Founding of Apple Computer Company

Apple Computer Company was established as a partnership by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. The inception of the company was driven by the vision of creating personal computers that were accessible to the general public. The first product, the Apple I, was designed and hand-built by Wozniak. To fund the development of this initial computer, Jobs sold his Volkswagen Bus, while Wozniak sold his HP-65 calculator. The Apple I was introduced to the public at the Homebrew Computer Club, a gathering of computer enthusiasts, where it garnered attention for its innovative design. Unlike traditional computers of the time, the Apple I was sold as a motherboard that included a CPU, RAM, and basic textual-video chips, rather than as a fully assembled personal computer. This approach allowed users to customize their systems, appealing to hobbyists and early adopters in the burgeoning tech community. The initial pricing of the Apple I was set at $666.66, reflecting the company's strategy to position itself competitively in the market while also catering to the interests of tech enthusiasts who were willing to build their own systems.