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portable computer - technical definition
A computer that can be transported. Portable computing started in 1981, when Adam Osborne introduced his CP/M-based business computer called the Osborne I. It came bundled with a modified version of the WordStar word processor specialized for the machine's pint-sized screen. The Osborne I was soon followed by Kaypro, Hyperion, Otrona and many others. One year after the Osborne, Compaq introduced the first MS-DOS portable. See laptop, notebook and pocket computer.
The Osborne I
For $1795, the Osborne I came bundled with WordStar and other software. Although it weighed nearly 30 pounds, Adam Osborne made it very clear that portable computers were here to stay. (Equipment courtesy of Alfred J. Young, Danboro, PA.)
Twenty Years Later
Twenty years of advancements have brought us to a complete computer no larger than the screen itself. This tablet computer from Aqcess Technologies was a full multimedia PC with built-in voice recognition, camera, modem and networking. (Image courtesy of Aqcess Technologies Inc.)
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