World's Firsts in Computing
(only first commercial introduction)

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Item
Model
Year
Picture
Link
Punched card IBM 1926 Info

Electronic computer

UNIVAC
1951
Other candidate : Ferranti Mark 1 (1951)
First prototypes : Zuse Z1 (1936), Harvard Mark I (1944), ENIAC (1946)
CRT Monitor IBM Sage monitor (NC) 1956  
Hard Disk IBM Ramac 305 disk 1956 Info

Modem

Bell 103
1962

Programmable desktop computer

Olivetti Programma 101
1965
Microprocessor Intel 4004 1971 Info
Other candidates : Four Phase System AL1 (1969), F14A MOS-LSI microprocessor chip (1970), Texas Instruments TMX-1795 (1971, NC)
Floppy disk drive (8'') IBM 23FD 1971  
Floppy disk drive (5.25'') Shugart SA400 1976 Info
Floppy disk drive (3.5'') Sony OA-D30V 1981 Info

Personal computer

R2E Micral N

1973
Other candidates : Datapoint 2200 (1970), Kenback-1 (1971), Altair 8800 (1975)

Laser printer

IBM 3800
1975
First prototype : Xerox (1969), Xerox Dover (1976)
Other candidates : Xerox 9700 (1977), Hewlett-Packard LaserJet (1984)

Portable computer

IBM 5100
1975
Other candidates : Osborne-1 (1981)

Pocket computer

Sharp PC-1211
1980
Other candidates : Panasonic HHC (1981), Casio fx-702P (1981)

Mouse

Xerox Star 8010 mouse
1981
First prototype : Douglas Engelbart mouse (1968), Telefunken Rollkugel (1968)
Other candidates : XEROX Alto (1973), Logitech P4 (1982), Microsoft Mouse (1983)
Notebook computer Epson HX-20 1982 Info
Other candidates : Radio-Shack Model 100 (1983), Casio FP-200 (1983)
Laptop computer Gavilan SC 1983 Info
Other candidate : GRiD Compass (1982)

Inkjet printer

Hewlett-Packard Thinkjet
1984
Other candidate : Casio 500 Typuter (1971)
Scanner Microtek MS-200 1984  
Other candidates : National Bureau of Standards SEAC (1957, NC, the first scanned image)
LCD desk monitor Eizo L66 1998 Info
USB key Trek Technology ThumbDrive 2000 Info
Other candidates : IBM DiskOnKey (2000)


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