Commodore 64: The Computer in Millions of Homes

Commodore introduced the C64 in January 1982 and sold it through department stores, toy stores and computer shops. Its price started near $595 and fell year after year. Families could plug it into a television and play games, write programs or draw pictures.

The machine had 64 kilobytes of memory, 16 colors and a sound chip called the SID, which could play three voices at once. Musicians still use that chip for its distinctive tone. Estimates of total sales run from about 12 to 17 million units, which makes it one of the best-selling computer models of all time. For many programmers, game designers and composers, the C64 was the first computer they ever used. Look for the cartridge slot at the back, which held games, and the port for a cassette or disk drive, which stored programs.