10 steps in the evolution of portable computing

[billdeg]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29264722/

Note mboard members Evan Koblentz and I are mentioned, plus Erik Klein himself.

The article is a generalist intro into portable history, nice pictures.

Bill

 

[strollin]

Cool, I own 2 of the 10 portables listed, a TRS-80 Model 100 and an XO.

Anybody have all 10?

 

[patscc]

7 out of 10

7 out of 10

Well, I got 7 out of 10.
Don't have the XO yet.
Never heard of MicroOffice. (D**n)
Don't think the Thinkpad should be in there. Would have made more sense to put an early tablet in there, or a HP110, or something else.
I'm surprised they have the second Osborne in there, though.
And where's the Compaq ?
patscc
(Where are the PX-8's ?)

 

[EvanK]

Myself, Chris Garcia (and Erik and Bill?) were the reporter's main sources of information. I can't speak for Chris, but I spent 45 minutes with the reporter, going over all kinds of history. I tried to emphasize what was FIRST, not what was merely popular. He used some parts and not other parts, which is fine, although personally I believe some important context is lost here. Anyway, as Bill pointed out on another list, "My issue with these articles is that they usually re-hash the common knowledge, but ... this one is actually pretty good in that there are some uncommon knowledge items too."

 

[barythrin]

It's still always nice to see any article covering the importance of these vintage systems so I can't complain. I agree about the IBM.. not sure that was really historic and would have expected the first IBM Compatible portable computer (Compaq Portable) or the first color portable (Commodore SX-64).

So was his information accurate at least from what you all relayed to him? Like the first clamshell design from Grid? I'm missing the point on the MicroOffice RoadRunner system, was it another runner up for first clamshell design?

What I do like about these articles is they always point me towards new systems to acquire lol.