oem computer parts laptop schematics gaming computer parts toshiba replacement parts computer repair companies notebook troubleshooting

Two other noteworthy early laptops were the Sharp PC-5000 (1983) 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 equipped 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 system software. Both had LCD displays, and had optional printers that attached to their cases. * iQon - Qompanion * Powerful laptops (often heavy) designed to compete with the computing power offered by a typical desktop are sometimes known as desktop replacements. Some parts for a modern laptop have no corresponding part in a desktop computer: * Voodoo PC - Envy As technology improved during the 1990s, the usefulness and popularity of laptops increased while prices went down. Several developments specific to laptops were quickly implemented in their design, improving their usability and performance compared to desktop computers. Among them were:

* ASUS * Fujitsu Siemens - Lifebook, FMV - BiBlo By the end of the 1980s, laptop computers were becoming popular among business people. The NEC Ultralite, released in mid-1989, was perhaps 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 with standard drives were the Compaq LTE series, introduced toward the end of that year. Truly the size of a notebook, they had hard drives and standard-resolution screens. * Packard Bell - EasyNote Laptop performance has been inferior to desktops for the same price. Desktops have outperformed mobile computers because new technologies expend more heat. These new technologies take time to transfer over to the laptop market because of its smaller package. While desktops continue to outperform notebooks at the high end, both types of systems generally offer sufficient performance for the mainstream. This still existent difference in performance continues to be minimized. Another claim to be the "first laptop" was made by a novice programmer Thomas Kelly in 1982. While it was made to be used upon one's lap, it weighed 150 pounds, and therefore could not be deemed truly portable.

Laptop Repair

We are laptop repair Specialists!

We are laptop repair specialists!

We have qualified, A+ Certified Technicians ready to diagnose your laptop!

Whether you need a new part, or simply do not know why your laptop is acting up, feel free to give our technicians a call to give you an estimate. MORE

Lowest Diagnostic Fees Around – Only $49.00!

Our A+ Certified Technician will diagnose your laptop completely, and inform you of the problem. Estimated parts and labor to fix it will be given upon completion of testing... MORE

However, arguably the first true laptop was the GRiD Compass 1101, designed by Bill Moggridge in 1979, and released in 1982. Enclosed in a magnesium case, it introduced the now familiar clamshell design, in which the flat display folded shut against the keyboard. The computer could be run from batteries, and was equipped with a 320×200-pixel plasma display and 384-kilobyte bubble memory. It was not IBM-compatible, and its high price (US$ 10,000) meant that it was limited to specialized applications. However, it was used heavily by the U.S. military, and was used on the Space Shuttle during the 1980s. The GRiD company subsequently earned significant returns on its patent rights as its innovations became commonplace. GRiD Systems Corp was later bought by Tandy (RadioShack). Some parts for a modern laptop have no corresponding part in a desktop computer: * Notebook * Hypersonic * Sony - VAIO

* Samsung - Sens * Medion The Apple PowerBook series, introduced in 1991, heralded many changes that are now standard on laptops, including ergonomic improvements such as the placement of the keyboard at the back of the machine, thus creating a palm rest, and the inclusion of a built-in pointing device (a trackball). The following year, IBM released its Thinkpad series, offering similar miniaturization. * Sager - NP series Two other noteworthy early laptops were the Sharp PC-5000 (1983) 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 equipped 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 system software. Both had LCD displays, and had optional printers that attached to their cases. * Dell - Inspiron and Latitude

online computer parts listing

Main listing