The Intel 4004 was the first CPU on a single chip and also the first available to the commercial market. Recently it celebrated it’s 40th birthday! We wish to say thank you to the microprocessor that grandfathered the CPUs we have today. A CPU is the brain of a computer. Known as the central processing unit, every bit of information in or out of a computer goes though the CPU. Just imagine what the Intel 4004, a tiny yet powerful CPU, did for the computing world in 1971. CPUs have come a considerable ways since then, but they remain a huge part of our everyday lives.
The Intel 4004 was originally created for a calculator, but it quickly led to technological leaps in computing. Many common products would not exist if it weren’t for the powerful CPUs born from the Intel 4004. These products include laptops, streetlights, and cell phones. The Intel 4004 quite literally grandfathered many modern technologies. Check out this article showing the evolution of technology as a result of CPU.
We can’t acknowledge the Intel 4004 without introducing the engineers responsible for developing it. Federico Faggin, Ted Hoff, and Stan Mazor made up the team responsible for the design and development of the Intel 4004. It’s easy to lose sight of the humble origins of today’s technological world, but the Intel 4004 reminds us of how far we have come.
So lets set aside a second to show our admiration for the little microprocessor that grandfathered the present day CPU.
Take IT Away 
