History Of Small Notebook Computers

Feb.20, 2010 in Computers

The modern world is practically based on and composed of a lot of technological inventions. We seem to be unable to do anything without technology. A clear example of the technical addiction is the use of the PC. The latest developments in the field of computers have brought us the notebook computers. When talking about laptops, which are also called small notebook computers, we actually mean small PCs for flexible use.

We can virtually retrieve all the basic components in laptops from desktops. Thus, laptops include the display, the keyboard, a pointing device – touchpad or pointing stick, and the battery. The advantage of laptops is that they make one single unit that comprises all the other items, allowing for easy maneuvers and lots of mobility. The rechargeable batteries of laptops get their power from an AC/DC adapter and their capacity enables them to be functional for several hours.

The very name of notebooks comes from the thin shape and small size of these computers. Laptops are usually 0.7 – 1.5 inches thick and their overall size specifics range from 10×8 inches (13 inch display) to 15×11 inches (17 inch display) or up. Furthermore, laptops are built light, weighing between 3 and 12 pounds. Last but not least, the flipping feature allows for a good protection of the screen and makes portability possible.

Personal computers became feasible at the beginning of the 1970s and not long after those years the idea of portable PCs – laptops, appeared. The person who imagined the transformation was Alan Kay of Xerox PARC. In 1972 he put his idea on paper under the name of Dynabook. The first laptops were available on the market only in 1981. The Epson HX-20 and Osborne 1 models were the first portable computers commercially available. Since then laptops have developed and become more and more proficient.

Unfortunately, besides the obvious advantages of laptops, there are also some disadvantages. First we need to see the good parts to be able to investigate the flaws. The main and most important advantage of laptops is evidently their portability. In addition, laptops have the ability to work on battery power in the event of a power outage. The cheapest laptop computer is also more economical and does not produce as much heat as desktop computers do. The disadvantages of laptops come from the standardization and compatibility issues. In spite of some international standards for the making of the elements for the peripherals and add-in PC cards in desktop computers, the internal components are a lot more difficult to standardize according to a unique international code.