In 1950 – Percy LeBaron Spencer received a patent for a “Method of Treating Foodstuffs” which we would recognize as the microwave oven. Spencer was working on an active radar set and accidentally melted a candy bar in his pocket.
In 1984 – The original Macintosh was introduced becoming the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a graphical user interface rather than a command line interface.
Like Tech History? Purchase Tom Merritt’s Chronology of Tech History at Merritt’s Books site.