Fourth Generation (Early 1970s - till date): Microprocessors

The fourth generation is an extension of third generation technology. Although, the technology of this generation is still based on the integrated circuit, these have been made readily available to us because of the development of the microprocessor (circuits containing millions of transistors). The Intel 4004 chip, which was developed in 1971, took the IC one step further by locating all the components of a computer (central processing unit, memory and input and output controls) on a miniscule chip. A microprocessor is built onto a single piece of silicon, known as