Despite being an intimate part of our lives, most of us know almost nothing about the "computer on a chip". As a result, we are constantly making crucial business, political and personal decisions based on the future of the microprocessor, while intellectually standing in the dark. If we can understand how the microprocessor came into being, the state it is in today and where its future lies, we can learn a whole lot more about where we are now and where we are going. Now, for the very first time, Michael S. Malone tells the complete story of this amazing invention in his well-known and witty style. However, this is anything but an electronics textbook. Rather, it is a riveting and incisive adventure story about extraordinary people and the legendary companies they have built. It is a tale of huge success and devastating failure, steadfast partnerships and bitter rivalries - plus a liberal sprinkling of greed and wealth. Malone closes with a tantalising look into the future: emerging technologies, new software, and even speculation about what might lie beyond the microprocessor era.