Osborne 1
Corrected inspiration for the Osborne to be the 1979 Micro Star, not the 1976 Xerox NoteTaker (despite the similar enclosure).
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==History== |
==History== |
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The Osborne 1 was developed by [[Adam Osborne]] and designed by [[Lee Felsenstein]], first announced in early 1981. Osborne, an author of computer books, decided that he wanted to break the price of computers. The computer's design was based largely on the |
The Osborne 1 was developed by [[Adam Osborne]] and designed by [[Lee Felsenstein]], first announced in early 1981. Osborne, an author of computer books, decided that he wanted to break the price of computers. The computer's design was based largely on the Micro Star (later marketed as The Small One), a [[luggable computer]] patented and released by GM Research (not to be confused with [[General Motors]]) in July 1979,{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/CreativeComputingbetterScan197907 |title=Creative Computing (better Scan) 1979 07 |date=1979-07-01}} and shown at that year's [[COMDEX]], which Osborne attended.{{Cite web |title=First patented portable computer - X1243.96 - CHM |url=https://www.computerhistory.org/collections/catalog/X1243.96 |access-date=2026-04-20 |website=www.computerhistory.org |language=en}} It was designed to be portable, with a rugged [[Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene|ABS]] plastic case and a handle."oldcomputer">{{cite web|url=http://oldcomputers.net/osborne.html |title=Osborne 1|publisher=OldComputers.net|access-date=May 21, 2010}} The Osborne 1 is about the size and weight of a sewing machine and was advertised as the only computer that would fit underneath an [[airline seat]].{{cite web |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198207/fallows-computer/2 |title=Living With a Computer |first=James |last=Fallows |date=July 1982 |publisher=Atlantic Magazine |access-date=May 21, 2010 |archive-date=May 16, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516005325/https://www.theatlantic.com/doc/198207/fallows-computer/2 |url-status=dead }} It is a [[luggable]] when compared to those later [[laptop]] designs such as the [[Epson HX-20]]. |
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The Osborne 1 was described as "a cross between a [[World War II]] [[transceiver|field radio]] and a shrunken instrument panel of a [[DC-3]]",{{cite magazine | url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,925484,00.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205053736/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,925484,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 5, 2013 | title=Computers: Carry Along, Punch In, Read Out | access-date=April 3, 2011 | date=June 21, 1982 | magazine=Time | publisher=Time Inc.}} and Felsenstein admitted that carrying two of them to a trade show "nearly pulled my arms out of their sockets".{{cite web | url=http://technologizer.com/2011/04/01/osborne-computer/ | title=Osborne! | access-date=April 3, 2011 | author=McCracken, Harry | date=April 1, 2011 | publisher=Technologizer}} Although the computer's exterior did not impress [[West Coast Computer Faire]] attendees, it nonetheless amazed observers; ''[[InfoWorld]]'' reported that "By far the most frequently asked question ... was, 'What do you think of the new Osborne computer?'"{{Cite magazine |last=Hogan |first=Thom |date=1981-05-11 |title=New Computers Cause Hardware Wars |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cz4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 |magazine=InfoWorld |pages=1, 6 |access-date=2019-04-17 | volume=3 | issue=9}} ''BYTE'' Magazine wrote: "(1) it will cost $1795, and (2) it's portable!"{{cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1981-04/1981_04_BYTE_06-04_Future_Computers#page/n9/mode/2up | title=New Trends in Portability: The Osborne 1 | magazine=BYTE | date=April 1981 | access-date=October 18, 2013 | author=Morgan, Chris | pages=8 | volume=6 | issue=4}} The word processing, spreadsheet, and other [[bundled software]] alone was worth $1,500; as ''InfoWorld'' stated in an April 1981 front-page article on the new computer after listing the included software, "In case you think the price printed above was a mistake, we'll repeat it: $1795".{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dj4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 | magazine=InfoWorld | title=Osborne Introduces Portable Computer | access-date=April 4, 2011 | author=Hogan, Thom | date=April 13, 1981 | publisher=IDG | pages=1, 44 | volume=3 |issue=7}}{{r|dahmke198206}} |
The Osborne 1 was described as "a cross between a [[World War II]] [[transceiver|field radio]] and a shrunken instrument panel of a [[DC-3]]",{{cite magazine | url=http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,925484,00.html | archive-url=https://archive.today/20130205053736/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,925484,00.html | url-status=dead | archive-date=February 5, 2013 | title=Computers: Carry Along, Punch In, Read Out | access-date=April 3, 2011 | date=June 21, 1982 | magazine=Time | publisher=Time Inc.}} and Felsenstein admitted that carrying two of them to a trade show "nearly pulled my arms out of their sockets".{{cite web | url=http://technologizer.com/2011/04/01/osborne-computer/ | title=Osborne! | access-date=April 3, 2011 | author=McCracken, Harry | date=April 1, 2011 | publisher=Technologizer}} Although the computer's exterior did not impress [[West Coast Computer Faire]] attendees, it nonetheless amazed observers; ''[[InfoWorld]]'' reported that "By far the most frequently asked question ... was, 'What do you think of the new Osborne computer?'"{{Cite magazine |last=Hogan |first=Thom |date=1981-05-11 |title=New Computers Cause Hardware Wars |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Cz4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 |magazine=InfoWorld |pages=1, 6 |access-date=2019-04-17 | volume=3 | issue=9}} ''BYTE'' Magazine wrote: "(1) it will cost $1795, and (2) it's portable!"{{cite magazine | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1981-04/1981_04_BYTE_06-04_Future_Computers#page/n9/mode/2up | title=New Trends in Portability: The Osborne 1 | magazine=BYTE | date=April 1981 | access-date=October 18, 2013 | author=Morgan, Chris | pages=8 | volume=6 | issue=4}} The word processing, spreadsheet, and other [[bundled software]] alone was worth $1,500; as ''InfoWorld'' stated in an April 1981 front-page article on the new computer after listing the included software, "In case you think the price printed above was a mistake, we'll repeat it: $1795".{{cite magazine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Dj4EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA1 | magazine=InfoWorld | title=Osborne Introduces Portable Computer | access-date=April 4, 2011 | author=Hogan, Thom | date=April 13, 1981 | publisher=IDG | pages=1, 44 | volume=3 |issue=7}}{{r|dahmke198206}} |
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