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Lot Essay
The Kenbak-1, first advertised at $750 in September 1971 by John Blankenbaker, is widely regarded as one of the world's first personal computers. It was a simple and affordable machine designed for educational purposes, featuring a 256-byte memory and 1 MHz speed, using toggle switches for programming.
John Blankenbaker's vision for the Kenbak-1 began in the late 1950s while he was working at Hughes Aircraft Company, where he first conceived the idea of a low-cost, programmable computer. It wasn’t until 1970, after becoming unemployed, that Blankenbaker seriously pursued this idea. His goal was to create a computer that was inexpensive, educational, and capable of demonstrating fundamental programming concepts.
The Kenbak-1 was characterized by its minimalist design, featuring switches and lights for input and output, which helped keep costs down. The inventor’s surname was considered too long to be marketable, so a subset of letters was settled upon – Kenbak. From a production run of under 50, less than half are thought to survive.
John Blankenbaker's vision for the Kenbak-1 began in the late 1950s while he was working at Hughes Aircraft Company, where he first conceived the idea of a low-cost, programmable computer. It wasn’t until 1970, after becoming unemployed, that Blankenbaker seriously pursued this idea. His goal was to create a computer that was inexpensive, educational, and capable of demonstrating fundamental programming concepts.
The Kenbak-1 was characterized by its minimalist design, featuring switches and lights for input and output, which helped keep costs down. The inventor’s surname was considered too long to be marketable, so a subset of letters was settled upon – Kenbak. From a production run of under 50, less than half are thought to survive.