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Chat => Tech Chat => Topic started by: Floydoid on August 17, 2007, 05:55:36 PM

Title: The World's First Laptop
Post by: Floydoid on August 17, 2007, 05:55:36 PM
The world's first laptop or 'portable' computer -  the Osborne 1 -  was marketed in 1981 for $2,000:

It's spec was:

    * Dual 5¼-inch, single-sided 40 track floppy disk drives ("dual density" upgrade available)
    * 4 MHz Z80 CPU
    * 65 kilobytes main memory
    * Fold-down keyboard doubling as the computer case's lid
    * 5-inch, 52 character × 24 line monochrome CRT display
    * IEEE-488 port configurable as a Parallel printer port
    * RS-232 compatible 1200 or 300 baud Serial port for use with external modems or serial printers

It was powered by a wall plug, and had no internal battery, although a battery pack offering 1 hour run-time was available.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osborne_1
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: kitz on August 17, 2007, 08:02:44 PM
lol - look at the size of the screen. ;D

(https://forum.kitz.co.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F8%2F8b%2FOsborne1.jpg%2F250px-Osborne1.jpg&hash=8622b051da1d7504521722a81a300eaacad54e29)
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: Floydoid on August 17, 2007, 08:37:51 PM
Yeah lol, but I guess it was state of the art technology for 1981... remember this was 3 years before the IBM 286 was available.
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: scottiesmum on August 17, 2007, 10:11:03 PM
Floydy  ... I thought the worlds first lap top was going to be Adam   ;D :-X
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: Floydoid on August 18, 2007, 10:54:01 AM
Oh behave Kate. :P
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: scottiesmum on August 18, 2007, 02:50:09 PM
Oh  all right then !     :angel:
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: ralphw on October 21, 2007, 03:19:29 PM
Quote from: kitz on August 17, 2007, 08:02:44 PM
lol - look at the size of the screen. ;D

(https://forum.kitz.co.uk/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fupload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2F8%2F8b%2FOsborne1.jpg%2F250px-Osborne1.jpg&hash=8622b051da1d7504521722a81a300eaacad54e29)

But think about it, all the latest web browsing phones and palm computers have screens that size and smaller. so if fact we have got knowhere in the intervening years....  ::)
OK so the surrounding kit has got smaller but you are still squinting at a tiny screen but now with a miniscule keyboard as well.  ???
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: Floydoid on October 21, 2007, 03:44:21 PM
I know what you mean Ralph... I swear my mobile phone was made for a teenage girl's fingers to use.
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: mr_chris on October 21, 2007, 04:04:39 PM
>> I swear my mobile phone was made for a teenage girl's fingers to use

Given that's probably the biggest target market, it wouldn't surprise me!!
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: Floydoid on October 21, 2007, 07:11:30 PM
Yeah well, I'm all for shrinking the technology, but it still needs to be functional... my mobile is a pain for me to use, and I've got hands that are below average size for an adult male.
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: ralphw on October 21, 2007, 07:38:25 PM
When my mobile contract comes due for renewal I check with the supplier what free upgrade I can have with all the bells and whistles, take it and continue to use my old chunky one, then after a month or so, sell the new one on Ebay..... ::)  Am I supposed to do this????
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: Floydoid on October 21, 2007, 07:53:06 PM
Sounds like a plan to me...
Title: Re: The World's First Laptop
Post by: kitz on October 21, 2007, 09:41:10 PM
>> Am I supposed to do this?Huh?

prolly not - but many do  :D