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Innovation of the Laptop Computer

By DuffyAP

  • The Osborne 1

    The Osborne 1
    The Osborne 1 is known as the first mass-produced portable computer. This system, which gets its name from its creator, contains everything necessary to operate (such as a screen, keyboard, and floppy disk drives) in one case that even had a leather handle on it for easier transport. The case was originally metal, then vacuum-formed brown plastic, and finally injection-moulded white plastic. However, it still weighed just under 25 pounds, and its screen was only 5" diagonally.

  • The GRiD Compass 1101

    The GRiD Compass 1101
    (http://www.oldcomputers.net/pics/grid1101-right.jpg) The GRiD Compass featured a small case with a large, high-quality color screen, and was the first to use the clam-shell form factor where the panel with the screen in it is also a "lid" that can be flipped opened and closed. The GRiD had 3 bubble memory modules, which could store data with or without power (non-volatile memory). For what it lacked in mobility (had to be plugged in), this computer could connect to a network for data storage.

  • The Apricot Portable

    The Apricot Portable
    (http://www.ricomputermuseum.org/_/rsrc/1371992747037/Home/small-systems-at-ricm/apricot-portable/apricot%20portable.jpg) The Apricot Portable "was the first computer to use an 80-column/25-line LCD and speech recognition for input/output". What's more, it also featured a keyboard that connected to the system through an infrared beam. The fairly large screen could display up to 8 (out of 16 possible) colors at a time.

  • The IBM PC Convertible

    The IBM PC Convertible
    (http://fjkraan.home.xs4all.nl/comp/ibm5140/ibm5140semiside2.jpg) Since IBM was the leader of innovation, pretty much anything it decided was a good idea soon became de facto in the industry. The IBM PC Convertible was the first IBM computer to run on batteries and featured 3.5" floppy disk drives. Although the original display was difficult to read, and adding any practical peripherals made the unit obtuse and bulky, this model was quite successful and helped influence the market to come.

  • The Affordable Flash SSD

    The Affordable Flash SSD
    (http://salestores.com/stores/images/images_747/TS512MDOM44VS.jpg) The Solid State Drive revolutionized laptops and computers in general. This new method of data storage involves no moving parts and runs significantly faster than previous storage drives. By 2003, SSDs had become affordable, with some starting at just $50. Besides being faster and cheaper, SSDs are also smaller, and so more space and power efficient, a constant necessity of laptop computers.