Computers first and foremost are tools to do work. Sometimes, you need to do work “on the go” and if your work involves a computer, you would need a computer that can be just as “on the go” as your work needs – a “portable computer.”
Most of the computers in the world today are portable – by definition a smart phone is a computer, a tablet is a computer, hell, even your watch is a computer in some cases, which is funny considering this episode of The Computer Chronicles shows off a watch computer in its opening!
In 1985 the IBM PC clone market was really taking off, and with the drastic improvements in processor and memory technology happening in this time period it only made sense that people would start designing computer systems that were about the size of a briefcase, and could contain everything they need, including power, to operate on the go.
Granted, the display technology was primitive, early LCD tech – nothing like the displays we have today, in 1985 these panels weren’t even available in color – but for text only applications they did the job well. New low power CMOS chip manufacturing designs allowed systems to be battery powered, and new board fabrication technology allowed more components to be put in every cubic inch of space available in the case, thereby shrinking the machine down compared to what the same hardware configuration would take up space wise.
None of this is odd to us – I’m certain we all have used a laptop at some point in our life. Hell, for many younger people over the past decade that is the only kind of computer they have ever had that wasn’t a phone or tablet form factor. We’re used to the idea of having a small, portable computer to do things with, but 33 years ago it was quite a new idea. The interesting thing is to see just how quickly the industry realized what they wanted and set to a general standard, within the limits of the then available technology, to produce machines to fill the need. Especially worth considering is Paul Schindler’s take on the future of Portable Computing, and how that all panned out…
Enjoy.