Sphere-1: First true personal computer?

[cbmeeks]

Seems the world has forgotten about the Sphere-1. I know this debate will never end. How do we define "personal computer"? At any rate, I'm a huge fan of all 8/16 bit computers. Apple, VIC, Atari, etc. But it is annoying how this computer never gets more credit. I'm not saying it is the first. But if I was having this discussion in 1975, I would be like "Apple who??".

This is an interesting read on the Sphere-1 as well.

**EDIT**

Forgot the URL:

https://history-computer.com/Library/Sp ... ochure.pdf

[siccoyote]

There is something to be said about the additon of the qualifier "Of Note" to any statement like this.

Such as the first Video-Game, well there are plenty of contenders but the first one to sell in reasonable number and bring about use of the phrase Video Game is PONG, so PONG is the first video-game(of note)

While this computer did come earlier it only managed to shift 1,300 units total which is not much when the PET shifted 4,000 PETs in '78 alone.

There is of course as Wikipedia points out the MCM/70, and the Altair 8800 which sold more units than the Sphere-1.

[cbmeeks]

While this computer did come earlier it only managed to shift 1,300 units total which is not much when the PET shifted 4,000 PETs in '78 alone.

There is of course as Wikipedia points out the MCM/70, and the Altair 8800 which sold more units than the Sphere-1.

Well, the number of units sold is irrelevant for this discussion. If I sail a single ship to an uncharted island, then six months later, the entire US Navy shows up, who discovered the island first?

I've often wondered if I should write a book (or at least a large blog) on the subject. One TV show I enjoy is Adam Ruins Everything where he debunks common beliefs that are often wrong. I would like to do the same thing on computer history. A real passion of mine.

I mean, if some guy creates a few prototypes that never make it to market, then I wouldn't exactly call that a first because it never really went anywhere. But, it's a gray area sometimes. Who knows how many people created fully functional computers in the early 70's that the world never knew about. Any one of them could have been the "first".

For me, it's not even the first to market. For me, a true "first" would be a computer that was complete and shipping to actual users.

But again, it's really hard to pin down firsts like that.

I do, however, believe Sphere-1 beat the Apple II, PET and TRS-80 to market. Even though they "only" sold 1300 units. The specs seem to be on-par with the Trinity at the time. About the same amount of money assembled. About the same memory, CPU, RAM, etc.

[r.cade]

Problem is of course everyone has their own opinion of what constitutes "personal" or "computer".

To me, having a keyboard or display doesn't mean anything, but to others it does. The Apple I or even the II didn't come with a monitor, and they didn't make one, while the PET and TRS-80 did. Does that make it not a complete personal computer? Can it be disqualified?

Was their something earlier you could buy *before* the Kenbak-I? What makes it "personal"? It didn't have a microprocessor, so does it count? Micral- was it really available? SCELBI?\

The Olivetti Programma 101 was the mid 60's. It is a computer and you could buy one.

[cbmeeks]

Everything you just said are valid points. As much as I love the Apple II (and respect Woz), I get annoyed when people claim it was the first personal computer. Or how Woz claims he invented the personal computer.

At the end of the day, Apple "won". So the winners write the history, as they say.

Now if I could just find a Sphere-1 to add to my collection....