A laptop computer or plainly laptop (also notebook computer or notebook) is a small movable personal computer, commonly weighing from one to three kilograms, depending on size, materials and other factors.
While the terms "laptop" and "notebook" are often used interchangeably, "laptop" is the older term, introduced in 1983 with the Gavilan Sc. "Notebook computer" is a later coinage, which was used to differentiate smaller devices such as those of the Compaq Lte series in 1989, which were, in unlikeness to former laptops, the approximate size of an A4 paper sheet.[1] either term is often used improperly: due to heat and other issues, many laptops are inappropriate for use on one's lap, and most are not the size of an A4 sheet. Although, some older transported computers, such as the Macintosh transported and positive Zenith TurbosPort models, were sometimes described as "laptops", their size and weight were too great for this category.
Casio USB
Laptops commonly run on a singular battery or from an external Ac/Dc adapter which can charge the battery while also supplying power to the computer itself.
An Acer laptop with touchpadAs personal computers, laptops are capable of the same tasks as a desktop Pc, although they are typically less marvelous for the same price. They contain components that are similar to their desktop counterparts and accomplish the same functions, but are miniaturized and optimized for movable use and productive power consumption. Laptops commonly have liquid crystal displays and most of them use distinct memory modules for their Ram (for instance, So-Dimm in lieu of the larger Dimms). In increasing to a built-in keyboard, they may utilize a touchpad (also known as a trackpad) or a pointing stick for input, though an external keyboard or mouse can commonly be attached.
Categories
Terms sometimes used for subtypes of laptop computers include:
Ultraportables
Laptops with screens typically less than 12 inches diagonally and a weight of less than 1.7kg. Their former audience is commonly firm travellers, who need small, light laptops. Ultraportables are often very expensive and house power-saving Cpus and almost all the time have integrated graphics.
Thin-and-lights
Laptops commonly weighing in between 1.8kg and 2.8kg with a screen size of between 12 and 14 inches diagonally.
Medium-sized laptops
These commonly have screens of 15 - 15.4 inches diagonally and a weight of colse to 3-3.5kg. They commonly sell out a miniature computing power for smaller dimensions and longer battery life, although the distance and width are commonly carefully by the screen size.
Desktop change computers
Powerful laptops meant to be mainly used in a fixed location and infrequently carried out due to their weight and size; the latter provides more space for marvelous components and a big screen, commonly measuring 15 inches or more. Desktop replacements tend to have miniature battery life, rarely exceeding three hours, because the hardware does not optimize power efficiency.
History
Before laptop/notebook computers were technically feasible, similar ideas had been proposed, most notably Alan Kay's Dynabook concept, developed at Xerox Parc in the early 1970s.
The first commercially available transported computer was the Osborne 1 in 1981, which used the Cp/M operating system. Although it was large and heavy compared to today's laptops, with a tiny Crt monitor, it had a near-revolutionary impact on business, as professionals were able to take their computer and data with them for the first time. This and other "luggables" were inspired by what was probably the first transported computer, the Xerox NoteTaker, again developed at Xerox Parc, in 1976; however, only ten prototypes were built. The Osborne was about the size of a transported sewing machine, and importantly could be carried on a industrial aircraft. However, it was not potential to run the Osborne on batteries; it had to be plugged in.
A more enduring success was the Compaq Portable, the first stock from Compaq, introduced in 1983, by which time the Ibm Personal Computer had come to be the appropriate platform. Although scarcely more transported than the Osborne machines, and also requiring Ac power to run, it ran Ms-Dos and was the first true Ibm clone (Ibm's own later transported Computer, which arrived in 1984, was notably less Ibm Pc-compatible than the Compaq[citation needed]).
Another vital machine announced in 1981, although first sold widely in 1983, was the Epson Hx-20. A simple handheld computer, it featured a full-transit 68-key keyboard, rechargable nickel-cadmium batteries, a small (120 x 32-pixel) dot-matrix Lcd display with 4 lines of text, 20 characters per line text mode, a 24 column dot matrix printer, a Microsoft Basic interpreter, and 16 kB of Ram (expandable to 32 kB).
However, arguably the first true laptop was the GriD Compass 1101, designed by Bill Moggridge in 1979-1980, and released in 1982. Enclosed in a magnesium case, it introduced the now well-known clamshell design, in which the flat display folded shut against the keyboard. The computer could be run from batteries, and was qualified with a 320×200-pixel plasma display and 384 kilobyte bubble memory. It was not Ibm-compatible, and its high price (Us$ 10,000) miniature it to specialized applications. However, it was used heavily by the U.S. Military, and by Nasa on the Space Shuttle while the 1980s. The GriD's builder subsequently earned vital returns on its patent proprietary as its innovations became commonplace. GriD Systems Corp. Was later bought by Tandy (RadioShack).
Two other marvelous early laptops were the Sharp Pc-5000 and the Gavilan Sc, announced in 1983 but first sold in 1984. The Gavilan was notably the first computer to be marketed as a "laptop". It was also qualified with a pioneering touchpad-like pointing device, installed on a panel above the keyboard. Like the GriD Compass, the Gavilan and the Sharp were housed in clamshell cases, but they were partly Ibm-compatible, although primarily running their own principles software. Both had Lcd displays, and could join together to optional external printers.
The year 1983 also saw the commence of what was probably the biggest-selling early laptop, the Kyocera Kyotronic 85, which owed much to the build of the former Epson Hx-20. Although it was at first a slow wholesaler in Japan, it was fast licensed by Tandy Corporation, Olivetti, and Nec, which saw its potential and marketed it respectively as Trs-80 Model 100 line (or Tandy 100), Olivetti M-10, Nec Pc-8201.[2] The machines ran on appropriate Aa batteries. The Tandy's built-in programs, including a Basic interpreter, a text editor, and a terminal program, were supplied by Microsoft, and are conception to have been written in part by Bill Gates himself. The computer was not a clamshell, but provided a tiltable 8×40-character Lcd screen above a full-travel keyboard. With its internal modem, it was a highly transported communications terminal. Due to its portability, good battery life (and ease of replacement), reliability (it had no absorbing parts), and low price (as miniature as Us$ 300), the model was highly regarded, becoming a popular among journalists. It weighed less than 2 kg with dimensions of 30 × 21.5 × 4.5 cm (12 × 8.5 × 1.75 inches). Preliminary specifications included 8 kilobyte of Ram (expandable to 24 kB) and a 3 Mhz processor. The machine was in fact about the size of a paper notebook, but the term had yet to come into use and it was commonly described as a "portable" computer.
Among the first industrial Ibm-compatible laptops were the Ibm Pc Convertible, introduced in 1986, and two Toshiba models, the T1000 and T1200, introduced in 1987. Although miniature floppy-based Dos machines, with the operating principles stored in read-only memory, the Toshiba models were small and light sufficient to be carried in a backpack, and could be run off lead-acid batteries. These also introduced the now-standard "resume" highlight to Dos-based machines: the computer could be paused between sessions, without having to be restarted each time.
The first laptops successful on a large scale came in large part due to a invite For Proposal (Rfp) by the U.S. Air Force in 1987. This ageement would eventually lead to the purchase of over 200,000 laptops. Competition to provide this ageement was fiercely contested and the major Pc fellowships of the time; Ibm, Toshiba, Compaq, Nec, and Zenith Data Systems (Zds), rushed to build laptops in an exertion to win this deal. Zds, which had earlier won a landmark deal with the Irs for its Z-171, was awarded this ageement for its SupersPort series. The SupersPort series was originally launched with an Intel 8086 processor, dual floppy disk drives, a backlit, blue and white Stn Lcd screen, and a NiCd battery pack. Later models featured an Intel 80286 processor and a 20Mb hard disk drive. On the power of this deal, Zds became the world's largest laptop provider in 1987 and 1988.
Zds partnered with Tottori Sanyo in the build and manufacturing of these laptops. This association is supreme because it was the first deal between a major brand and an Asian Oem (Original equipment Manufacturer). At the time, Compaq, Ibm, Toshiba, Nec, etc. All designed and artificial their own machines. However, after the success of the Zds gift other relationships, like Compaq and Citizen, soon followed. At this time the ability of Japanese engineering and manufacturing in conjunction with the power of the dollar relative to the yen (typically about 130 Yen = ) drove most brands to suppliers in Japan. fellowships such as Sanyo, Tottori Sanyo, Citizen, and Casio were all heavily complicated in this firm as Oems. However, by the mid-1990s a weakening dollar and the rising viability of Taiwanese Oems such as Acer, Quanta, Compal, Twinhead, and Chicony lead the provide base to rapidly shift from Japan to Taiwan. Additionally, brands which were more nimble and relied less on internal engineering such as Gateway, Dell and Micron began to rise fast to leadership positions. Combinations such as Dell/Compal and Gateway/Quanta eventually became powerhouse partnerships and greatly contributed to the prominence of Taiwanese Oems as the center of Pc manufacturing from about 1995 onward.
Another supreme computer was the Cambridge Z88, designed by Clive Sinclair, introduced in 1988. About the size of an A4 sheet of paper as well, it ran on appropriate batteries, and contained basic spreadsheet, word processing, and communications programs. It expected the future miniaturization of the transported computer; and, as a Rom-based machine with a small display, can -- like the Trs-80 Model 100 -- also be seen as a forerunner of the personal digital assistant.
By the end of the 1980s, laptop computers were becoming popular among firm people. The Nec Ultralite, released in mid-1989, was possibly the first notebook computer, weighing just over 2 kg; in lieu of a floppy or hard drive, it contained a 2 megabyte Ram drive, but this reduced its utility as well as its size. The first notebook computers to contain hard drives were those of the Compaq Lte series, introduced toward the end of that year. Truly the size of a notebook, they also featured backlit displays with Cga resolutions (though not Cga colors).
The Macintosh Portable, Apple's first exertion at a battery-powered computerThe first Apple Computer machine designed to be used on the go was the 1989 Macintosh transported (although an Lcd screen had been an selection for the transported Apple Iic in 1984). in fact a "luggable", the Mac transported was praised for its clear active matrix display and long battery life, but was a poor wholesaler due to its bulk. In the absence of a true Apple laptop, any compatible machines such as the Outbound Laptop were available for Mac users; however, for copyright reasons, the user had to provide a set of Mac Roms, which commonly meant having to buy a new or used Macintosh as well.
The Apple PowerBook series, introduced in October 1991, pioneered changes that are now de facto standards on laptops, such as the placement of the keyboard, room for palm rest, and the inclusion of a built-in pointing gismo (a trackball). The following year, Ibm released its Thinkpad 700C, featuring a similar build (though with a distinctive red TrackPoint pointing device).
Later PowerBooks introduced the first 256-color displays (PowerBook 165c, 1993), and first true touchpad, first 16-bit sound recording, and first built-in Ethernet network adapter (PowerBook 500, 1994).
The summer of 1995 was a vital turning point in the history of notebook computing. In August of that year Microsoft introduced Windows 95. It was the first time that Microsoft had located much of the power management operate in the operating system. Prior to this point each brand used practice Bios, drivers and in some cases, Asics, to optimize the battery life of its machines. This move by Microsoft was controversial in the eyes of notebook designers because it greatly reduced their ability to innovate; however, it did serve its role in simplifying and stabilizing positive aspects of notebook design. Windows 95 also ushered in the significance of the Cd-Rom in movable computing and initiated the shift to the Intel Pentium processor as the base platform for notebooks. The Gateway Solo was the first notebook introduced with a Pentium processor and a Cd-Rom. By also featuring a removeable hard disk drive and floppy drive it was the first three-spindle (optical, floppy, and hard disk drive) notebook computer. The Gateway Solo was highly successful within the buyer segment of the market. In almost the same time period the Dell Latitude, Toshiba Satellite, and Ibm Thinkpad were reaching great success with Pentium-based two-spindle (hard disk and floppy disk drive) systems directed toward the corporate market.
An old (1997) Micron laptopAs technology improved while the 1990s, the usefulness and popularity of laptops increased. Correspondingly prices went down. any developments specific to laptops were fast implemented, enhancing usability and performance. Among them were:
- Improved battery technology. The heavy lead-acid batteries were supplanted with lighter and more productive technologies, first nickel cadmium or NiCd, then nickel metal hydride (NiMh) and then lithium ion battery and lithium polymer.
- Power-saving processors. While laptops in 1991 were miniature to the 80286 processor because of the energy demands of the more marvelous 80386, the introduction of the Intel 386Sl processor, designed for the specific power needs of laptops, marked the point at which laptop needs were included in Cpu design. The 386Sl integrated a 386Sx core with a memory controller and this was paired with an I/O chip to create the Sl chipset. It was more integrated than any former clarification although its cost was higher. It was heavily adopted by the major notebook brands of the time. Intel followed this with the 486Sl chipset which used the same architecture. However, Intel had to abandon this build coming as it introduced its Pentium series. Early versions of the movable Pentium required Tab mounting (also used in Lcd manufacturing) and this initially miniature the number of fellowships capable of supplying notebooks. However, Intel did eventually migrate to more appropriate chip packaging. One limitation of notebooks has all the time been the difficulty in upgrading the processor which is a base attribute of desktops. Intel did try to solve this problem with the introduction of the Mmc for movable computing. The Mmc was a appropriate module upon which the Cpu and external cache memory could sit. It gave the notebook buyer the potential to upgrade his Cpu at a later date, eased the manufacturing process some, and was also used in some cases to skirt U.S. Import duties as the Cpu could be added to the chassis after it arrived in the U.S. Intel stuck with Mmc for a few generations but finally could not sound the appropriate speed and data integrity to the memory subsystem straight through the Mmc connector.
- Improved liquid crystal displays, in singular active-matrix Tft (Thin-Flim Transitor) Lcd technology. Early laptop screens were black and white, blue and white, or grayscale, Stn (Super Twist Nematic) passive-matrix Lcds prone to heavy shadows, ghosting and blurry movement (some transported computer screens were sharper monochrome plasma displays, but these drew too much current to be powered by batteries). Color Stn screens were used for some time although their viewing ability was poor. By about 1991 , two new color Lcd techologies hit the mainstream shop in a big way; Dual Stn and Tft. The Dual Stn screens solved many of the viewing problems of Stn at a very affordable price and the Tft screens offered perfect viewing ability although initially at a steep price. Dstn prolonged to offer a vital cost advantage over Tft until the mid-90s before the cost delta dropped to the point that Dstn was no longer used in notebooks. Improvements in yield technology meant displays became larger, sharper, had higher native resolutions, faster response time and could display color with great accuracy, making them an appropriate substitute for a former Crt monitor.
- Improved hard disk technology. Early laptops and portables had only floppy disk drives. As thin, high-capacity hard disk drives with higher reliability and shock resistance and lower power consumption became available, users could store their work on laptop computers and take it with them. The 3.5" Hdd was created initially as a response to the needs of notebook designers that needed smaller, lower power consumption products. As pressure to continue to shrink the notebook size even further, the 2.5" Hdd was introduced.
- Improved connectivity. Internal modems and appropriate serial, parallel, and Ps/2 ports on Ibm Pc-compatible laptops made it easier to work away from home; the increasing of network adapters and, from 1997, Usb, as well as, from 1999, Wi-Fi, made laptops as easy to use with peripherals as a desktop computer.
The 0 laptop
A first generation prototype of the 0 laptop
In 2005, faculty members from the Mit Media Lab including Nicholas Negroponte introduced the 0 laptop and the One Laptop Per Child project. The aim is to design, manufacture, and distribute laptops that are sufficiently uncostly to provide every child in the world entrance to knowledge and contemporary forms of education. The laptops are to be sold to governments and issued to children by schools. These equipments, of which many prototypes have already been presented, will be rugged, Linux-based, and so energy productive that a hand-cranking dynamo can alone provide sufficient power for operation (although this hand-crank has since been removed). Ad-hoc wireless mesh networking may be used to allow many machines to share a singular Internet connection.
casio usb cable