Episode 5 tells the story of the microprocessor—the breakthrough that transformed computing from room-sized machines to personal devices. We begin with the launch of the Intel 4004 in 1971, the world’s first commercial microprocessor, containing just over 2,000 transistors. Originally designed for calculators, it became the foundation for programmable computing.

The episode then traces the rapid evolution of microprocessors, from Intel’s 8080 and x86 architecture to the explosion of personal computers in the 1980s and 90s. We discuss how microprocessors became the “brain” of modern devices, powering everything from PCs and game consoles to servers and smartphones.

Listeners gain insight into how this single innovation didn’t just shrink technology—it democratized it, making powerful computing accessible to the world. The microprocessor marked the true beginning of the digital age.

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