Special Advertising Section T H E La P T O P R EVOLUTION > A LOOK AT >1989 > >2000 Macintosh Portable has a Windows 2000 gains industrial-strength reputation LAPTOP clamshell, active matrix display. for robustness and security for corporate users. HISTORY GRiD Systems launches first commercial tablet-type Global laptop sales reach 28.5 million units. portable computer with operating system based on >1968 MS-DOS. Alan Kay defines the Dynabook, the basis for all >2001 pen/tablet computers. >1990 Mac OS X debuts. Inventor Doug Engelbart introduces the mouse, Windows 3.0 introduced. Windows XP debuts. e-mail, hypertext, collaborative editing, bitmapped graphics. Worldwide laptop sales reach 2.4 million. >1979 Intel introduces 80386SL processor which uses low Bill Moggridge designs the clamshell notebook power; quickly incorporated into many laptops. computer, the GRiD Compass. >1991 >1980 Apple PowerBook introduces palm rest keyboard IBM contracts with Microsoft to build an layout, a breakthrough in clamshell design. operating system, DOS, for its forthcoming personal First laptop Ethernet port. computer. Modem speeds reach 14,400 bits/sec. >1982 GRiD Compass enters production. Not PC-com- patible, but sleek, rugged, expensive. >1992 Intel introduces 80286 processor; too hot, too First IBM ThinkPad: 700C is a tour de force in ba- much power consumption for laptops. sic black. Pointing stick and touchpad; first TFT Fujitsu Lifebook (thin-film transistor) color display. Hayes Smartmodem 1200 dominates dial-up communications. Windows 3.1 introduced. >2002 Gateway HandBook halves the size of the subnote- book, creates prototype for today’s netbooks. Tablet PCs from Compaq, Toshiba, HP, Acer, Fujitsu, NEC, Panasonic, others. Virtually all are convertibles, with keyboards. >1993 Toshiba Portege 2000 is world’s thinnest, lightest laptop to date, less than 3/4 inch at its thickest point. Intel introduces the Pentium processor. First 1.8 inch (20GB) hard disk. Fujitsu Lifebook P series is smallest machine with a >1994 CD-ROM; uses TransMeta Crusoe chip, another step towards modern netbooks. Netscape Navigator introduced. Web traffic rises 300,000 percent as sites come online. Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 >2003 > >1995 > Toshiba Portege M100 is first to adopt super-slim DVD drive. >1983 Intel announces introduction of Universal Serial Bus, USB 1.0 WiFi adapter/access point sales exceed 20 million Radio Shack introduces the TRS-80 Model 100. Not per year. PC-compatible, but under four pounds with 20-hour Windows 95 incorporates advanced power manage- battery life from four AA batteries. Estimated six million ment for laptops to conserve battery life. units of the Model 100 and its descendents were sold. Worldwide laptop sales reach 10 million units. >2005 Data General DG One: PC-compatible notebook intro- duces 3.5 inch floppies. IBM ThinkPad 701, the “Butterfly.” Innovative keyboard expands keys beyond the body; keyboard Gavilan SC is the first machine marketed as a “laptop.” folds in when lid closes. New York’s Museum of Mod- Lenovo ThinkPad ern Art includes it in its design collection. >1984 >1996 Apple introduces the Macintosh. First hardware with USB, not fully supported by Windows. >1985 Gateway Solo 2100: First Pentium laptop, first “three spindle” machine, with floppy, hard disk, CD-ROM. Toshiba T1100 solidifies acceptance of 3.5 inch floppies. USRobotics introduces 56 kilobit modem. Microsoft introduces Windows 1.0. >1997 Laptop computers outsell desktops for the first time. Kaypro 2000 is PC-compatible with removable key- Worldwide laptop sales reach 66.3 million units. board in sleek clamshell case and pop-up disk drive. First Toshiba Portege, the 300CT, has Pentium power, color screen, hard disk, good battery life in Lenovo purchases ThinkPad line from IBM. 3.25 pound package. >1986 >2006 Introduction of IBM PC Convertible: 2 floppy drives with CGA-compatible LCD display, weighing WiFi adapter/access point sales exceed 50 million 13 pounds. Gateway Solo 9100 per year. Apple switches to Intel processors. >1987 Zenith SupersPort laptop sells especially well to the government and military in competitive bidding. >2007 MacBook Air viewed by many as the first netbook. Worldwide laptop sales reach 126 million units. NEC UltraLite >2008 HP unveils the TouchSmart tx2 Notebook, first >1998 multi-touch notebook and tablet PC for consumers. Windows 98 supports USB; has automatic device recognition. >2010 Gateway Solo 9100: Heavy, rugged multimedia Pentium notebook with universal bays for CD, hard drive, floppy, HDMI ports become common on laptops. batteries. Worldwide laptop sales projected at 170 million >1988 >1999 units. Apple iPad introduced. NEC UltraLite: 4.4 pounds, diskless, first subnote- WiFi consortium creates standard. book with DOS in ROM and 2 megabyte RAM drive. Laptop manufacturers use PCI slot to enable WiFi First lithium-ion battery (NEC) requires special FAA connectivity. ruling for airplane use. Apple brands WiFi as AirPort, incorporates a slot into Compaq SLT/286 has internal hard drive with detach- all of its laptops. able keyboard; weighs 12 pounds, is battery powered. > X.