History of IBM Developments

1956 - FIRST MAGNETIC HARD DISK. IBM introduces the world's first magnetic hard disk for data storage. RAMAC (or Random Access Method of Accounting and Control) offers unprecedented performance by permitting random access to any of the million characters distributed over both sides of 50 two-foot-diameter disks. Produced in San Jose, California, IBM's first hard disk stored about 2,000 bits of data per square inch and had a purchase price of about $10,000 per megabyte. By 1997, the cost of storing a megabyte had dropped to around ten cents.

1957 - FORTRAN. IBM revolutionizes programming with the introduction of FORTRAN (Formula Translator). Created by John Backus, it soon becomes the most widely used computer programming language for technical work. For the first time, engineers and scientists can write computer programs in more natural forms, such as C=A/B rather than as strings of "machine language: 1s and 0s.

1997 - DEEP BLUE. The 32-node IBM RS/6000 SP supercomputer, Deep Blue, defeated World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov in the first known instance of a computer vanquishing a world champion chess player in tournament-style competition. Also after years of teamwork among Research and Microelectronics divisions, IBM introduced the CMOS 7S process, which allowed manufacturers to use copper wires to link transistors in computer chips instead of relying on traditional aluminum interconnects; a revolutionary advance in semiconductor technology.



Sunday, August 22, 2010

e Machines

History

eMachines was founded in 1998, backed by Korean monitor maker Korea Data Systems (KDS), Korean computer manufacturer TriGem, and various other investors. The company announced PC models at prices of $299, $399, $499, and $599, all without a monitor. At the time, few PCs sold for less than $699, and $999 was a more common price point for entry-level PCs. The first units shipped in November of the same year.

eMachines PCs quickly became common in retail stores and touched off a ruinous price war involving Compaq, Hewlett-Packard (HP), IBM, and Packard Bell. eMachines PCs were frequently offered with large rebates, provided the consumer signed a long-term contract with an internet service provider, driving down the price further.

In March 2000, hoping to further cash in on the dot-com boom, eMachines filed an Initial Public Offering with its share price set at $9. But with thin profit margins and declining sales, the company quickly started losing money and received a threat of being delisted by NASDAQ in late December 2000. Its stock price, which had peaked at $10, had fallen as low as 14 cents. The company went private in December 2001.

In December 2003, eMachines released the T6000 desktop, the world's first mass-marketed AMD Athlon 64-based system, retailing at US$1,150. The systems were primarily sold through Best Buy stores, but the PCs were also available online. eMachines were also the first company to sell notebooks based on the AMD Mobile Athlon 64, with the launch of its M6000 series in January 2004.

In July 2004, eMachines began to shake the perception that their computers were of poor quality when PC Magazine reported:

“ Among systems less than a year old, eMachines users report the fewest serious problems. eMachines' low-cost PCs are less likely to need repairs than systems from any other vendor. Whereas only 9 percent of eMachines desktops less than a year old needed repairs, according to readers, the rates of comparably new systems from Dell and Gateway needing repairs were 11 and 15 percent, respectively. Only 1 percent of all eMachines systems needed to be replaced. ”

eMachines was acquired by Gateway, Inc. in March 2004 for $262 million in cash and shares. Under the deal, Wayne Inouye, CEO of eMachines, became CEO of Gateway, replacing founder Ted Waitt. It remains a stand-alone brand that is sold through retailers, catalog and online merchandisers. Gateway itself was purchased by Acer in October 2007.

From, Wikipedia

No comments:

Post a Comment