1971

• Intel ships copies of the 4004 microprocessor to Busicom.

• Gary Boone, of Texas Instruments, files a patent application relating to a single-chip computer.

• Intel introduces its 4-bit bus, 108-KHz 4004 chip - the first microprocessor. Initial price is US$200. Speed is 60,000 operations per second. It uses 2300 transistors, based on 10-micron technology. It can address 640 bytes. Documentation manuals were written by Adam Osborne. The die for the chip measures 3x4 mm.
• Intel announces the first microcomputer, the MCS-4 system. It uses the 4004 microprocessor, 4001 ROM chip, 4002 RAM chip, and 4003 shift register chip.

• (summer) Steve Wozniak and Bill Fernandez build a computer with lights and switches, from parts rejected by local companies. They call it the Cream Soda Computer.

• (fall) Electronic News publishes an ad from Intel promoting the 4004 chip.

• Intel renegotiates its contract with ETI, gaining Intel the right to market the 4004 microprocessor openly.

• The National Radio Institute introduces the first computer kit, for US$503.

• The Kenback Corporation introduces the Kenback-1 computer, for US$750. It uses a 1KB MOS memory made by Intel.

• Niklaus Wirth invents the Pascal programming language.

• IBM introduces the "memory disk", or "floppy disk", an 8-inch floppy plastic disk coated with iron oxide.

• Wang Laboratories introduces the Wang 1200 word processor system.

• Intel introduces the 1101 chip, a 256-bit programmable memory, and the 1701 chip, a 256-byte erasable read-only memory (EROM).

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