. The ZX Series by a UK Company introduced the ZX Spectrum, which sold 8 million units. Then Commodore 64, which totaled 17 million units sold. From hobby computers to Apple. The computer went on sale in 1971; just 50 machines were built. They sold for $750, that's about $5,000 today. But even the Kenbak-1 … Some argue that he, not Turing or Zuse, is the true father of the modern computer. You know, Babbages, the mall-based chain that eventually merged with Software Etc. The first IBM personal computer, introduced on Aug. 12, 1981, used the MS-DOS operating system. The History, Development, and Importance of Personal ComputersOverviewThe personal computer was introduced in 1975, a development that made the computer accessible to individuals. American John Blankenbaker created what many experts consider to be the first personal computer---the Kenbak-1. John Blankenbaker's Kenbak-1 computer has been called 'the world's first commercially available personal computer', and a rare 1971 example is now being auctioned. It went on sale in 1979 and within 4 years it had sold 700,000 copies at $250 a time. The first modern computers were created in the 1950s and have a long theoretical and technical background. In 1975, Ed Roberts coined the term "personal computer" when he introduced the Altair 8800. But a much more popular personal computer came into the scene later that year. IBM had been observing the growing personal computer market for some time. (Image credit: IBM) 1981 : The first IBM personal computer, code-named "Acorn," is introduced. The first personal computer. The personal computer moved into the world of business when Dan Bricklin created a spreadsheet program. The story of the personal computer, including the rise of both Apple and Microsoft, is a fascinating tale. Personal computers began to have small and minor graphics on them, and a limited color range and the sales also began to rack up. Although the first personal computer is considered by many to be the KENBAK-1, which was first introduced for $750 in 1971. Up to that time computers had been very large and expensive, operated mainly by big companies. That was also the year Zilog created the Z-80 processor and MOS Technology produced the 6502.Bill Gates and Paul Allen wrote a BASIC compiler for the Altair and formed Micro-soft. The first personal computers, introduced in 1975, came as kits: The MITS Altair 8800, followed by the IMSAI 8080, an Altair clone. His program – called VisiCalc – was designed for the Apple II. They had already made one dismal attempt to crack the market with their IBM 5100. And so to the 1970s. The Story of Steve Jobs, Xerox and Who Really Invented the Personal Computer. I worked for a company named after the guy back in 1994. 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