Happy 37th birthday, Apple

Thirty-seven years ago today Apple, a fledgling "personal computer" company, was founded. The company was later incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. in January of 1977, but those of us who share the love of pranks and fun that helped launch Apple like to celebrate the "birthday" on April Fool's day. Years later, in 2007, Apple dropped the "computer" from its title, heralding a new era beyond personal computers. Apple's bottom line lately has reflected this, as Macs are no longer the primary source of revenue for the Cupertino powerhouse -- not by a long shot.

Still, it's fun to reminisce about those heady early days. The first Apple computer cost $666.66, only included a circuit board and offered a cassette tape interface, sold separately. After growing beyond its homebrew foundation, the Apple II sported a sturdy case with integrated power supply, a keyboard and color TV output. I still remember when my dad bought one -- in a bicycle shop, in the back with all the Altairs and other artifacts of the era. There were no computer stores in 1978!

Here's to years more innovation and great products from the California powerhouse. For a brief history of computing and where Apple fits in the timeline, check out this great article from
NPR.