Chronology of Personal Computers

Copyright © 1995-2024 Ken Polsson
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URL: http://kpolsson.com/comphist/

References are numbered in [brackets], which are listed here. A number after the dot gives the page in the source.

Last updated: 2023 October 25.


1990

January
  • At the Consumer Electronics Show, Commodore gives a sneak preview of a proposed "interactive graphics player", based on a variant of the Amiga 500, with 1 MB of RAM. The machine includes an integrated CD-ROM drive, wireless controllers, and no keyboard. [441.17]
  • Motorola formally announces the 32-bit 25 MHz 68040 microprocessor. It incorporates 1.2 million transistors, integrates the FPU, and includes instruction and data caches. [13] [338]
  • Apple Computer discontinues the Macintosh II. [75] [597.95] [701.136]
  • Microsoft releases Microsoft Office for Windows. [1268.135] (June 1989 [1886.68])
  • Hayes Microcomputer Products wins a US$1.4 million lawsuit against Everex, Ven-Tel, and Omnitel, regarding the validity of Hayes' patent on the "+++" escape sequence. [164.14]
  • Intel releases the 80387SX math coprocessor. [511.319]
  • Intel releases the 10 MHz 287XL and 287XTL (designed for laptop computers) math coprocessors. These coprocessors operate faster than previously released versions. [511.319]
(month unknown)
  • Wells American computer company closes. [648.190]
February
  • Adobe introduces the Photoshop image editing software. [1886.68]
  • Toshiba announces the T1000XE portable computer. It features 2 MB RAM, and 20 MB hard drive. Weight is 6.2 pounds, price is US$2699. [1207.154]
  • Chips and Technologies announces the M/PAX multiprocessor chip set. [659.5]
(month unknown)
  • Shearson Lehman Hutton produces a report on PC advances toward the year 2000, predicting a merger between Compaq Computer and Hewlett-Packard in 1995. (Compaq and HP do merge companies, but in 2001.) [1207.21]
March
  • The boards of directors of Mindscape and Software Toolworks agree for Software Toolworks to acquire Mindscape. [1524.26] (late 1980s [1537.28]
  • IBM introduces the PS/2 Model 65SX, with a 386SX processor. [1095.32]
  • Microsoft introduces the Entertainment Pack Volume 1 for Windows. [1049.136]
  • Commodore offers Amiga 1000 owners US$1000 to trade in their Amiga on a new Amiga 2000. [441.7]

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  • The FCC creates Part 15, Subpart B of its radio frequencies rules, covering all electronic equipment that create radio signals, including personal computers. [769.352]
  • Lotus Development ships Lotus 1-2-3/G for OS/2. This is the first major application available for OS/2. [502.49] [548.159] [606.81]
  • Hewlett-Packard introduces the LaserJet III laser printer. [795.142]
  • Cyrix introduces the FasMath 83S87 math coprocessor, pin-compatible with Intel's 387SX. [511.329]
  • Apple Computer introduces the Macintosh IIfx. It features a 40 MHz 68030 processor, 68882 math coprocessor, 4 MB RAM, 80 MB hard drive, 1.4 MB SuperDrive, 32 kB cache, 44.1 kHz stereo audio, and choice of 8-bit to 24-bit graphics. Price is US$9800. [18] [46] [75] [591.115] [593.350] [597.95]
  • Adobe publishes the specifications for its PostScript Type 1 fonts. [680.168]
  • IBM introduces the PS/2 Model 65, with a 16 MHz 80386SX, 2 MB RAM, and 60 MB SCSI hard drive. [646.54]
  • In a patent-infringement suit between Motorola and Hitachi, the judge imposes a temporary sales ban on Motorola's 68030 processor. [558.17]
March 17
  • In Washington, D.C., the AmiExpo trade show is held, over three days. [441.4] [1176.89]
March 23
  • US District Court Judge Vaughn Walker throws out five of six claims in Xerox' suit against Apple Computer, claiming infringement of the Star's system. [594.47] [2605.80] (May [346.195])
March 27
  • Sierra acquires the Dynamix company. [1524.26]
(month unknown)
  • In the film Who Waits Below, several VIC-20 computers appear. [1728.78]
April
  • Microsoft introduces Russian MS-DOS 4.01 for the Soviet market. [123]
  • Outbound releases the Outbound Mac-compatible portable. [559.73]
April 24
  • At the Palladium in New York City, Commodore hosts Multimedia Live!, and announces the Amiga 3000 computer. The system features a Motorola 16 or 25 MHz 68030, 68881 or 68882 math coprocessor, new Enhanced Chip Set, Zorro III bus, 2 MB RAM, 40 or 100 MB hard drive, AmigaDOS v2.0, and AmigaVision authoring system. Prices are US$3299 (16 MHz, 40 MB), US$3999 (25 MHz, 40 MB), US$4699 (25 MHz, 100 MB). [407.19] [1728.24,31]
(month unknown)
  • ABC sells magazines Compute!, Compute's Gazette, Compute's PC, and Compute's Amiga Resource to General Media International. [1728.25]
  • Sharp Electronics introduces the PC-6220 notebook computer. It weighs less than four pounds, and features a 12 MHz 80C286 processor, 2.5-inch 20 MB hard drive, B/W backlit triple supertwist 8x6-inch LCD VGA 640x480 resolution screen, 1 MB RAM (expandable to 3 MB), and a socket for a 80C287 math coprocessor. Price is about US$4000. [646.53] [908.87]
May
  • Microsoft introduces the Microsoft Project for Windows project management software. [1049.145]
  • Microsoft introduces PowerPoint presentation software for Windows. [1049.145]
  • Asymetrix introduces ToolBook for Windows, an object-oriented visual development package. [1049.129]
  • Intel introduces the 33 MHz 486 microprocessor. Speed is 27 MIPS. [62]
  • The ComputerFest trade show (formerly called AppleFest) debuts in New York city. [642.10]
  • The DPMI Committee releases the DPMI version 0.9 specification. [511.369]
  • S3 announces plans to create a multiprocessor chip set. (The project is scrapped a year later due to lack of market interest.) [659.5]
  • Digital Research releases DR DOS 5.0. [146] [511.242]
  • The PCMCIA card specification v1.0 is released. [147] (August [696.237]) (September [206.68])
May 18
  • Universal Pictures releases the film Bird on a Wire to theaters in the USA.
    • An Apple Macintosh with red diskette appears a few times.
    • An IBM PC/XT appears briefly.
    [2368]
May 22
  • At the Center City Theater at Columbus Circle in New York, Microsoft introduces and ships Microsoft Windows 3.0. This version allows addressing memory above 640 kB. Microsoft spends US$3 million for opening-day marketing, as part of a US$10 million promotional campaign. [15] [28] [45] [75] [123] [146] [150] [346.239] [346.272] [379.256] [389.29] [477.161] [479.128] [548.159] [595.26] [606.81] [620.130] [618.296] [721.156] [769.4] [909.232] [1149.359] [1299.1] [1527.176] [1639.114] [1897.129] [2605.173]
(month unknown)
  • John Dvorak quote: "I think Windows 3.0 will get a lot of attention; people will check it out, and before long they'll all drift back to raw DOS. Once in a while they'll boot Windows for some specific purpose, but many will put it in the closet with the Commodore 64.". [648.20]
  • IBM introduces the IBM T55D flat panel screen. It features 15-inch diagonal size with 1024x768 pixel resolution. [1095]
  • Creative Micro Designs releases three hard drives for the Commodore 64/128: 20 MB for US$599.95, 40 MB for US$799.95, and 100 MB for US$1299.95. [1118.22]
  • Ed Esber is forced to resign as president of Ashton-Tate. [618.264]
June
  • Nolan Bushnell of Commodore International unveils Commodore's CDTV at the Summer Consumer Electronics Show. CDTV stands for Commodore Dynamic Total Vision. The unit hooks up to a television, and plays CD-ROMs, text, video, stereo sound. This is the first available consumer product designed for multimedia. Code-name during the product's development was "Baby". [539.A-18] [645.10] (January 1991 [1196.131])
  • Adobe Systems introduces the Adobe Type Manager for Windows software. [1049.147]
  • IBM introduces the IBM Personal System/1 computers, with 10 MHz 80286 processor, built-in VGA, and monitor. Prices range from US$999 to US$1999. [138] [1312]
  • Duo Computers announces the Duo FC, incorporating a PC-AT compatible and a Nintendo Entertainment System in one case. [539.10]
  • Apple Computer announces that Claris shares would not be offered to the public, but that the company would become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Apple Computer. [419.75]
  • A US District Court judge rules that Paperback Software's duplicating the menu interface of Lotus 1-2-3 is a violation of copyright (the "look and feel" lawsuit was filed in 1987). [16] [161] [217]
  • Amstrad announces in France the 464 Plus and 6128 Plus personal computers, both with game cartridge ports. [2608.84]
  • Microsoft ships PowerPoint 2.0 for Windows, the first application to use OLE (Object Linking and Embedding). [909.232]
  • Jon Shirley resigns as President of Microsoft. He is replaced by former Boeing executive Michael Hallman. [346.272]
  • The Federal Trade Commission begins an investigation of collusion of IBM and Microsoft for alleged monopolistic practices in the PC software market. [548.347] [775] [1299.398] [1462.94] (1991 [128])
(month unknown)
  • SCSI-2 is formalized. [1038.202] [1158.247]
  • Adobe announces Level 2 PostScript. [720.167]
  • U.S. Robotics introduces the Courier v.32bis modem. [235]
  • The INMOS T-9000 processor, designed for parallel computing in the Transputer architecture, appears. [32]
  • Claris buys Filemaker from Nashoba Systems, and renames it FileMaker II. [861.21]
  • A judge rules that competitors to Intel can use the x86 designation for their processors. Intel decides to find another name for its new processors. [477.130]
  • Kaypro Corporation files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [648.190]
  • Hard drive maker MiniScribe files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. [648.190]
  • IBM introduces the PS/2 Model 25 286. [1312]
  • Stac Electronics releases Stacker for DOS. [748.46]
  • Commodore International introduces the 64 Games System, in Europe. It is a Commodore 64 minus keyboard, with the cartridge slot on top. [808.G-18]
  • Motorola and Hitachi reach an agreement on their lawsuits, allowing Motorola to resume sales of the 68030 processor. [659.5]
  • Sharp begins shipping the Sharp PC-6220 notebook computer. [908.87]
  • Quote by Pete Peterson, executive vice president of WordPerfect: Microsoft is the "fox that takes you across the river and then eats you.". [1149.397]
  • Quote by Paul Grayson, co-founder of Micrografx: "... there is only one person with fewer friends than Saddam Hussein. And that's Bill Gates.". [1149.392]
  • Sun Microsystems co-founder Bill Joy makes a prediction that Microsoft will continue to dominate for the next 5-7 years, then there would be an industry breakthrough, by a company not yet existing. [1700.13]
  • The MSX Turbo R personal computer is released in Japan. [2287.93]

End of 1990 January-June. Next: 1990 July.

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Last updated: 2023 October 25.
Copyright © 1995-2024 Ken Polsson (email: ken@kpolsson.com).
URL: http://kpolsson.com/comphist/
Link to Ken P's home page.

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