Artifact of the Month with MOTAL

As part of our partnership with the Museum of Teaching and Learning (MOTAL), we’ve been able to spotlight objects from our collection through MOTAL’s Artifact of the Month Program. You can read our first article here!

Artifact of the Month: The Osborne I

Portability may be the most important personal computer development to date. The very first iterations of ‘portability’ might seem daunting to us now, but at the time they were considered cutting-edge technology. In the early 1980s, portable personal computers evolved rapidly and were usually marketed to the busy businessperson on-the-go. Today, portability is king—as lighter laptops, thinner tablets and more advanced smartphones continue to be developed.

Although it hardly looks like what we imagine a portable computer to be, especially since it lacks the typical clamshell design, the Osborne I was in fact the first “luggable” computer. At a hefty 26 pounds and sporting a tiny screen, the Osborne I was a commercial success and went on to inspire the creation of other portable personal computers.

The Osborne I is on display in the Paul Gray PC Museum’s “The Evolution of the Personal Computer” exhibition alongside with several of the earliest portable computers, including the Grid Convertible 1101. This 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.