The first basic computer was turned on in 1937a nd for several years there was a stady advance in computer science and technology. Beginning in the late 1970s and into the 1980s the pace of discoveries in the technology began to accelerate. The advances began to come in expotential proportions during the 1990s and in the first decade of the 21st century, the advances have been staggering.

First and foremost, the Internet has become quicker thanks to high speed broadband. This improvement has brought more people online, increased e-commerce and led to more innovations in communications. The iPad, smart phones, Google, YouTube and social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter can be traced directly back to the increased speed and power of the Internet during the past ten years.

Microsoft Windows has become the most dominant computer operating system platform in the world over the course of this decade. Each version, in spite of initial glitches, has made computing more intuitive and sophisticated. Microsoft Office is considered by many to be the standard package for word processing, spreadsheet and presentation development and management.

Apple has continued to surprise and delight its followers with an array of new computer related product. The iphone was introduced in 2007 as the first of a generation of smart phones that continues to improve. Apple’s introduction of the iPad in 2010 has attracted an entire new audience of users and shows great promise in several areas, notably the classroom.

Over the decade there have been several other milestones. In 2000 Nielsen reported that half of American households had Internet access. The introduction of high speed Internet access allowed quicker access, downloads and an increased appetite for information. Coupled with the increased speed of computer processors and simplified software, the Internet has become an innovative adn fl business tool, entertainer and educator.