SCELBI-8H

Scelbi Computer Consulting Company's Scelbi-8H Mini-Computer Recognized by many as the first advertised personal computer and was the first computer kit offered.. Designed by Nate Wadsworth and Bob Findley in 1973. Uses Intel 8008 cpu with 1Kb RAM(expandable).Price in kit form $580. An additional 15Kb is available for $2760. In November of 1972 Intel introduced the 8-bit 8008 cpu. The 8008 was capable of addressing 16Kb of memory and started the design of the first series of microcomputers. Which computer was the first is contested, but Micral showed a microcomputer in May 1973 using the 8008. Also in 1973 the Scelbi-8H was the first microcomputer to be advertised in the US. The microcomputer industry really took off when Intel introduced the 8080 cpu in April of 1974. The 8080 cpu was capable of addressing up to 64Kb of RAM and was powerful enough to build a real computer. The Mark-8 was introduced in 1974 but really never worked properly so few were shipped. In January 1975 MITS introduced their 8080-based Altair 8800 computer on the front cover of “Popular Electronics” and the personal computer industry was born.