Historic technology firsts changed the world and inspired the future. The course of innovation may not always run smooth, but trailblazers never lose their drive: Technology has come a long way from the first computing machines and the days of Alexander Graham Bell, but the spirit that drives the world’s greatest innovators never slows. Take a road trip down history lane:

California, 1971 - Pioneering the Personal Computer - Long before the rise of Silicon Valley, computer engineer John Blankenbaker put the California tech industry on the map—and transformed the future of computing—when he developed the first affordable personal computer in 1971.

Illinois, 1973 - Can You Hear Me Now? - In 1973, Motorola engineer Martin Cooper—inspired by the always-connected, work-anywhere communication devices on Star Trek—designed a two-and-a-half pound cell phone at his workspace in Chicago.

New York, 1979 - Mission to the Moon - When Apollo 11 lifted off from Florida in 1969, it took with it the incredibly complex lunar module that would land Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the moon—a marvel of engineering (and modern connectivity) designed in Bethpage, New York.

New Hampshire, 1972 - Game On - End your journey in 1972 in New Hampshire, where Magavox released the Odyssey video game system—the first multiplayer, multiprogram console—designed by Ralph Baer.

Washington, 1976 – Fast Company – After budget cuts forced computer designer Seymour Cray to halt work on a supercomputer he was designing for his employers, he started his own business to continue working on the project. Cray Research released the Cray-1 supercomputer in 1976, setting a new standard for computing speed.

Ohio, 1974 – Setting the Bar – More than two decades after Joe Woodland filed a patent for the barcode—an information storage design inspired by his days learning Morse code as a Boy Scout—a supermarket cashier in Troy, Ohio, scanned the first item with a UPC label: a pack of Wrigley’s Gum.

The advancements of the last 50 years have fueled achievements and milestones in every tech sector. Where are you going next? With HPE solutions—including the cost-optimized hybrid cloud services of GreenLake, the guaranteed-available storage of your data, and proven as-a-service virtual desktop infrastructure—your business can leave its own mark on history. See resources that may help steer you in the right direction below. Questions? Chat in lower right or email us.