A computer is a piece of hardware that's used to surf the Internet, type reports, play games and do other tasks such as storing photos, business plans and other types of media. The first technical computer was created in 1946 and weighed approximately 30 tons.
While the first computer weighed 30 tons, the first personal computer was much smaller and became available to consumers in 1950. The Simon, a desktop computer, sold over 300 units at approximately $300 each. That may not seem like a lot of money but back in the 1950's, it was huge. The cost of computers fluctuate from time to time due to technological advances, the size of memory, speed and the type of processor.
Many companies and businesses use computers on a regular basis to store data and files as well as to communicate with other businesses and employees. Other institutions, such as schools, hospitals and libraries, use computers for similar purposes. Personal computers, or PCs, are typically used to store personal documents such as music, home videos, homework or work assignments, photographs and other documents such as income tax files.
Computers have made certain technologies, such as digital cameras and digital pictures, possible as well as other types of technology. They have even made certain types of media more accessible and made it possible for families and friends to reconnect or reunite while still remaining hundreds of miles apart, if not on completely separate continents. Users can also trace family trees, research and verify historical events within their family tree or within their own community.
As newer technology emerges, computers will continue to get better, faster, smaller and more useful. It seems as if there is no limit as to what computers can do and how they can help individuals as well as companies.