When was laptops introduced

A proper understanding of what laptops looked like can be gotten by studying their history. When you read about the history of the laptop you will see portable computers mentioned quite often. A portable computer is different from a laptop in that it was portable but was too big to be set on the lap; therefore portable computers are slightly different than laptops.

The first laptop was known as the Dynabook. It was invented in by Alan Kay. It was also called a tablet PC or slate computer because of its very flat shape. It was invented particularly for children to gain access to digital media. However, as years went by, it also became useful for more tasks such as operations documentation for the military. This one was called the Xerox Note Taker because it was designed to implement new technology and show what could be done.

It had slow processing speeds, mouse, floppy disk drive and very high cost of production. This invention was a good foundation for other computer corporations. In , the Osborne Computer Corporation invented the first commercial portable computer. The name of this portable computer was Osborne 1. It was named after Adam Osborne, the designer of the product.

The Osborne 1 was widely accepted as the first commercial portable computer because it weighed less than that of the Xerox Note Taker. Moreover, its foldable nature and lighter weight made it more appealing to several people who were ready to buy it. Many of the early laptops were based off of the first portable computers including the Xerox Note Taker and Osborne 1. Other laptops are designed with portability in mind.

These computers tend to be smaller and have a smaller amount of memory. Some are used primarily to access the Internet. Some companies allow you to build your laptop to certain specific requirements. Laptops are available in both PC and Mac formats.

Laptops offer the advantage of being portable, allowing people to work wherever they are. This is a great advantage to businesspeople when they travel. College students also enjoy the flexibility that a laptop provides. Some colleges now require enrolling first-year students to purchase laptops.

Some high schools have the same requirement, or provide laptops for their students to use. Other people are working to bring laptops to countries in the developing world. Skip to Main Content. Close Search Box. Commodore released the Commodore SX in , the first portable computer to feature a full-color display screen. It weighed pounds, making it the first laptop under pounds. The U. Air Force issued an RFP request for proposal , leading to the purchase of over , laptops.

The contract for the manufacturing and purchase of these laptops was awarded to Zenith Data Systems. The Air Force's purchase of such a large number of laptops helped pave the way for the popularity of laptop computers. It was the first battery-powered laptop to feature VGA graphics and an internal hard drive.