Final answer:
Computers were invented in the 20th century, initially developed in the 1940s and becoming commercially significant in the 1950s. Early computers were large and costly, while the late 20th century saw the spread of personal computers in businesses and homes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The computer was invented in the 20th century, with experimental computers first being developed in the 1940s. These devices became commercially significant in the 1950s and have since become an integral part of nearly all technology components. During the late 19th century, while the Industrial Revolution set the stage by advancing steam and electricity, the computer age had not yet begun. The first computers, such as the UNIVAC I and IBM 701, cost hundreds of thousands of dollars and were essential for military, business, and governmental operations.
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, with the advent of personal computing manufacturers like Apple and Commodore, computers began to appear more frequently in businesses and homes. Innovations in computer technology, spurred by the space program and the invention of the integrated circuit, played key roles in the evolution of computers, as noted by the trend famously referred to as Moore's Law. The rapid increase in the capabilities of electronic devices has been a defining characteristic of the computer's development since then.