Laptops

For a comprehensive version of the evolution of laptops via exploration of the several significant turning points in terms of capabilties and appearance, visit our gallery. You will notice this gallery differs slightly from the others as there have been simply too many different models and improvements overs the years to include all.

For more information, you can refer to History and Evolving Trend segments of this page.

History

Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons.
- Popular Mechanics, 1949

They were right that computers would weigh less that the thousands of pounds they used to weigh in their enormous machines. However, no one in the past would had been able to foresee computers running on 7 pound machines today in the form of laptops. It is difficult to determine when exactly did the first laptop come about. Computer technology had long been invented so it was only a matter of making it smaller and portable.

Portable computers have existed since the 1970s, however, they were still too bulky then to be considered a convenient alternative. Hence, to track when the first laptop was created, we must revisit the early 1980s where microcomputers finally became small enough to carry around and to fit on our laps - truly worthy of its reputation - laptop.

Even so, they were often too costly for a commoner to afford, and was chiefly used by governmental organizations and specialized fields such as the military and NASA. Only many years later, did they become more marketable, especially with the introduction of cost-efficient IBM ThinkPads.

So how did today's laptops come about?

In 1975, IBM created the first microcomputer - the IBM Portable PC 5100. At 55 pounds, the IBM 5100 was more self-reliant, rather than portable, able to run without a heavy processor. However, it was this innovation which motivated and set the motion for future developments in the laptop industry.

1981: Adam Osborne founded the Osborne 1 which is the first portable computer able to close-up (fold) and that comes with a handle. Hence, it is often considered by historians to be the first laptop created. However, its success was short lived.

1982: Birth of the first modern looking, clamshell design laptop arrives with the GRiD Compass 1101, designed to be the ultimate portable computer. At $8150, it was the most luxurious of laptops only used by the high flyers and public sector.

1983: Gavilan SC is the last of the 3 laptops in the debate of 'the first laptop created'. While GriD and Osbourne may had beaten Manny Fernandez's Gavilan Computer to hit the markets, the Gavilan can be said to be the first fully functional laptop since the GriD Compass does not encompass any floppy disk drives or batteries.

1984: Advent of the first laptop able to fold neatly into two halves - TRS-80 model 200. The HP 110 released later in the year was the most popular of laptops, with breakthrough technology of a 5MHz processor, exceptional screen display and even a carrying case.

1987: First attempts were made to include a touch screen and handwriting recognition function by merging laptops with a stylus via the Linus Write-Top.

1989: Apple makes its grand entrance with the Macintosh Portable, complete with a high definition screen and madly fast 16MHz processor. A pity however, that it weighed 16pounds and was impossible to lug around.

1991: Apple and Sony collaborate to make the Macintosh Portable, smaller, light, cheaper and more compelling to consumers. It went on to become Apple's best selling laptop for a decade, after which being displaces by the Titanium Book.

1999: Apple is taking the world by storm! The iBook becomes the first laptop to have wireless enabled.

21st Century: Fast forward to today, laptops are now smaller, lighter, faster, and more appealing in style and capabilities. Apple continues to dominate part of the market with its defiant MacBook and novelty.

In addition, touch screen features have dramatically improved resulting in Tablet PCs able to operate with either a stylus, keyboard, or mouse, especially useful for presentations, notes-taking and even drawing for aspiring graphic designers.

What is more, you can even get mini-laptops now, more commonly known as netbooks, if you only require basic computer functions. Unquestionably, progress of the netbook markets will determine the future of laptops.

Acknowledgements:

1. Sysop for his commercialised sharing on his Obsolete Technology Website. (29th March 209)
2. Mary Bellis on the history of laptop computers. (29th March 2009)
3. Catherine Roseberry answers questions regarding the evolution of laptops. (29th March 2009)
4. Kevin Moshayedi's article on the history of laptops. (29th March 2009)