Apple
fromThe Verge
4 days agoApple II Forever!
Apple's success is largely attributed to the Apple II, which transformed personal computing into a consumer-friendly product.
The Apple II put the small, scrappy upstart company on the map. It was Apple's first mass-market personal computer, designed by Wozniak as a complete, ready-to-use machine rather than a bare circuit board for hobbyists which had been the home-computing norm up to that point. The Apple II combined the electronics, keyboard and power supply in a single case, and could plug straight into a monitor screen, making computing feel far less intimidating.
If it wasn't for a Volkswagen bus and a calculator, Apple might never have existed. At the time, late cofounder Steve Jobs was in his early 20s and strapped for cash, but hooked on the idea that everyone should be able to own a home computer. The only problem? Like many founders, he didn't have enough money to bring his vision to life.