IBM ThinkPad 701 | 1995
IBM ThinkPad 701
IBM ThinkPad 701 is a subnotebook in the IBM ThinkPad line. This model earned the nickname "Butterfly" due to its sliding keyboard designed by John Karidis. Development began in 1993, and it was sold from March to December 1995, with prices ranging from $1,499 to $3,299. The 701 was the best-selling laptop of 1995 and received 27 design awards. It was built using an Intel i486 DX2 or DX4 processor and a CT-65545 graphics chip. The 701Cs version used a DSTN display, while the 701C used a TFT LCD. The operating system pre-installed was Windows 3.11, and the DX4 version came with OS/2 Warp 3.0. As the screen size grew, the need for this keyboard design diminished, leading to the discontinuation of the model.
The development of the 701 was a collaborative effort between research facilities in North Carolina, USA, and development facilities in Kanagawa, Japan. The keyboard design was first developed in the spring of 1993 based on a copy of the keyboard, and an acrylic prototype was made by summer. The funding decision for the laptop was made in the fall of 1993, with the expected release date about a year later. However, the development was delayed, and instead of the faster Pentium processor, the laptop was equipped with an Intel 486 processor at launch. The keyboard design was led by John Karidis, Sam Lucente, and Robert Tennant, while the overall ThinkPad design was overseen by Richard Sapper. Other contributors included Lawrence Stone, Michael King, Martin Tucker, and Gerard McVicker.
Internally, the 701 was codenamed "Butterfly," and engineers attempted to use this name officially. However, IBM's legal department did not allow the use of the name of a living creature in the product name. Due to the poor sales of the 500 model, they avoided reusing the same name, and since the 600 series was already reserved, the 700 series was chosen for the high-end model.
PCMag noted that the LCD used in the 701 series was manufactured by Sharp Corporation instead of Display Technologies, Inc.
At launch, IBM bought advertising space in major newspapers, featuring only a butterfly image. A few days later, the IBM logo and butterfly icon were added, along with the phrase "Watch for the announcement." After the announcement, IBM was sued for trademark infringement by a person named George over the use of the "Butterfly" name. However, IBM responded that it would not use the name as a brand, and there were no further legal actions.
Initially, IBM struggled to meet the demand for the 701. Due to the high praise for the 701's design, a model kit was developed, which allowed for the creation of a commemorative edition of the 701.
The 701 was released in several versions, featuring Intel DX2 or DX4 processors, dual-scan LCD or TFT active matrix displays. Various disk size options were available. The models differed only in the graphics chip and pre-installed software. The DX4 version was offered with IBM OS/2 in a dual-boot configuration. The laptop used the AT bus and could be expanded with a Dock II type. Pre-installed software included Lotus cc:Mail, Organizer, ScreenCam, PRODIGY, America Online, Video for Windows 1.1 Runtime, and Audiofile TalkWorks. The operating system was IBM DOS 6.3 and Windows 3.11, while the DX4 version came with OS/2 Warp 3.0 in a dual-boot setup with the selected BonusPack. The graphics processor was a CT-65545, with 1MB of DRAM on a VL-Bus 2.0. The external SVGA display supported a maximum resolution of 1024x768 pixels at 256 colors and 70Hz.
The keyboard used in the IBM ThinkPad 701 was officially known as TrackWrite, but it is more commonly referred to as the "Butterfly Keyboard." This design allowed the 701 series to be compact while still offering a comfortable typing experience. The keyboard was 24.6 cm (9.7 inches) wide, and when opened, two triangular pieces slid out. After opening the lid, the two pieces slid outward, and then one piece slid downward. The two halves combined to create a keyboard width of 29.2 cm (11.5 inches), extending beyond the body of the laptop. When the lid was closed, one piece slid back, and the two pieces slid inward to cover the keyboard with the lid. The movement of the keyboard was driven by a cam in the hinge of the lid, and the keyboard's motion was always synchronized with the lid's movement.
In a 1995 InfoWorld review of the 701C, its full-size keyboard, large matrix screen, and built-in multimedia features were praised. The non-standard I/O ports were criticized. The ThinkPad 701 received 27 design awards, including the CES Innovation's "Good Design Award" and InfoWorld's "Product of the Year" in the subnotebook category for 1995. In a 2019 article in Domus, it was mentioned, "Even today, this portable PC still surprises everyone when opened or closed, and after over 20 years, it still does." The 701C was the top-selling laptop of 1995. Walt Mossberg described it as the most unique and clever laptop he had ever reviewed. Even 26 years after its release, this laptop remains popular among collectors.
According to John Karidis, the success of the IBM ThinkPad 700 series was due to the screen size and full-size keyboard, while other companies failed by making their keyboards too narrow. Karidis observed that the limiting factor for the size of laptops was the width of the keyboard, and despite different screen aspect ratios, the screen and keyboard surfaces maintained the same size.
This laptop is now on display at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, Die Neue Sammlung in Munich, and the Computer History Museum. The ThinkPad 701 also made brief appearances in the 1995 films GoldenEye, Blood Diamond, and Mission: Impossible.
