It is believed that Archimedes invented the analog computer circa 100BC. An example of this was found by fishermen in the early 1900s on a shipwreck.
Charles Babbage invented the digital computer in the 1830s. This machine was mechanical but was never built, mostly because Babbage could not convince anyone to finance it.
John Vincent Atanasoff invented the electronic digital computer in 1937 in an Indiana bar. The machine was complete and operational in early 1942, but saw little use as Atanasoff and his assistant Clifford Berry were soon called away to war related work. The University soon scrapped it to make room for more classrooms, because although it was roughly the size of a desk and on casters it had mistakenly been built too wide to fit through a doorway.
Tommy Flowers invented the programmable electronic digital computer in 1943. Ten of these machines were used at Bletchley Park to break the German high command "fish" cypher.
The inventor of the modern stored program electronic digital computer is unknown and the exact date is unknown, but it was probably sometime in 1944. The idea came up in discussions on Project PX, the WW2 project to build ENIAC, but it was decided not to use it in ENIAC as this would delay construction. John von Neumann is often incorrectly credited with this invention as he wrote the first paper on it, which was prematurely released in draft form before proper credits could be given. The first such computer was not built until 1948 in Manchester, England.
I do not believe this question has an answer. Computers are such complex machines that they cannot be "invented" in a moment. It took literally thousands of inventions by thousands of inventors and research teams over several decades (if not centuries) before they could even think of combining them into something resembling what we call a computer. And even the date things were combined is a hazy and frequently violently argued point in some circles.
Difference engines were forgotten and then rediscovered in 1822 by Englishman Charles Babbage..who is known as "the father of the Computer". This machine used the decimal numbers system and was powered by cranking a handle. The British government first financed the project but then later cut off support. Babbage went on to design his much more general analytical engine but later returned and produced an improved design (his "Difference Engine No. 2") between 1834 and 1869.
Others point out that this is the first ELECTRONIC computer. The earliest computer known is the Antikythera Machine, a mechanical device that computed the positions of the astrological signs on any given date, past or future. It was discovered in an ancient shipwreck in the Mediterranean Sea and dates to approximately 250 BC. The designer/builder is not known, but because of its similarity to other mechanical devices known to have been designed by Archimedes, it is probably his work.
Still others will say the abacus is the first computer. They were invented by the Chinese between 2600 BC and 300 BC is considered as the first computer ever. Abacus was used by the merchants and Clerks in China.
Here is still more input:
the very first computer was invented in the 1940's period of WWII for the purpose of decrypting German codes, and was about the size of a room with less processing power than a calculator
What kind of computer? The abacus is a computer and has been around for centuries....
Washiall Jameston in 1965.
The first commercial computer was invented in 1964 by Engineer Pier Giorgio Perotto of Olivetti. The device was named Programma 101.
The first minicomputers were invented in the 1960s. The next generation, the micros were invented in the mid- to late-1980s and 1990s.
The very first computer was the Abacus, invented in 3,000 B.C. For a history of the modern computer, use Google Search and type in Computer History.
The first computer was invented in Germany in 1936 to 1938. The first Gateway computer was invented in 1991, which is when the company got their start.
In the year 1837, Charles Babbage was the first to think about something that would function like a computer and ended up designing a programmable mechanical computer that he called "The Analytical Engine" but because of limited finance, and an the inability to stop himself from trying to upgrade it and find some innovation with the design, Babbage could never actually built his Analytical Engine.
1967
The first commercial computer was invented in 1964 by Engineer Pier Giorgio Perotto of Olivetti. The device was named Programma 101.
it was introduced in the year 1975 and invented byMITS Altair
The first electronic computer was invented in 1946 at the University of Pennsylvania. It is called ENIAC.
The first computer, sold to the public was introduced around the 1970's.
first computer was invented by Chals Babeje. It invented in 1938
The first minicomputers were invented in the 1960s. The next generation, the micros were invented in the mid- to late-1980s and 1990s.
The very first computer was the Abacus, invented in 3,000 B.C. For a history of the modern computer, use Google Search and type in Computer History.
The first computer was invented in Germany in 1936 to 1938. The first Gateway computer was invented in 1991, which is when the company got their start.
the first computers were invented in mid 1930s but nothing was actually built until beginning of ww2.
in the year 1936 konrad zuse invented the z1 computer. it was the first freely programmable computer, but it was electromechanical not electronic
Charles Babbage invented the first computer.