The wunderkind from the early days of computer technology, the Commodore PET 2001 was released in 1977. Built to last, most are still fully functional. In 2016, the German Museum of Digital Culture (Deutsches Museum der digitalen Kultur) in Dortmund will put the old treasure in an honorable position. Its retro look is once again fashionable.

The first computer to use the binary number system of 1s and 0s was built by German mechanical engineer Konrad Zuse, who worked for the Nazi government. The computer was constructed out of old recycled materials, a keypunch out of film. A visit to the Nuremberg Computer Trade Fair in 1982 astounded the man who saw what had been accomplished out of his initial invention.

Konrad Zuse created a first programmable calculator in 1938. Three years later, he completed the world's first computer, the Z3. The size of three clothing wardrobes, it weighed one metric ton. The machine could take up to one second or more to process. The original was destroyed during World War II; a reconstruction can be found in the German Museum in Munich.

The personal computer first entered the American market in 1974. Quickly thereafter, computer clubs were founded as were Altair Circles, for those interested in the original Altair computer. Apple founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were often present at these meetings, inspired as they were by the technology. The Altair 8800 really hit a nerve in its day.

Steve Wozniak's garage, in which the Apple I computer came to life, has become something of a legend. What looked at the time like a converted television for hobbyists costs $666.66 (584 euros) at the time. Keyboard and housing were sold separately. Today, the Apple I computers are well-loved and quite expensive collector's pieces - worth thousands of dollars.

Although IBM introduced its first personal computer in 1981, the company earned its success through the sales to companies of larger computers that were longer-lasting. The IBM System/360 came on the market already back in 1964, a system comprised of numerous large computers, separate machines for business, industry, research and th execuitve offices, which could be combined based on needs.

Steve Jobs quickly gained influence over the product palette on offer from Apple, the innovative computer firm he founded in California's not-yet-named Silicon Valley. The new Apple model, the Apple II, stood out for its simple, puritanical look. On sale as of 1977, the legendary design object is now housed in the Museum of the Moving Image in New York.

Over the years, Microsoft developed as a competitor to the Apple computer based on its innovative developments in software and operating systems. While Microsoft stayed true to the bland grays of the office computer, Apple turned its attention to aesthetics, launching the first iMac in 1998, available in a semi-transparent turquoise and with rounded corners.

A microprocessor was first released in 1971 by Intel - a technological wonder that brought computers quickly up to speed while reducing their size. Growing increasingly smaller and more powerful, in the meantime, such tiny chips have become a bit of a design accessory. The chips have made PCs and laptops into a technological wonder.

The future belongs to the tablet. Especially for people who travel frequently, the small, hand-held flatscreen with a mini-computer inside is valuable. Small enough to fit into handbags and be taken out in the train or plane without disturbing your neighbor, the tablet can act as a newspaper, a video player and an internet connection all in one.

A watch in which you can not only check the time, but also read your e-mails and monitor your health, the Smartwatch hit the market a few years ago, but it became popular once Apple released its version in 2015. The Apple Watch is now a status symbol - especially the 18-karat gold edition, which can be acquired for 11,000 euros ($12,500).