From handheld smart phones to vast scientific simulators, computers are developing at ever-increasing speed. In The Computer, uber-technogeek Mark Frauenfelder traces the evolution of this vital machine from its earliest roots through its exciting application in code-breaking during the Second World War, and from its initial use in the workplace and home to its current status as a ubiquitous--and increasingly portable--part of twenty-first century existence. This highly illustrated social history of the computer examines its profound impact on every sphere of life.