[inforoots] laptops

['Computer Collector Newsletter']

Yup, the Model 100 was quite popular, as were the follow-up models 102 and
200.  But the 100, like many Tandy products, was actually an OEM version of
someone else's product.  In this case it was built by Kyocera as the
"Keytronics 85", and was also marketed as the Olivetti M10 and NEC PC-8201.
 
I have several of these first-gen laptops/notebooks/(or whatever) in my
collection: Grid Compass 1101, Gavilan SC, Tandy Model 100 (would rather
have the Kyocera original), Epson HX-20, and there's a Sharp PC-5000 on the
way.
 
The site http://old-computers.com/museum/ has details for all of these
computers.
 
In light of this discussion, I'm inclined to believe Grid was the "first"
laptop.
 
It's very, very important to also consider the first- and second-generaton
of "Hand Held Computers" from companies like Friends Amis (bought by
Matsushita and sold as Panasonic RL-H1x00 series and Quasar HK-2600) and
Sharp (PC-1211, also sold as the TRS-80 PC 1.)  As explained in Chris
Morgan's editorial in the Jan. 1981 issue of Byte, these were truly small
computers, not just fancy calculators (although I disagree with his
inclusion of the HP-41C in that category.)  These first-gen versions debuted
in 80/81, and second-gen versions (from a larger variety of companies and in
both smaller / larger designs) debuted in 82/83.  Indeed, some of the
second-gen versions were quite laptop-ish, from companies like Toshiba,
Sharp, Epson, even Commodore.
 
So while "luggables" were getting smaller, "Hand Helds" were getting bigger.
Where they met in the middle became laptops.

  _____  

From: inforoots-bounces at computerhistory.org
[mailto:inforoots-bounces at computerhistory.org] On Behalf Of George Trimble
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2006 12:16 PM
To: inforoots at computerhistory.org
Subject: [inforoots] laptops


I have a Radio Shack PC 100 Portable Computer that I bought sometime in the
early1980s. There were "luggable" computers around but I wouldn't consider
anything that heavy as portable. In fact, anything over 6 pounds was out as
far as I was concerned. At 3lb. 13oz. it was great to carry.
 
Some might reject it saying it did not have enough features to be classified
as a computer. It had a display of 8 lines of 40 characters each with up to
32k of memory ( 64 when a second bank of memory was added.) But it worked
very well and solved many problems within it's limitations. It has a built
in modem and did connect to external peripherals (that added to it's
weight.) It has no wheels, does not require a special carrying case. It has
a simple BASIC interpreter, a text editor, an address book application and
scheduler application built in.
 
It was a high volume portable, probably in the thousands, compared to other
so called "portables" of the time which attested to it's popularity. I
worked on a "News Desk" system for Time Magazine, Inc. that had a STRATUS
computer for filing stories submitted by reporters and "stringers" (part
time reporters) all over the world who used the PC 100 to collect and
transmit their stories to the STRATUS.
 
The following web site has some more info on the PC 100
 
http://highgate.comm.sfu.ca/~rcini/classiccmp/complab.htm

The Radio Shack Model I was the first mass-marketed personal computer that I
used. I used to hang out in the local Radio Shack store and play with the
Model I. I think that it was the 4k/Level I Basic model with the expansion
interface. I have one of these, plus a 16k/Level II Basic model. An
interesting fact is that the Level I Basic is not Microsoft's. If I remember
correctly, Microsoft was unable to deliver a version of Basic in time for
the Model I launch, so the R/S engineers created a version of Basic based on
Li-Chen Wang's Palo Alto Tiny Basic, adding several commands to the
standard. The Level II Basic, introduced later, was a Microsoft product.

The other Radio Shack system that I love is the Model 100 portable. Based on
the 8085 processor, it was one of the first "notebook" computers (I think
that the Epson HX-20 was the first). At less than 4 lbs., it was a favorite
of traveling authors and news reporters who transmitted their articles from
the field at a blazing 300 baud. I have a complete M102 system, including
the Disk-Video Interface. This is also the last product that Bill Gates
actively coded on, working on the menu system and the BASIC interpreter.

Copyright (c) 1998-2005 Richard A. Cini, Jr. 

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