CS 378 Week 11 Report

CS378W, History of Computing
Week 11, Topic Report Draft
Due 2004 Nov 4

The History of Mobile Computing
Bryant Tang
2004 Nov 4

Part 1 - Mobile Computing: An introduction and overview

The history of computing is full of big and powerful number-crunching machines that were able of performing incredible feats of mathematical computation during their eras. From the ENIAC of the 1940s to the Earth-Simulator of today, these room-sized titans have stolen the headlines with their impressive capability. However, the modern world is not run by these behemoths; instead, one would have to look at the opposite end of the spectrum to find the machines that drive today's information-driven world forward. Indeed, mobile computing has left an indelible mark on our lives. From the college student typing notes on her laptop in class to the businessman shooting off emails on his personal digital assistant on the bus, these portable masterpieces of miniaturization have helped to improve our level of productivity, so that even the average joe is capable of doing things that would have been unimaginable just two decades ago.

So, how exactly is that we've managed to reach such levels of technological wizardry, compressing so much into so little space? All that can be attributed to the amazing pace at which computer technology has advanced over the years. The portable computers of yesteryear were portable in name only and proved to be a pain to lug around from place to place. However, the exponential growth in the field of electrical engineering has resulted in developments that have made it possible to shrink components while simulataneously providing a boost in processing power.

Some people may be tempted to write off the antiquated devices of the past, choosing instead to focus on the latest and greatest in portable technology today. Such a path is fraught with perils, for the perspective that one gains in remembering the past can make even the most jaded of techies gain a new appreciation for the gadgets that have become commonplace today.

Part 2 - The Dynabook: The concept that launched it all?

The whole idea of portable computers as we know them today was kickstarted in 1973 with the visionary Alan Kay's Dynabook concept. In it, he talks about creating "a portable interactive personal computer, as accessible as a book" (7). Interestingly enough, the original application the Dynabook was intended to serve was as a computing platform for children. Kay was inspired when he visited Seymour Papert at MIT's Artificial Intelligence Lab in 1968, where kids were learning mathematics via the LOGO program, hence the idea of the computer as a learning aid (7).

The ideas behind the Dynabook eventually led to the design of the Alto, quite possibly the first prototype portable computer, at Xerox PARC in the early 1970s (8). Interestingly enough, Kay himself did not focus on any aspect of the actual hardware implementation during the development of the Dynabook concept, as he was more concerned with the purpose of the computer as a "medium through which could communicate important things", and that "just as the book was an extension to the oral medium, so is the computer an extension of the print medium" (7). As the primary users of this device were supposed to be children, he wanted it to employ the learning theories of Jerome Bruner and his acquaintance Papert (8).

[Minor details to be added to talk about the Dynabook's role in the big picture]

Part 3 - The Osborne 1: The first successful portable computer

Despite Kay's vision in 1973, it wouldn't be until 1981 that the first successful portable computer was released to the world in the form of the Osborne Computer Corporation's Osborne 1. Sure, there were other machines that came before it such as the IBM 5100, but those were portable only in name as they weighed between 50 to 70 pounds apiece! The Osborne 1 was the first true portable computer as it was designed from scratch to be carried around, instead of a self-contained microcomputer that was basically a desktop with all its components crammed into a single case.

The Osborne 1 may seem heavy by modern standards, weighing in at a hefty 24.5 pounds. However, one must remember that it was a reasonable weight, given that the machine had all sorts of features integrated into a neat white shell with a carrying handle on top (3). The form factor allowed the exposed components such as the keyboard, display and disk drives to be covered up when the computer was to be moved about. It packed a Zilog Z80 processor that ran at 4.0 MHz, an integrated 5" monitor that was capable of displaying up to 53 x 24 lines of text, 64K of RAM and two 5-1/4 disk drives (3). While the 5" screen may have hampered usability due to the small amount of text that could be displayed on the screen at any one point in time, its reduced size meant that it would be less prone to damage than a larger display (3).

[Talk about the commercial success of the Osborne 1 and the OCC's eventual failure]

Part 4 - The Apple Newton: Great grandfather of the PDA

[Brief overview, hardware implementation details, Newton's impact]

Part 5 - Looking back: How far we've come since 1973

Certainly, we have come a long way since the days of devices like the Dynabook. With each passing day, the mobile computing devices around us continue to shrink in size while expanding their capability. In reflecting upon the past, we can develop a new-found appreciation for what we have today and perhaps even dream of what is to come in the future.

[Expanded conclusion]

Bibliography

1. Martin Campbell-Kelly and William Aspray, Computer: A History of the Information Machine (HarperCollins Publishers, 1997).
There is a section in this book that covers Alan Kay and his idea of a portable computer, the first time such an idea was brought up.

2. "History of Laptop Computers," http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/bllaptop.htm (About.com, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
This is a brief outline of the history of laptop computers.

3. "Osborne 1 Computer," http://oldcomputers.net/osborne.html (Obsolete Technology Website, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
The Osborne 1 is believed to be the first commercially available laptop computer.

4. David H. Ahl, "Osborne Computer Corporation," http://www.atarimagazines.com/creative/v10n3/24_Osborne_Comptuer_Corporat.php (Atarimagazines.com, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
A short article on the rise and fall of the Osborne Computer Corporation, creators of the Osborne 1.

5. "Portable Computers," http://www.worldhistory.com/portable-computers.htm (WorldHistory.com, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
This is a timeline of portable computers, on which I can select certain machines to explore in detail.

6. "IBM 5100 APL Reference Manual," http://bitsavers.org/pdf/ibm/5100/SA21-9213-0_IBM_5100aplRef.pdf (bitsavers.org, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
This document is a pdf copy of the manual to the IBM 5100, IBM's first portable computer.

7. "The Dynabook Revisited - A Conversation with Alan Kay," http://www.honco.net/os/kay.html (The Book & The Computer, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
This is an interview with Alan Kay that talks about the Dynabook concept that played an important part in the development of laptops.

8. "Dynabook," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynabook (Wikipedia, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
This is a brief overview of the Dynabook concept.

9. "Apple Newton," http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Newton (Wikipedia, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
This is a brief overview of the Apple Newton.

10. "Newton Secrets," http://www.a-in-a-circle.com/newton/ (a-in-a-circle.com, accessed 2004 Nov 3).
This is a site that has pictures and details on various Newton prototypes that never made it to market.