Laptop
A laptop is a computer which is easy to carry around. Its user can fold the laptop up and be able to take it with him/her. The laptop was created mainly for this particular reason. In order to develop a laptop a computer technology was taken and then scaled to smaller size.
[change] History
The first laptop was invented in 1969 by Bill Moggridge. The British developed his portable computer for GRiD Systems Corporation. GRiD made the product with a fold-down display that covered the keyboard. GRiD started manufacturing in 1979 with commercial distribution occurring in 1981.
GRiD's computer was five times lighter than any other computer used at that time. NASA used the laptop when it performed its shuttle program, back in the 1980s. GRiD held patents for the Clamshell design which represents our modern laptop design. GRiD was acquired in 1988 by Tandy Corporation who after acquisition monetized the Clamshell Patent by aggressively pursuing all computer manufacturers who were selling clamshell design laptops. GRiD also had patents for handheld and handwriting computers which Tandy holds to this day.
Historians, however, consider that the first portable was created in 1981 and its name was Osborne 1. Its inventor was Adam Osborne who was also a former book publisher. He was the founder of Osborne Computer. His portable computer weighed 24 pounds.
The company spent 1,795 US dollars on creating the computer, which had a five-inch screen and a special place for a modem and two devices for using a floppy disk. There were also several programs designed for the computer and a battery pack for providing energy. The computer, however, was not successful.
The same year saw the birth of another computer called Epson HX-20. It was a portable computer with a liquid crystal display (LCD) monitor. The computer also included a built-in printer. The whole device was battery powered.
One year later, in 1982, two computer designers from Microsoft, Kazuhiko Nishi and Bill Gates, started their discussion concerning a new portable computer. The main thing about the computer was a new LCD technology. The prototype of the new laptop was presented to Radio Shack.
The latter agreed to start the production of the computer. A year later the company launched its TRS-80 Model 100, which was a computer that looked pretty much like the laptops we know today.
In 1986 the company created its improved version called TRS Model 200. The following two years saw the appearance of a laptop PC from Compaq Computers and the first notebook-style laptop from NEC called NEC UltraLite.
The year 1989 was quite successful for laptop producers. First there was Apple Computer that developed its first portable computer called Macintosh Portable the evolution of which turned it into PowerBook. Then the company named Zenith Data Systems introduced its Zenith MinisPort – a portable computer weighing 6 pounds. Finally there was Compaq Computer that designed its first laptop PC called Compaq LTE.
The development of laptops continued with various upgrades and additional functions added. Laptops have a lot of advantages like:
- People can carry them anywhere, whether office or home.
- The work area of a laptop is much smaller than an ordinary personal computer.
At the same time portable computers have several negative points like:
- Computer thefts became easier.
- While used in the car they can cause car accidents.
- They break more easily than desktop computers.
[change] Other websites
- Laptop Categories – See the categories of laptops.
- The Long Way of a Laptop – Find out more about the differences between a laptop and a desktop.
- BBC News
