[inforoots] Who said it first: laptop--?

[John Carpenter]

Karen -
I don't know who, but I can suggest when.  Maybe that will narrow-down who.  
The first suitcase-size computers (Osborne 1, Kaypro, Compaq, and IBM PC 5155) were marketed (c. 1982-84) as "portable."  Due to their size and weight, the more common term was "luggable."  There was a clear market for something smaller and truly portable - a machine that could be used on one's lap, rather than requiring a sturdy table. Refinement, miniaturization, and ruggedization of circuit boards, disk drives and power supplies, along with the advent of the LED and then LCD thin screens, made the smaller, lighter package possible.  

GRiD, Sharp, and Gavilan were among the early "notebook" style computers in the mid-1980's.   GRiD made a very rugged, high-end model.  Wickipedia credits Gavilan with first use of the "laptop" term.  Toshiba and NEC soon followed, and then a dozen more. 

Anybody know who the lead marketeers at Gavilan were?  Perhaps Manny Fernandez?  They could answer Karen's question. 

John Carpenter
Reading, Mass.
carpenter114 at comcast.net

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Karen Tucker 
  To: inforoots at computerhistory.org 
  Sent: Friday, February 17, 2006 8:18 AM
  Subject: [inforoots] Who said it first: laptop--?




------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Might anyone on the inforoots list know who coined the term, "laptop"?

  Much appreciated,
  Karen
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mail.computerhistory.org/pipermail/inforoots/attachments/20060217/c00d7a21/attachment.html