The earliest laptop computers were developed in the early 1980s.
The earliest predecessors to the modern laptop computer trace back to the early 1980s with the introduction of the Osborne 1 and the GRiD Compass 1101 computers, both of which helped change portable computer design. The laptop PC evolved through many designs and styles. Though the Osborne 1 was the first portable computer, the GRiD Compass 1101 was the first to incorporate the folding clamshell design used by modern laptops and was also small enough to fit in a person's lap.
Background
In an August 1972 paper titled "A Personal Computer for Children of All Ages," Alan C. Kay, a computer scientist, envisioned "portable information manipulators," which he called a "DynaBook," that could be used by children anywhere, anytime as a personal communications medium where they could access digital media. The DynaBook only reached the design phase --- never being released to the market --- but Kay's vision was incorporated into later portable PC designs. PC makers realized the need for rugged computers that could be carried by business people and consumers on the go.
Osborne 1
In April 1981, the Osborne Computer Co. introduced the Osborne 1, which was the first portable computer. Priced at $1,785, the computer folded up like a briefcase, making it easy to carry. It featured a built-in monitor which, at 5 inches, is small by modern laptop standards. It also featured 64K of random access memory (RAM), a 4.0 megahertz central processing unit, two floppy disk drives and a modem port. The unit was large, weighing 24 pounds and, according to PC Magazine, was about the size of a sewing machine. This made it difficult for users to hold the Osborne 1 in their lap while using the computer. It also needed to be plugged into a standard wall outlet to operate. Because of its fold-up design, however, it could be brought onto an airplane as carry-on luggage. The Osborne 1 sold well, with 10,000 units sold in a single month, but it was soon outshined by the first IBM PC, introduced in 1981.
GRiD Compass 1101
Released in 1982 by the GRiD Systems Corp., the GRiD is considered to be the first true laptop because it was small enough --- weighing 10 pounds, 12 ounces --- to realistically be used while sitting on a person's lap. It was originally designed for business executives, through the U.S. military used the GRiD Compass 1101 in the field, and it was also on board the space shuttle Discovery in June 1985. Priced at $8,150, which made it the most expensive personal computer available, it featured a 6-inch electroluminescent screen that displayed text at a resolution of 80-by-24 pixels, an 8 MHz CPU, 256K of RAM and a die-cast magnesium-alloy case.
Considerations
Despite these early successes, there wasn't mainstream demand for portable computing, and laptops were overshadowed by desktop computers for another 20 years. Laptops did not become ubiquitous until the early 21st century, driven partly by a large increase in the availability of wireless networking.
Tags: Compass 1101, GRiD Compass, GRiD Compass 1101, portable computer, early 1980s
