Laptops began as an almost luxury item due to their prices and have ended up being more affordable than some desktop computers , even surpassing the sales of the latter. Its versatility and importance today is indisputable, so it would be interesting to immerse ourselves in the world of the laptop and learn a little more…
Index of contents
- Laptop: what is it
- types of laptops
- history of laptops
- Dynabook: the vision
- Inspiration for the competition
- Osborne 1: a before and after
- IBM ThinkPad 700
- keeping up with progress
- Mobile devices
Laptop: what is it
Portable computers , also called notebooks or microcomputers , are compact computers that can be easily carried anywhere. There are various types of laptops available in the market. Let’s take a look at what a laptop is and why you should get one. Laptops are small, lightweight computers with a screen size of about 13 inches or less. They usually weigh less than 1.5 kilos, but have more storage and processing capacity than desktop computers.
A laptop is perfect for people who travel frequently or spend time away from home because it is portable and convenient to use anywhere. There are many brands that make laptops, for example Here are some of the best laptop brands to consider if you are looking for a new computer:
A computer can be called a laptop if it has a keyboard, an operating system, and all the basic hardware built in .
One of the best things about buying a laptop is that you can choose the features that work best for you. And with more laptop brands than ever before, you’re sure to find one that’s right for you. With a laptop you can easily connect with your family and friends. You can also explore new ideas and interests by reading articles and watching videos on different topics. If you work from home, a laptop can help you feel more productive by allowing you to be more efficient and effective in your work.
types of laptops
There are various types of laptops available in the market. These are some of the most popular:
- Chromebooks: Theseare inexpensive laptops that are designed for people who need to perform basic computing tasks. They run Google’s ChromeOS operating system and have most of the same features as an Android tablet or smartphone and are compatible with Android apps.
- Conventional laptops: can have various operating systems, and are the most common. They usually weigh about 1.5 kg or more. And within these you can find some subtypes, such as gaming laptops , workstations, etc.
- Hybrid– A hybrid laptop is a combination of laptop and tablet that allows you to do everything you would normally do on a laptop but with the added flexibility of a touch screen. That is, here come the so-called convertibles and the 2 in 1.
- Ultrabook: Itis a thin and light laptop that is designed to be extremely portable. It is usually around 1kg in weight, and even less in some cases.
history of laptops
Despite everything said above, the first laptops were far from what we now consider a laptop. They were quite crude and heavy, and poorer in function than today’s. Things have changed a lot over the decades. However, it is interesting to dive into the story , as it is exciting.
Dynabook: the vision
Xerox PARC ‘s Alan Kay envisioned a “portable personal information handler” in 1968, and described the Dynabook in his 1972 paper. The Dynabook soon became a workable personal computer. Although Alan’s concept was more like a tablet than a laptop.
Inspiration for the competition
Alan’s concept would inspire other companies to implement their own interpretations of what mobile computing should be :
- IBM created the SCAMPand showed it in 1973. It was a prototype based on the IBM PALM processor. Later, in 1975, the first portable computer available on the market would arrive, the IBM 5100, based on SCAMP.
- As 8-bit CPUs became more prevalent, the number of laptops increased. In 1980, what is known as the first portable computer would arrive, the Epson HX-20, invented by Yukio Yokozawa.
- Others would come later, such as the French R2E Micral CCMC, and many others, such as the Dulmont Magnum, GRiD Compass, Sharp PC-5000, Gavilan SC, Toshiba T1100,…
Osborne 1: a before and after
The Osborne 1 launched in 1981 marked a before and after in the laptop sector. This kit was quite small in size and handy to carry around. In addition, it was equipped with the legendary Zilog Z80 processors.
The Osborne 1 is considered the first real portable computer (laptop, notebook) by most historians. The Osborne 1 was the first widely accepted handheld computer to incorporate a display, a disk drive, and all of their components. Early handheld computers used CP/M, the industry’s first standard operating system, had two disk drives and built-in five-color displays.
The Osborne 1 was created in April 1981 by a company called Osborne, run by a journalist turned businessman named Adam Osborne . A journalist turned businessman named Adam Osborne. Adam Osborne, founder of the classic boom-and-bust Silicon Valleys tech company The classic boom-and-bust tech company, created the first handheld computer in 1981. The Osborne 1 was the first handheld microcomputer with commercial success, released on April 3, 1981 by the Osborne Computer Corporation.
The Osborne 1 seemed to become a massive success in the market: by September 1981, the Osborne Computer Corporation had reached its first million dollars in monthly sales. Despite its shortcomings, and the apparent rapid rise of competitors after its launch, Osborne Computer Corporation, the parent company, had already posted its first million-dollar sales.
Despite the Osborne 1’s unprepossessing design and heavy weight—it looked like a cross between a World War II field radio and a shortened DC-3 instrument panel—Osborne Computer Company sold 11,000 units in the first eight years. months after April 3, priced at $1,795 at the time. Aside from the few shiny features of the Osborne 1, the computer was primarily designed to be portable, as Lee Felsenstein was very picky about its weight and dimensions: The Osborne 1 was advertised as the only computer that could be put under the seat of the plane.
The Osborne 1 was designed to be lightweight, although it was not given the technology of the time, with a hard ABS plastic case that locked and included a carrying handle. Although 11 kg seems like a high weight for a laptop.
IBM ThinkPad 700
In 1992 the IBM ThinkPad 700 arrived , a computer more similar to what we know today as a laptop. The IBM ThinkPad 700 (Model 700 PS/2) was the first laptop PC under the ThinkPad brand. The first IBM ThinkPads were released on October 5, 1992, along with a different line. In April 1992, IBM announced the first ThinkPad model, the 700, later renamed the 700T, following the release of three new models, the 300, the new 700, and the 700C.
The IBM ThinkPad 300 , actually made by Zenith Data Systems, was one of the most prominent models. Subsequently, IBM decided to use the ThinkPad brand for all new IBM laptops, and it continued to this day, although IBM’s laptop division was now acquired by the Chinese firm Lenovo, which currently owns this series.
Lenovo bought IBM’s personal computing business in 2005, since then all thinkpads are made and labeled by Lenovo.
The ThinkPad 700/700c models are featured as fully functional notebook computers from IBM’s line of portable systems. ThinkPad 700/700C models are designed to be compatible with the IBM designed power supply system. The IBM ThinkPad 700/700c Micro Channel system is designed to enable a small, lightweight handheld PC powered by battery or AC power.
The new ThinkPad 700 improved upon the previous generation IBM models , featuring an improved chipset and a new degree of customization. Little by little, more and more models of the series appeared, with new features and improvements, such as more powerful CPUs, more RAM, more data storage capacity, greater battery life, etc.
The 700 and 700C were well received , being called the best laptops on the market by PC Magazine, which also praised IBM’s design saying, After years of not distinguishing laptops, IBM has finally got it right and BYTE magazine’s review he said, The IBM ThinkPad 700C laptop won an award for most innovative design. The company also issued a press release announcing that it would place 100,000 ThinkPad orders (including the ThinkPad 700C and two lower-end models with monochrome displays) within eight weeks. IBM’s 2521 pen-based tablet became the ThinkPad 700T, and the new laptops were called the ThinkPad 700C, 700, and 300.
There was a CompuServe forum ( GO THINKPAD ) dedicated to this, and much has been explained there, and this forum is only dedicated to the IBM ThinkPad 700T (although it was also used to discuss other models in the series).
keeping up with progress
In the 90s , interesting progress would come in the field of processors, since models specially designed for laptops began to appear, such as the Intel i386SL, which had been designed to consume less and extend battery life.
Later, dynamic consumption management technologies such as Intel SpeedStep, AMD PowerNow!, among others, would arrive. That is to say, the processor industry began to take the laptop sector seriously and began to design exclusive products designed for them. And not only were there technologies for low consumption, but soon the first series or lines of specific processors for laptops also appeared, such as the Intel Pentium M, the AMD Athlon 4, etc.
Even some laptop platforms like the famous Intel Centrino arrived . On the other hand, beyond the processors, the rest of the sectors also made great progress, achieving thinner screens, greater integration of components, more functions for laptops, lighter batteries and higher energy density, etc.
Some extras such as webcams, optical disk drives, etc. were even integrated . In the end, laptops stopped being the weak little brothers of desktop PCs to become a very serious alternative.
Mobile devices
And the 21st century would give way to a new generation of portable devices, mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, phablets) . An evolution derived from the previous ones and that has even allowed carrying a powerful computer in your pocket. Few imagined in the late 1960s that computers so fast and so small could be built…
To give you an idea, today’s smartphones far exceed the performance of the supercomputers that occupied large rooms in the 90s.
Now you know something more about laptops, and their history. What was your first laptop? Comment…
