Compaq Portable
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Compaq Portable was a series of portable computers developed by Compaq, a company founded by Rod Canion, Jim Harris, and Bill Murto, in collaboration with Intel, Microsoft, and IBM. The Compaq Portable was designed to be compatible with IBM PC and IBM PC/XT, running MS-DOS and featuring Intel 8088 processors. This compatibility was achieved through the use of BIOS developed by Phoenix Technologies and Award Software, allowing the Compaq Portable to run software designed for IBM PC and IBM PC/XT. The Compaq Portable was also influenced by the design of the Osborne 1 and Kaypro II, which were among the first portable computers.
● Introduction
The Compaq Portable was introduced in 1983, a time when Apple II and IBM PC were dominating the personal computer market. The development of the Compaq Portable involved collaboration with Texas Instruments, Western Digital, and Micron Technology, among other companies. The Compaq Portable was designed to be a portable version of the IBM PC, with a similar architecture and compatibility with IBM PC software, including Lotus 1-2-3 and WordStar. This was achieved through the use of Intel 8088 processors and MS-DOS, which was also used by IBM PC and IBM PC/XT. The Compaq Portable was also compatible with software developed by Microsoft, including Microsoft Multiplan and Microsoft Word.
● Design and Features
The Compaq Portable featured a rugged design, with a metal case and a carrying handle, making it suitable for use in various environments, including NASA missions and US Army operations. The computer had a CRT display, a keyboard, and a floppy disk drive, and was powered by a lead-acid battery or an external power supply. The Compaq Portable was also equipped with RS-232 and Centronics ports, allowing it to connect to modems, printers, and other devices, including those from Hewlett-Packard and Epson. The computer's design was influenced by the Xerox Alto and Xerox Star, which were developed at Xerox PARC.
● Hardware and Specifications
The Compaq Portable was based on the Intel 8088 processor, with a clock speed of 4.77 MHz, and featured 256 KB or 512 KB of RAM, expandable to 640 KB. The computer had a floppy disk drive with a capacity of 360 KB or 720 KB, and a hard disk drive with a capacity of 10 MB or 20 MB, developed by Seagate Technology and Western Digital. The Compaq Portable also featured a CGA graphics adapter, developed by IBM, and a PC speaker for sound output, similar to those used in IBM PC and IBM PC/XT. The computer's hardware was also compatible with TSR-80 and CP/M, allowing it to run software developed for these platforms.
● History and Release
The Compaq Portable was released in 1983, at a time when the personal computer market was dominated by Apple II and IBM PC. The computer was designed to be compatible with IBM PC and IBM PC/XT, and was marketed as a portable version of these computers. The Compaq Portable was widely adopted by businesses and individuals, including NASA, US Army, and IBM, and played an important role in the development of the portable computer market, alongside the Osborne 1 and Kaypro II. The Compaq Portable was also used by Microsoft and Lotus Software for software development and testing.
● Impact and Legacy
The Compaq Portable had a significant impact on the development of the portable computer market, and was widely adopted by businesses and individuals, including NASA, US Army, and IBM. The computer's design and features influenced the development of later portable computers, including the IBM PC Convertible and Toshiba T1000. The Compaq Portable also played an important role in the development of the laptop market, and was a precursor to the modern notebook computer, developed by companies such as Dell, HP, and Lenovo. The Compaq Portable was also recognized by Computerworld and PC Magazine as one of the most influential computers of the 1980s.
● Models and Variations
The Compaq Portable was available in several models, including the Compaq Portable, Compaq Portable Plus, and Compaq Portable II, each with different features and specifications. The Compaq Portable Plus featured a EGA graphics adapter, developed by IBM, and a hard disk drive with a capacity of 20 MB or 40 MB, developed by Seagate Technology and Western Digital. The Compaq Portable II featured a VGA graphics adapter, developed by IBM, and a hard disk drive with a capacity of 40 MB or 80 MB, developed by Seagate Technology and Western Digital. The Compaq Portable was also compatible with OS/2 and Windows 1.0, developed by Microsoft and IBM. The Compaq Portable was widely used by companies such as Microsoft, IBM, and Hewlett-Packard, and was an important part of the development of the personal computer industry, alongside the Apple Macintosh and Amiga 1000.