In 1985, Microsoft announces Windows, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

This was
the company's response to Apple's GUI. Commodore unveils the Amiga 1000, which
features advanced audio and video capabilities.

In 1985, The first dot-com domain name is registered on March 15, years before the
World Wide Web would mark the formal beginning of Internet history. The Symbolics
Computer Company, a small Massachusetts computer manufacturer, registers
Symbolics.com. More than two years later, only 100 dot-coms had been registered.

In 1986, Compaq brings the Deskpro 386 to market. Its 32-bit architecture provides as
speed comparable to mainframes.

The Compaq Deskpro 386, announced in September 1986, was a landmark IBM PC
compatible computer. The first fully 32-bit PC based on the Intel 386, its release took the
leadership of the PC ecosystem away from IBM, and Compaq became the leader.

In 1990, Tim Berners-Lee, a researcher at CERN, the high-energy physics laboratory in

Geneva, develops HyperText Markup Language (HTML), giving rise to the World Wide
Web.

HTML is a computer language devised to allow website creation. These websites can
then be viewed by anyone else connected to the Internet. It is relatively easy to learn,
with the basics being accessible to most people in one sitting; and quite powerful in what
it allows you to create. It is constantly undergoing revision and evolution to meet the
demands and requirements of the growing Internet audience.

In 1993, The Pentium microprocessor advances the use of graphics and music on PCs.

Microprocessor is a controlling unit of a micro-computer, fabricated on a small chip

capable of performing ALU (Arithmetic Logical Unit) operations and communicating with
the other devices connected to it.

Microprocessor consists of an ALU, register array, and a control unit. ALU performs
arithmetical and logical operations on the data received from the memory or an input
device. Register array consists of registers identified by letters like B, C, D, E, H, L and
accumulator. The control unit controls the flow of data and instructions within the
computer.

In 1994, PCs become gaming machines as "Command & Conquer," "Alone in the Dark
2," "Theme Park," "Magic Carpet," "Descent" and "Little Big Adventure" are among the
games to hit the market.

In 1996, Sergey Brin and Larry Page develop the Google search engine at Stanford
University.

In 1997, Microsoft invests $150 million in Apple, which was struggling at the time, ending
Apple's court case against Microsoft in which it alleged that Microsoft copied the "look
and feel" of its operating system.

In 1999, The term Wi-Fi becomes part of the computing language and users begin
connecting to the Internet without wires.

In 2001, Apple unveils the Mac OS X operating system, which provides protected memory
architecture and pre-emptive multi-tasking, among other benefits. Not to be outdone,
Microsoft rolls out Windows XP, which has a significantly redesigned GUI.

In 2003, The first 64-bit processor, AMD's Athlon 64, becomes available to the consumer
market.

In 2004, Mozilla's Firefox 1.0 challenges Microsoft's Internet Explorer, the dominant Web
browser. Facebook, a social networking site, launches.

In 2005, YouTube, a video sharing service, is founded. Google acquires Android, a Linux-
based mobile phone operating system.

In 2006, Apple introduces the MacBook Pro, its first Intel-based, dual-core mobile
computer, as well as an Intel-based iMac. Nintendo's Wii game console hits the market.

In 2007, The iPhone brings many computer functions to the smartphone.

In 2009, Microsoft launches Windows 7, which offers the ability to pin applications to the
taskbar and advances in touch and handwriting recognition, among other features.
In 2010, Apple unveils the iPad, changing the way consumers view media and
jumpstarting the dormant tablet computer segment.

In 2011, Google releases the Chromebook, a laptop that runs the Google Chrome OS.

In 2012, Facebook gains 1 billion users on October 4.

In 2015, Apple releases the Apple Watch. Microsoft releases Windows 10.

In 2016, The first reprogrammable quantum computer was created. "Until now, there
hasn't been any quantum-computing platform that had the capability to program new
algorithms into their system. They're usually each tailored to attack a particular algorithm,"
said study lead author Shantanu Debnath, a quantum physicist and optical engineer at
the University of Maryland, College Park.

Read this article to know more about Quantum computer:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/quantum_computer.htm

In 2017, The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a

new "Molecular Informatics" program that uses molecules as computers. "Chemistry
offers a rich set of properties that we may be able to harness for rapid, scalable
information storage and processing," Anne Fischer, program manager in DARPA's
Defense Sciences Office, said in a statement. "Millions of molecules exist, and each
molecule has a unique three-dimensional atomic structure as well as variables such as
shape, size, or even color. This richness provides a vast design space for exploring novel
and multi-value ways to encode and process data beyond the 0s and 1s of current logic-
based, digital architectures."

The Molecular Informatics program brings together a collaborative interdisciplinary

community to explore completely new approaches to store and process information with
molecules. Chemistry offers an untapped, rich palette of molecular diversity that may yield
a vast design space to enable dense data representations and highly versatile computing
concepts outside of traditional digital, logic-based approaches. Given radical advances in
tools and techniques to sense, separate, and manipulate at the molecular scale, what
innovations can be injected into information technology, and what will the resulting
systems be able to “compute”? By addressing a series of mathematical and
computational problems with molecule-based information encoding and processing,
Molecular Informatics aims to discover and define future opportunities for molecules in
information storage and processing.

In 2018-Present,

1. Cloud Computing

Business organization stores terabytes of data every day, which must be arranged,
sorted and restored. A conventional computer cannot store large volumes of data which
increases pressure to move towards Cloud. The Cloud will increase the productivity of
an organization by saving time and money. Cloud is cheap, reliable for secure backup,
and eases resource management. Cloud and its automation will collaborate with new
upcoming technologies bringing profits to the organization.

2. The Internet of Things

The internet of things has turned the dream of smart homes, devices, cars, and
workplaces into a reality. It can forge compelling solutions for real-time problems by
focusing on hardware-centric software, and firmware. IOT will merge with edge
computing and enable a better range of IOT applications. Edge computing will improve
IOT based application ability to detect obstacles, face identification, and security.

3. Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence along with machine learning will be an unstoppable force in 2018.
AI and its advanced algorithms will be assisting other technologies to build sophisticated
software. Commoditized Artificial Intelligence will work in natural language processing,
computer vision, and recommender systems. Conversational Artificial Intelligence will
come across areas like supply chain, sales, manufacturing, and insurance. Amazon
Alexa is the best example of Artificial Intelligence application.

4. Virtual Assistance

Virtual Assistance technology will be a deciding vote for brand engagement. Amazon’s
Alexa and Echo have proved to be current market leaders in the world of virtual
assistance. Advancements can be made to the existing technology by merging with
voice assistant technology companies and media providers. Chatbots are one of the
technology advancements brands can use for providing quick responses and 24/7
availability to the customers.

5. Augmented Reality

AR is a technology which places a computer-generated image in front of a user creating

a composite view of reality. Unlike virtual reality, it uses existing environment and
imposes new information on top of it. Snapchat’s funny face filters and iPhone X Emojis
are the best way to describe AR. Apple’s AR Kit will ease the work of many developers
to include this technology in phones, software, etc. Brands like Amazon have started to
work with AR

6. 3-D printing

3-D printing will change the perspective of many industries of manufacturing a product.
HP has created 3-D printers which are portable and simple to use. 3-D printing can
change the world by creating touchable pictures, human body parts, lightweight, and
long-lasting cast for broken bones, and safer, stronger vehicles. It will also enhance
design and innovation in a variety of sectors. 3-D printing will disrupt the market by
saving time and money. The technology is expensive currently, but when the price will
fall, it will be accessible.

7. Robotic Process Automation or RPA

Like AI and Machine Learning, Robotic Process Automation, or RPA, is another

technology that is automating jobs. RPA is the use of software to automate business
processes such as interpreting applications, processing transactions, dealing with data,
and even replying to emails. RPA automates repetitive tasks that people used to do.
These are not just the menial tasks of a low-paid worker: up to 45 percent of the
activities we do can be automated, including the work of financial managers, doctors,
and CEOs.

8. Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity might not seem like emerging technology, given that it has been around
for a while, but it is evolving just as other technologies are. That’s in part because
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threats are constantly new. The malevolent hackers who are trying to illegally access
data are not going to give up any time soon, and they will continue to find ways to get
through even the toughest security measures. It’s also in part because new technology
is being adapted to enhance security. As long as we have hackers, we will have cyber
security as an emerging technology because it will constantly evolve to defend against
those hackers.

You can’t know where you are going until you know where you have been!

All new technologies, including computers, evolve from an original, but that doesn’t
necessitate our presumption that the original no longer has a purpose or is less valued.
Much of our technology is repurposed for different applications, and that may be the best
reason to study the history of computers.