Computer firm IBM made technological history 25 years ago on 12 August 1981 with the announcement of a personal computer – the IBM 5150.

Costing $1,565, the 5150 had just 16K of memory – scarcely more than a couple of modest e-mails worth.

The machine was not the first attempt to popularise computing but it soon came to define the global standard.

It altered the way business was done forever and sparked a revolution in home computing.

More information and some history of the IBM PC can be found at the BBC News Website.