A brief history of Intel Corporation  

Intel Corporation is the world leader in semiconductor and computer processor technology. It has revolutionized the world of electronics since it was established in 1968 by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore. Intel devised the microprocessor that made mobile devices and computers faster and more powerful. The majority of personal computers in the world today utilize Intel’s microprocessors, and with the cutting edge products they produce, they remain very competitive and continue to lead their rivals - still ahead of AMD. Their product line includes motherboards, network and communication devices, printers, scanners, and storage media.

The origins of Intel

Intel got its name from the first syllables of “integrated circuit” and it was incorporated on the 18th of July 1968. With a start up capital of $5 million mostly obtained from Arthur Rock, a capitalist, Noyce and Moore began their business of making semiconductor memories.

Intel made the 3101 bipolar memory chip a few months after its start up. The 3101 was a random access memory (RAM) chip which became worthy enough to uphold the company until it produced the 1101 chip (metal oxide semiconductor) in 1969. It was in 1970 when Intel produced the dynamic RAM (DRAM) chip, a chip that can handle a considerable amount of data. DRAMs would ultimately prove to be a key component in the personal computer.

The company’s big break came in 1971 when a Japanese company, Busicom, requested Intel to make chips for their series of calculators. It was during this time that Intel envisioned the design for a central processing unit (CPU) on a single chip, and so the first microprocessor in the world was born. The model was 4004; it was able to imprint 2,300 transistors into a 1/6 x 1/8 inch chip and had the capability of the huge ENIAC computer.

In 1974, Intel launched its 8080 chip. It was a microprocessor which can be used for general purpose, from calculators to traffic lights. It practically contained a whole computer in one small chip. The 8080 was received well in the industry and it became the standard microprocessor at that time.

Intel continued to develop and manufacture new and innovative microprocessors over the years. The company grew rapidly from a mere 12 employees upon its start-up to about 16,000 in the 80s. Its founders learned their lessons from their past employment and implemented a less bureaucratic approach in Intel. They allowed employees at the lower levels to make decisions and emphasized keeping the communication lines open. Intel was able to give its employees fat bonuses including options for stocks and in 1983 the company attained $1 billion in sales for the first time.

The strategy of Intel that kept it at the forefront of its rivals was the thrust to go beyond chip making into computer component manufacturing. With the arrival of Pentium processors in the 90’s, the company began to develop and produce chipsets, motherboards and other PC components to go with the Pentium.

Today, Intel is continuing to develop more powerful processors and cutting edge components for computers. Its expansion into other key areas of technology appears to ensure that Intel will remain the leader in hardware technology over the years to come.

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