From handheld smart phones to vast scientific simulators, computers are integral to our lives and 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 life. This highly illustrated social history of the computer examines its profound impact on every sphere of life.