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HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - Dave Britten - 06-13-2020 02:43 PM
And if it's not, what is? I was looking around a bit for something else that's lap-sized, battery-powered, programmable, and with some sort of storage and/or printing capability, but couldn't find anything predating the 97.
Does HP hold the claim to not only the first handheld "computer" (65), but also the first "laptop"?
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - Thomas Okken - 06-13-2020 04:24 PM
I'd say the first laptop was the Epson HX-20. It was introduced a few years later than the HP-97, but it has capabilities that are more in line with what I usually think of as a computer, rather than a calculator.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epson_HX-20
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - KF6GPE - 06-13-2020 06:00 PM
The MCM/70 is a candidate, too --- and came out much earlier. Didn't sell nearly as many units as the Epson.
The IEEE Annals of the History of Computing has a good article about it at The Making of the MCM/70 Microcomputer (this is in their library, and may not be available for free).
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - Dave Britten - 06-13-2020 08:24 PM
(06-13-2020 04:24 PM)Thomas Okken Wrote: I'd say the first laptop was the Epson HX-20. It was introduced a few years later than the HP-97, but it has capabilities that are more in line with what I usually think of as a computer, rather than a calculator.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epson_HX-20
Yeah, the HX-20 is definitely the first laptop to resemble what we now expect a computer to look like, with a QWERTY keyboard and character display. But a PDP/8 mainframe has neither, and thus while it looks quite different from what we would expect a computer to look like today, there's no denying that it is one. So I think it becomes kind of a murky philosophical debate whether we can call something a "computer" or a "calculator".
(06-13-2020 06:00 PM)KF6GPE Wrote: The MCM/70 is a candidate, too --- and came out much earlier. Didn't sell nearly as many units as the Epson.
The IEEE Annals of the History of Computing has a good article about it at The Making of the MCM/70 Microcomputer (this is in their library, and may not be available for free).
Oh yeah, that could certainly qualify. Though at 20 lbs, I don't know whether you'd want to use it on your lap very long. It would be better than a 40 lb HP 9100A at least.
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - Thomas Okken - 06-13-2020 09:17 PM
(06-13-2020 08:24 PM)Dave Britten Wrote: Yeah, the HX-20 is definitely the first laptop to resemble what we now expect a computer to look like, with a QWERTY keyboard and character display. But a PDP/8 mainframe has neither, and thus while it looks quite different from what we would expect a computer to look like today, there's no denying that it is one. So I think it becomes kind of a murky philosophical debate whether we can call something a "computer" or a "calculator".
It's not that murky. A PDP-8 may not have a built-in keyboard and monitor (neither do lots of modern computers, including typical tower PCs, rack-mounted servers, or the Mac mini sitting next to my TV), but you interact with it through a terminal, which provides those components. So the QWERTY keyboard and character display are typically part of the way we interact with computers anyway.
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - TomC - 06-13-2020 09:34 PM
Along These lines the Tandy 100 an 102 are fine early laptops also.
And if I remember correctly some of Bill Gates last programming work was done for the Tandy 100.
Happy June,
TomC
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - toml_12953 - 06-14-2020 02:32 AM
(06-13-2020 08:24 PM)Dave Britten Wrote: Oh yeah, that could certainly qualify. Though at 20 lbs, I don't know whether you'd want to use it on your lap very long. It would be better than a 40 lb HP 9100A at least.
OK, I'll gladly take a 40 pound HP 9100A or B off your hands (and lap?) and give you a brand new laptop computer that only weighs about two pounds and can run rings around the old, obsolete HP!
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - teenix - 06-14-2020 06:42 AM
(06-14-2020 02:32 AM)toml_12953 Wrote: OK, I'll gladly take a 40 pound HP 9100A or B off your hands (and lap?) and give you a brand new laptop computer that only weighs about two pounds and can run rings around the old, obsolete HP!
What about an old laptop with a HP9100B emulator, does that qualify ;-)
cheers
Tony
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - toml_12953 - 06-14-2020 07:25 AM
(06-14-2020 06:42 AM)teenix Wrote:(06-14-2020 02:32 AM)toml_12953 Wrote: OK, I'll gladly take a 40 pound HP 9100A or B off your hands (and lap?) and give you a brand new laptop computer that only weighs about two pounds and can run rings around the old, obsolete HP!
What about an old laptop with a HP9100B emulator, does that qualify ;-)
cheers
Tony
How much does it weigh?
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - teenix - 06-14-2020 11:04 AM
(06-14-2020 07:25 AM)toml_12953 Wrote:(06-14-2020 06:42 AM)teenix Wrote: What about an old laptop with a HP9100B emulator, does that qualify ;-)
cheers
Tony
How much does it weigh?
Almost a bit
Sorry, it's late
cheers
Tony
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - Dave Britten - 06-14-2020 12:34 PM
(06-14-2020 07:25 AM)toml_12953 Wrote:(06-14-2020 06:42 AM)teenix Wrote: What about an old laptop with a HP9100B emulator, does that qualify ;-)
cheers
Tony
How much does it weigh?
Depends on how many program cards you've stuffed into it.
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - toml_12953 - 06-15-2020 06:12 PM
(06-14-2020 12:34 PM)Dave Britten Wrote:(06-14-2020 07:25 AM)toml_12953 Wrote: How much does it weigh?
Depends on how many program cards you've stuffed into it.
Hee hee! I almost convinced a guy to delete data off his laptop when he said it was too heavy. I wouldn't have actually let him do it, though.
RE: HP 97: The first "laptop computer"? - Jim Horn - 06-16-2020 12:12 AM
I guess that's one way to make it a bit less heavy!