Apple Computer, Inc.1. IntroductionApple Computer, Inc., a leading personal computer manufacturer headquartered in Cupertino, California. Apple designs, produces and sells personal computer systems for use in business, education, government and the home. Its products are sold in more than 120 countries and include personal computers, printers, monitors, scanners, software and networking products.2. FoundingApple was created by Steven Jobs and Stephen Wozniak in 1976 to market the Apple I, a computer circuit board that they had designed and built in Jobs' garage in Los Altos, California. They abandoned plans to sell the card on their own when Jobs' first sales call resulted in an order for 50 units. However, they were sold without a monitor, keyboard or case. The company was incorporated in January 1977 by the charismatic Jobs, the meditative inventor Wozniak and their new partner and president, Mike Markkula. Markkula brought credibility, maturity, experience in engineering and product management, and an extremely broad knowledge of the business world, as well as his own investments and contacts among Silicon Valley venture capitalists. Markkula also recruited all of Apple's external board members and attracted executives from other major tech companies, including Hewlett-Packard, Intel, and National Semiconductor.3. Apple II and MacintoshIn 1977, Apple introduced the Apple II, a personal computer capable of generating color graphics, with its own keyboard, power supply, and eight peripheral slots, giving users wide possibilities of additional peripherals and software. Apple established its headquarters in Cupertino in 1978. The Apple III computer, introduced in 1980, sold poorly due to hardware problems and its high price. With sales of the Apple II soaring, Apple in 1982 became the first personal computer company to record annual sales. of 1 billion dollars. In 1983, Apple introduced the Lisa, a personal computer designed for professional use that incorporated a portable mouse for selecting commands and controlling an on-screen cursor. The Lisa was followed in 1984 by the Macintosh personal computer, based on the 68000 microprocessor manufactured by Motorola. Like the Lisa, the Macintosh incorporated a graphical user interface, which made the computer easy to use for the novice user. Apple entered the office market with the introduction of its LaserWriter printer in 1985 and its Macintosh Plus computer in 1986, a combination that launched the desktop publishing revolution. Although the company flourished in the early 1980s, Wozniak left Apple in 1985 to start his own company. The same year, disappointing sales and internal squabbling led to restructuring, the company's first layoffs, and Jobs' departure from the company..