12 Jan
1998
12 Jan
'98
12:46 p.m.
Personal Computer: IBM called the 5100 a personal
computer and also a
portable computer. I think they called it a personal computer since it did
Announced 9/9/75 according to Haddock.
He also mentions a "Geniac" ca. 1956: "Sold primarily as a toy, this type
of
machine was arguably the first electronic digital personal computer."
And in '71, "The Busicom desktop electronic calculator, based on the new
Intel 4004, was introduced. This was the first computing device to employ a
microprocessor."
1973 saw the Scelbi 8H, and 1974 saw the Mark 8. Also in '74, Xerox came up
with the Alto which could make a bid for the first personal computer.
1975 was the year of the Altair 8800 (ann. january) and the Processor
Technology SOL (April). Later MOS Tech came out with the KIM-1.
Portable Computer: IBM also called the 5100 a
"portable computer". I
guess they considered it a portable computer because everything was in one
unit. It was certainly NOT portable in the sense that one person could
pick it up and move it around. It's huge and it's heavy and there aren't
even any handles on it. Not to mention the fact that it has an unprotected
No handles??? 'Tain't a Portable then!
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