The Earliest Portable Personal ComputerPartner Museum Artifact of the Month: The Osborne I

Osborne Computer Corporation. Osborne I portable computer, 1981, opened.

The Museum of Teaching and Learning is pleased to begin sharing technology artifacts from our partner museum, The Paul Gray Personal Computing Museum at Claremont Graduate University. The first in this ongoing series is a PC called The Osborne I.

Osborne Computer Corporation. Osborne I portable computer, 1981, closed.

It hardly looks like what we imagine a portable computer to be, especially since it lacks the typical "clamshell" design. Nevertheless, the Osborne I was, in fact, the first “luggable” computer at a hefty 24.5 pounds and sporting a tiny screen. It was a commercial success and went on to inspire the creation of other portable personal computers.


Measuring 20.5 x 9 x13 inches, the Osborne I was marketed as the only personal computer to be able to fit under an airline seat. Unlike contemporary portable devices, however, the Osborne I did not come with a battery and was instead powered with a wall socket. With its plastic case and carrying handle, this portable machine inspired a new generation of innovation.
 
In the early 1980s, portable personal computers evolved rapidly and were usually marketed to the busy business person on-the-go. The very first iterations of ‘portability’ might seem daunting to us now, but at the time they were considered cutting-edge technology. Today, portability is king—as lighter laptops, thinner tablets and more advanced smartphones continue to be developed. As a matter of fact, portability may be the most important personal computer development to date.

The Osborne I is on display in the Paul Gray PC Museum’s exhibition, “The Evolution of the Personal Computer.” It is displayed alongside several of the earliest portable computers, including the Grid Convertible 1101. The Grid was the very first portable computer that featured the clamshell design where the screen opens up to reveal a keyboard. When closed, the exterior case protects the computer, a useful feature for a portable computer. Weighing ten pounds, this was a much more practical portable laptop than the bulkier Osborne I. However, the first generation of this new technology was punishingly expensive at $8,000 in 1982, the equivalent of $22,000 in 2021. Given this steep price, the market for this model was largely limited to government and military organizations, particularly NASA. The price difference meant that the Osborne could continue to reign as a truly personal computer.

Astronaut John O. Creighton poses with onboard GRiD Compass computer, displaying a likeness of Mr. Spock of Star Trek, aboard Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-51-G on 18 June 1985. Wikipedia Commons.
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Submitted by
Alison Koehler
Executive Director
CGU'S Paul Gray Personal Computing Museum
Former MOTAL Intern and Doll Scholar ​