Guide Note

Intel is the largest producer of semiconductors and microprocessors in the world. Their microprocessors can be found in both Windows PC computers and Apple's IMac line. In addition to processors, Intel also makes various other computer components such as chipsets, network cards, flash memory, and graphics chips.

Fast Facts

1. Ticker: INTC (NASDAQ)
2. Founded in 1968
3. Headquarters: Santa Clara, California
4. CEO: Paul Otellini
5. Staff: 94,000
6. Made the first microprocessor in 1971
7. Currently has a partnership with Apple

Intel was founded by Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore in 1968. Intel created the very first CPU in 1971, but they did not become the main producer of CPU's until the personal computer came around in the mid to late 1990s. During this time, Intel heavily invested in the future of microprocessors and eventually became the world's most trusted brand with the "Intel Inside" advertising campaign.

In 1965, co-founder Gordon Moore coined a term named Moore's Law. In this law, it is said that the number of transistors that can be put on a circuit will double exponentially approximately every two years.

With the success of the early Intel processors, another brand started to come around named AMD. AMD was another company that chose to take advantage of the microprocessor boom. However, Intel and AMD have had cross-licensing contracts with each other since 1976 so they are both free to use each other's designs after a set amount of time. The contract expires though if either one of them goes bankrupt.