Osborne 1 | 1981

Osborne 1

The Osborne 1, released on April 3, 1981, by Osborne Computer Corporation, was the first commercially successful portable computer. This computer boasted a weight of 24.5 pounds (11.1 kg) and a price of $1,795, running the CP/M 2.2 operating system. It was powered by wall electricity and lacked a built-in battery, but it was classified as a portable device because it could be carried by folding the keyboard.

The Osborne 1 came with a significant amount of software, the value of which was nearly equivalent to the price of the computer itself. This was a strategy adopted by other CP/M computer suppliers as well. Its competitor was the Kaypro II.

Adam Osborne, an author of computer books, developed the Osborne 1 with the goal of lowering computer prices. The design was based on the Xerox NoteTaker prototype developed by Alan Kay at Xerox PARC in 1976, featuring excellent mobility and a sturdy ABS plastic case with a handle. The Osborne 1 was generally the size and weight of a sewing machine, and it was advertised as "the only computer that can fit under an airplane seat." Later, it was classified as a "portable computer" rather than a "laptop," and compared to the later "notebook" designs, it was considered a "luggable" computer.

The Osborne 1 was described as "a combination of a World War II military radio and a scaled-down DC-3 cockpit," and Lee Felsenstein recalled that he almost "dislocated his elbow" while carrying two of them to a trade show. Nevertheless, this computer amazed many, and InfoWorld reported that "the most frequently asked question at the West Coast Computer Faire was 'What do you think of the new Osborne computer?'" BYTE Magazine noted, "1) $1,795, 2) Portable!" The bundled software alone was worth $1,500, and InfoWorld emphasized in an April 1981 article, "If you think the price listed above is a mistake, check again."

Attendees at the West Coast Computer Faire rated the Osborne 1 as "a product that dramatically improved the price/performance ratio of microcomputers," while Adam Osborne highlighted the price, stating that the performance was "just adequate." He added, "This computer is not the fastest microcomputer, does not have enormous disk storage, and is not particularly expandable." Besides the price, the advertising focused on the computer's portability and bundled software. The company sold 11,000 computers in the first eight months after launch, with sales peaking at 10,000 units per month.

The main drawbacks of the Osborne 1 were its use of a small (5-inch) single-density floppy disk drive, which could store 90KB of data per disk, and its heavy weight. Adam Osborne explained that the reason for using a single-sided drive was the concern that a double-sided drive could suffer head damage from rough handling. Additionally, the single-density disk controller was adopted to reduce costs.

In September 1981, Osborne Computer Corporation recorded its first $1 million in sales. However, the company struggled with sales while announcing the upcoming release of the Osborne Executive, the successor to the Osborne 1, which featured an 80-column screen instead of a 52-column screen. This later became known as the "Osborne Effect." From 1982 to 1985, Osborne published a magazine called "The Portable Companion."

Initial production began with the creation of 10 prototypes, which also appeared in the early advertisements for the Osborne 1. These ads emphasized the computer's weight, showing how difficult it was to lift with one hand.

The computer was imitated by many competitors, and numerous other computer companies began offering affordable portable computers with bundled software. The popularity of the Osborne 1 was surpassed by the Kaypro II, which featured a larger 9-inch CRT capable of displaying 80 characters x 24 lines and used double-density floppy disks, effectively doubling the storage capacity. Osborne Computer Corporation was unable to effectively respond to the competition from Kaypro.

In 1981, IBM released the IBM PC, which offered superior performance and expandability. In 1983, the IBM-compatible Compaq Portable was launched, leading to a rapid decline in the CP/M-based computer market, leaving Osborne unable to compete.

The Osborne 1 was equipped with 64KB of main memory, consisting of four 4116 dynamic RAM chips. This memory was reserved for 60KB for software and 4KB for video memory. The system connected to external devices via a parallel port, and the video system transmitted signals to the built-in 5-inch monochrome monitor using main memory and TTL logic. The video signal could also be output to an external monitor.

The operating system was CP/M 2.2, and a user manual of over 500 pages was provided, detailing hardware and software. The Osborne 1 bundled applications such as WordStar, SuperCalc, CBASIC, and MBASIC programming languages, with the total value of this software exceeding $1,500.

The Osborne 1 featured dual 5¼-inch single-sided single-density 40-track floppy disk drives, with a "dual density" upgrade available. It was powered by a 4 MHz Z80 CPU and had 64 KB of main memory, with a detachable keyboard featuring 69 foldable keys that served as the computer case's lid. The 5-inch 52-character x 24-line monochrome CRT display was mapped to a 128 x 32 character display memory. The parallel printer port could be set to an IEEE-488 port, and the RS-232 compatible serial port at 1200 or 300 baud could connect to external modems or serial printers. The Osborne 1 was powered by wall electricity and had no internal battery. An aftermarket battery pack providing one hour of operation was later released, connecting to the system via a front panel socket. Osborne Computer Corporation also sold a POWR-PAC inverter that allowed the Osborne to be powered from a 12-volt car cigarette lighter. The initial model (yellow case) could only connect to 120V or 240V. However, subsequent models released after May 1982 (blue case, Osborne 1A/1B) were designed to allow users to switch between 120V or 230V, 50Hz or 60Hz. There was no internal fan, and ventilation was possible by opening a hatch on the top of the Osborne 1A/1B.

Osborne and other companies produced various accessories for the Osborne 1. An external monochrome display was driven through a separate monochrome sync and video connection to the motherboard's video circuit. A parallel dot matrix printer was manufactured by Star, and the "Osborne DATACOM" 300 baud modem was mounted in the left disk storage space, powered by the motherboard. This modem was sold by OCC under the name COMM-PAC, and AMCALL software was also included. Aftermarket suppliers offered various upgrades for the base model, including third-party dual-density disk drives, external hard disks, and battery-backed RAM disks that matched the disk storage.

Osborne Computer Corporation offered a heated upgrade called "Screen-Pac." This upgrade allowed switching between the original 52-column, 80-column, and 104-column modes. An Osborne 1 system equipped with the Screen-Pac upgrade had an RCA jack installed on the front panel for connecting an external composite video monitor. This modification was developed in Australia by Geoff Cohen and Stuart Ritchie, with Stuart spending two days outside Adam Osborne's office in the U.S. to work on it. Osborne purchased this modification, and the two implemented it with the company. This modification was known as the "Koala Project," and Geoff later developed several upgrades for Osborne computers, becoming recognized as an expert on Osborne in Australia.

Like most CP/M systems, the Osborne 1 did not support bitmap graphics, so games were mostly text-based. Examples include "Hamurabi" and text adventure games. The 1982 game "Deadline" was packaged on two 5¼-inch diskettes. Additionally, both a compiled version and an MBASIC-interpreted version of "Colossal Cave Adventure" were available for the Osborne. Some type-in games utilized the Osborne's character mode graphics.

In 1981, InfoWorld reported that the Osborne 1's booth was "packed throughout the exhibition" at the West Coast Computer Faire. Some attendees praised the computer, while others noted that the screen was too small, and many agreed that "the Osborne 1 represents a breakthrough in the price/performance ratio of microcomputers." Jerry Pournelle expressed surprise that the small screen was not an issue, stating, "When Voyager 1 reached Saturn, twelve science journalists were ready to go buy an Osborne 1 after using it at Caltech." He noted, "I could type without disturbing the National Space Policy Advisory Committee meeting. The Osborne 1 is quiet, efficient, and does not disturb at all." Pournelle compared the price of the computer, which included over $1,000 worth of software for under $2,000, to the cheapest way to start computing/word processing when used with an Epson printer. He later referred to the Osborne 1 as the "Volkswagen of microcomputers," describing it as "affordable, reliable, and capable of handling standard programs well." Another reviewer stated, "If you need a reasonably priced, well-supported, and well-documented business system, you should consider the Osborne 1 seriously." This reviewer calculated that excluding the bundled software's price of $1,530, the computer cost "only $265." He praised the quality of the documentation and, like Pournelle, noted that the screen size was not an issue. James Fallows described the screen size as "postcard-sized" but noted that it was "much easier to read than that size would suggest," calling the Osborne 1 "the best value in computer power in the industry."

In 1981, the Israeli daily Maariv provided several Osborne 1 units to its reporters. This computer was equipped with an acoustic coupler, allowing reporters to transmit news digitally to headquarters from the field. Maariv used a localized version of the Osborne 1 that supported Hebrew. In 1982, freelance journalist David Kline praised the durability of the Osborne 1, stating, "The damage inflicted by arrogant customs officials, airport police, vengeful bellhops in Paris, and opium-addicted Pakistani taxi drivers was all superficial." He noted that "a 30-pound (about 13.6 kg) computer is really hard to carry," but in 1984, Creative Computing concluded that "the main reason for the success of the Osborne 1 was not its portability but the bundled software."