They say life begins at 40, and no one will hope that's true more than the folks at AMD.
As the processor company enters its fifth decade, the company has launched a dedicated website to celebrate its longevity. Here, the most enthusiastic AMD fans can enter both a video and a photo contest to win AMD flavoured prizes.
Here's our (somewhat abridged) timeline of the most significant events in AMD history.
Timeline
1969
AMD is setup in 1969, by Jerry Sanders and seven co-founders in Sunnyvale, California.
1970
AMD introduces its first proprietary device: the Am2501 logic counter.
1979
Production begins in new AMD Austin manufacturing facility.
1985
AMD is listed in Fortune 500 for the first time.
1991
AMD's Am386 microprocessor family debuts.
1993
AMD Am486 microprocessor family debuts.
1995
AMD introduces AMD-K5 microprocessor, which is a socket-compatible x86 microprocessor.
1997
AMD introduces the AMD-K6 microprocessor.
1999
AMD Athlon is introduced as storms to a lead over Intel's Pentium III.
2000
AMD break the 1GHz barrier back when clock speed, really, really mattered.
2004
AMD demonstrates world's first x86 dual-core processor.
2005
2005 was clearly a big year for the company. It introduced Turion 64 for notebooks and Athlon 64 X2 dual-cores for desktops. 1-8P x86 processors for servers and workstations also made an appearance.
In the same year, AMD also files antitrust litigation against Intel for abusing its monopoly and it opens Fab 36 in Dresden, Germany.
2006
AMD acquires ATI graphics company and Dell announces it will offer AMD based systems for the first time.
2008
Dirk Meyer succeeds Hector Ruiz as chief executive of AMD.
2009
Globalfoundries, a semiconductor manufacturing company, is formed by a joint venture between AMD and the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC).
