April 1982
GRiD Compass released
GRiD Systems began shipping the Compass in April 1982 — a clamshell laptop with a folding screen and Intel 8086 processor.
What it was for
The Compass pioneered the clamshell laptop design NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration — the U.S. agency for space and aeronautics research. and the U.S. military adopted — magnesium case, plasma display, and 340 KB bubble memory. At $8,000 it targeted executives, not hobbyists, but its form factor influenced every notebook that followed. Mobile computing's physical template started here.
Why it's here
The GRiD Compass invented the clamshell laptop form factor used by every notebook since.
Why it mattered
It proved folding-screen portables could be rugged enough for government and enterprise use.
What it solved
Early portables were heavy luggables; users needed a compact machine that closed like a briefcase.
Media
ImageGrid Compassjmdo, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Related
- Osborne 1 releasedApril 1981
- IBM ThinkPad 700C releasedOctober 1992
- Apple PowerBook releasedOctober 1991
- MacBook Air releasedJanuary 29, 2008