Third-generation computers were built between 1963 and 1974. These computers relied on a new technology called the integrated circuits.

The integrated circuit used in third-generation computers are single wafers or chips that can hold many transistors and electronic circuits. The invention of the transistor eliminated the need for unreliable hand-wired circuits and allowed hundreds of circuits to be easily connected. Integrated circuits were faster, offered improved memory, and reduced the price of computers.

Today, integrated circuits are everywhere. From personal computers, to microwave ovens, to pagers, the integrated circuit has forever changed technology. Invented by Jack Kilby, the integrated circuit led to an entirely new era: the Information Age.

Jack Kilby, Photo Courtesy of Texas Instruments