Babbage Computer

Charles Babbage is considered to be the ‘father’ of computers. His first concept, the Difference Engine, is arguably the first computer ever made. Developed in 1822, it was capable of computing several sets of numbers and making hard copies of the results.

In 1837, Babbage proposed the first general mechanical computer, which he called the Analytical Engine. It was the first general purpose computer containing an Arithmetic Logic Unit, which included basic flow control and integrated memory for the first time. However, due to a shortage of funding, the computer wasn’t completed until after Charles’ death in 1910, with his son taking the reigns as an electronic innovator.

Since the early years of computing wizardry, many others have contributed to the development of what is now considered an everyday essential. The Z1 computer was created by Konrad Zuse in 1938, and is considered to be the first ever programmable computer. In 1936, Alan Turing laid the foundation for modern computers by designing a machine capable of printing symbols on paper tape in a way that emulated a human’s ability to follow a series of logical instructions.

The first desktop and mass-market computer came in 1964, with the Programma 101. Invented by Pier Giorgio Perotto and manufactured by Olivetti, the computer was bought by thousands of people. Costing $3,200 – the equivalent of almost $25,000 today – it sparked a computing revolution that led to the development of the worldwide web, the Internet of Things, and a more connected world.