Final answer:
The UNIVAC I, a groundbreaking computer using vacuum tube technology, was delivered to the U.S. Census Bureau on March 31, 1952. This event marked the beginning of commercial computing and highlighted the rapid technological advancements of that era.
Step-by-step explanation:
On March 31, 1952, the UNIVAC I was delivered to the U.S. Census Bureau. The UNIVAC I, which stood for Universal Automatic Computer I, was a significant achievement in the history of computing. This computer was designed and built by the Remington Rand Corporation and was the first commercially successful computer to use vacuum tube technology. The UNIVAC I marked the beginning of the computer age in many ways, heralding new levels of data processing capabilities for government agencies and businesses.
During this era, computers like the UNIVAC I required complex data management systems and filled entire rooms; they were less powerful than modern microcontrollers but played a critical role in large scale data handling. The cost of these pioneering computers was over $1 million each, with more than 40 being sold. The UNIVAC I's delivery also coincided with developments such as the invention of the transistor at Bell Laboratories by John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley. This significant advancement eventually led to the replacement of vacuum tubes in most electronic devices by the early 1960s.