IBM

Updated: 12/10/2023 by Computer Hope
IBM logo

Originally started by Herman Hollerith as the Tabulating Machine Company in 1896. The company was later part of a merge arranged by Charles R. Flint that merged the International Time Recording Company, Computing Scale Company, and the Tabulating Machine Company on June 16, 1911, as the C-T-R (Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company).

In 1924, C-T-R adopted the name IBM (International Business Machines). Today, IBM is one of the most well-known and successful computer companies in the world and is sometimes called Big Blue.

Tip

Anyone who had worked at IBM is known as an IBMer.

Contact information

Note

Today, IBM is the manufacturer and developer of various computers, hardware products, software products, and services. If your computer is IBM compatible, it is likely a Lenovo or PC clone and not an IBM computer.

Phone: (800) 426-4968
(800) 426-7378
Lotus phone: (800) 553-4270
IBM sales: (800) 746-7426
IBM Thinkpad (Lenovo) sales: Refer to Lenovo
IBM antivirus Refer to Symantec
TDD/TTY: (800) IBM-3383
Websites: IBM official website
E-mail: [email protected]
Address: IBM Corporation
1133 Westchester Avenue
White Plains, New York 10604

IBM PC Company
11400 Burnet Rd.
Austin, TX 78758

IBM Parts Order Center
6300 Diagonal Highway
Boulder, CO 80301

IBM National Publications
4800 Falls of The Neause
Raleigh, NC 27609
Stock: IBM

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IBM company questions

How much was the first IBM personal computer?

On August 12, 1982, IBM announced the IBM Personal Computer at a price of $1,565.00.

Does IBM still make computers?

IBM no longer makes personal computers. However, the company still does make mainframes and servers for businesses and governments.

IBM news and history

December 4, 2023 - IBM released the first-ever 1,000-qubit quantum chip called Condor bringing quantum computing for everyone closer to reality.

December, 6, 2018 - IBM and HCL Technologies reached an agreement on that HCL would acquire select IBM software products for $1.8 billion. These products included Appscan, BigFix, Unica, Commerce, Portal, Notes & Domino, and Connections.

October 28, 2018 - IBM announced its plans to acquire Red Hat for approximately $34 billion.

January 29, 2016 - IBM purchased the Weather Company's product and technology assets.

July 1, 2015 - IBM and GlobalFoundries announced the sell of IBM's semiconductor business and 16,000 of its semiconductor patents was completed.

January 23, 2014 - Lenovo announced it planned to acquire IBM's x86 server business.

February 16, 2011 - Watson, an IBM supercomputer, beats the two best human Jeopardy players in a three-day event with a score greater than the two human players combined.

2005 - Lenovo completed the acquisition of IBM's Personal Computing Division.

December 08, 2004 - IBM sold its computing division to Lenovo Group for $1.75 billion.

December 31, 2002 - Hitachi closed deal to purchase IBM's hard drive operation for $2.05 billion.

July 30, 2002 - IBM purchased PwC (Pricewaterhouse Coopers) Consulting for $3.5 billion.

November 2001 - IBM started the Eclipse project.

August 14, 2001 - IBM stops selling AMD-based PCs in North America.

July 1999 - IBM acquired Sequent Computer Systems.

January 1, 1999 - All IBM antivirus technical support problems should now be addressed through Symantec.

November 10, 1999 - IBM today announced the industry's largest resolution, production-level LCD monitor panel available.

1998 - IBM acquired CommQuest Technologies, a company that designed and marketed advanced semiconductors for wireless communications applications, such as cellular phones. CommQuest becomes a unit of IBM's Microelectronics Division.

May 11, 1997 - IBMs Deep Blue computer defeated world champion chess player Garry Kasparov, in their second six-game showdown, winning the tie-breaking game in only 62 minutes.

1997 - IBM acquired Eastman Kodak's share of Technology Service Solutions, which was formed in 1994 by IBM and Eastman Kodak. TSS becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of IBM.

1996 - IBM and Edmark Corporation, a developer and publisher of consumer and education software, completed a merger.

December 5, 1995 - IBM unveiled Deep Blue, a parallel computing system that would later play the World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov in 1997.

1995 - Lotus became a part of IBM, making IBM the world's largest software company.

1994 - A number of IBM personal systems products were brought to market in 1994, including the IBM Aptiva Personal Computer.

1993 - IBM and Catapult, Inc. announced that IBM had acquired sole ownership of Catapult, a provider of training in personal computer end-user software.

1992 - The IBM Personal Computer Company was formed as a separate operating unit to focus exclusively on delivering leadership PC products. Within weeks of its formation, the new unit introduces more than 80 new products.

1992 - IBM's storage products business was named ADSTAR.

1986 - The AT or 101 key keyboard was introduced by IBM.

1984 - IBM introduces its portable computer, the IBM Portable weighing in at 30-pounds.

1984 - IBM discontinues marketing biomedical products, and sold its blood processing equipment business to COBE Laboratories Inc.

1984 - IBM's AT computer was introduced.

August 12, 1981 - IBM joins the computer race by introducing IBM 5150 PC that used the 4.77 MHz Intel 8088 processor, 16 kB base memory, and PC-DOS (MS-DOS) for the OS.

1980 - IBM hired Microsoft to develop versions of BASIC, Fortran, COBOL, and Pascal for the PC being developed by IBM.

1970 - IBM introduced the System/370 that included virtual memory and utilized memory chips instead of magnetic core technology. The family of computers were also able to run the earlier System/360 programs.

April 7, 1964 - IBM introduced its System/360, the first of its computers to use interchangeable software and peripheral equipment. The system also incorporated IBM-designed Solid Logic Technology (SLT) microelectronics and uses the same programming instructions. The concept of a compatible "family" of computers transforms the industry.

1964 - IBM acquired a new subsidiary, Science Research Associates Inc., a Chicago publisher of education, test and guidance materials.

July 27, 1961 - The first IBM Selectric typewriter was released.

1958 - IBM sold the Time Equipment Division to Simplex Time Recorder Co., exiting one of its original lines of business.

1956 - On September 13, 1956, the IBM 305 RAMAC was the first computer to be shipped with a hard drive. The hard drive contained 50 24-inch platters and was capable of storing 5 million characters and weighed a ton.

1937 - IBM introduced the IBM Type 805 International Test Scoring Machine, giving rise to the familiar "fill-in-the-bubble" test score sheets (OMR). The test-scorer, primarily designed by Reynold Johnson, uses the conductivity of pencil marks to sense correct and incorrect answers.

1935 - IBM markets the first commercially successful electric typewriter, the Electromatic.

1934 - The Dayton Scale Division of IBM was sold to the Hobart Manufacturing Company as IBM exited one of its original lines of business.

1933 - IBM acquired Electromatic Typewriters, Inc. The acquisition allowed IBM to enter the typewriter business.

1933 - IBM was reorganized. The Tabulating Machine Company, International Time Recording Company, Dayton Scale Company, Ticketograph Company and International Scale Company become IBM divisions.

1932 - IBM acquired the National Counting Scale Company.

1924 - C-T-R adopted the name IBM (International Business Machines).

1917 - The Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company entered the Canadian market under the name of International Business Machines Co., Limited.

July 25, 1911 - IBM was granted its first patent #998,631.

June 16, 1911 - Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company was incorporated.

October 11, 1907 - IBM filed for its first U.S. patent, #998,631.

1896 - Herman Hollerith started the Tabulating Machine Company. The company became one of the companies that helped form IBM.

1888 - Dr. Alexander Dey invented the first dial recorder. Dey's business was one of the building blocks of C-T-R (that became IBM).