The Information Revolution - 9781420501636

Smartphones have cameras and speakers, but these integrated systems would not be possible if engineers had not first engaged a fundamental problem: How does one build a better calculator? This question animated many of the sharpest minds of the twentieth century into increasing the precision of instruments such as clocks through electronic circuits. This compelling volume discusses the history of the transistor and the integrated circuit, better known as the microchip. This book also covers as the eccentric and brilliant scientists and engineers who created the intellectual framework for the technology we take for granted today. Chapters discuss the notion of the universal brain, the quest of build a better calculator, the information superhighway, the open sharing of information, and Web 2.0.