Jan 31, 2020 adam osborne was an entrepreneur most famously known for the first portable computer, but he also was an author who made a successful move into publishing computer books and software. Software wise, the osborne 1 included a large bundle of popular productivity software, almost equal in value to the price of the computer alone. Released in 1981 by the osborne computer corporation the unit weighed in at a hefty 23. The osborne 1 was the first widely accepted portable computer that included a monitor, disk drives and all components. Adam osborne is a british author, book and software publisher, one of the most charming, persuasive, egotistical, and supremely confident people in the computing field, indeed, in all industry. Micah osborne chief technology officer loop technologies. Osborne 1 was developed by adam osborne, a computing book publisher and author, and lee felsenstein, a former intel engineer. In 1980 adam osborne designed a portable computer based around the. The eighties are also remembered for the obsession many had with fitness and bodybuilding, at those times. I was looking around for an osborne 1 computer but i have had little hope in finding one as they are very old. Describes the unique features, available software, performance capabilities, system options, costs, advantages, disadvantages, and eccentricities of the osborne 1 microcomputer. Aug 29, 2012 the osborne 1 or occ 1 was the first portable computer to get to market and become a commercial success. Micah osborne chief technology officer at loop technologies chattanooga, tennessee area computer software 1 person has recommended micah.
By the time the executive was released, osborne was unable to recover and eventually folded. Osborne 1 computer please provide your name, email, and your suggestion so that we can begin assessing any terminology changes. Oct 16, 2008 i had no terminal software though, so i did some research and came up with the following after a long struggle please leave a comment if you have any better info or corrections. Those are stock photos because the computer are in local storage. Most of these first personal computers were kits assembled by hobbyists and engineers wanting a computer to do programming work at home see last months article.
The osborne 1 debuted a year later and became the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, featuring a 5 inch 127 mm 52column display, two floppydisk drives, a z80 microprocessor, and 64kb of ram. Sep, 2017 the osborne 1 was the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, released on april 3, 1981, by osborne computer corporation. The osborne 1 portable personal computer, open and ready for use. One of my small but present regrets is not buying an osborne i found at a car boot sale in milton keynes in about 1993. This computer has a very low serial number and is in great condition. Nov 03, 2012 osborne 1 was the first ever portable microcomputer.
Jul 08, 2017 this episode is part 1 of a restoration project for an osborne 1 portable cpm computer. Adam osborne is a british author, book and software publisher, one of the most charming, persuasive, egotistical, and supremely confident people in. The rise and fall of the osborne computer corporation blog. In this episode we check out and service the floppy disk drives and run some of the software that originally came with this pc part 1 can be viewed at s.
Osborne s successful portable computer ran the popular cp m operating system, came with a wordprocessor and other office programs, and sold for half the cost of comparable machines. The osborne 1 was the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, released on april 3, 1981, by osborne computer corporation. He is best known for introducing the osborne 1, the first commercially successful portable computer. A slew of cpm, osborne, kaypro and heath retro computing software and hardware. I was wondering if anyone knew of one that is for sale and what its price is. The computer shipped with a large bundle of software that was almost equivalent in value to the machine itself, a practice adopted by. Adam osborne march 6, 1939 march 18, 2003 was a thailandborn britishamerican author, book and software publisher, and computer designer who founded several companies in the united states and elsewhere. Jul 31, 2019 in this episode we check out and service the floppy disk drives and run some of the software that originally came with this pc part 1 can be viewed at s.
A person could purchase an osborne 1 computer, take it home, turn it on, and start working immediately. It was introduced in 1981 at the west coast computer faire. Osborne 1 1981 when the personal computer became portable. The software bundle was stored on singleside floppy disks, since the machine, like most computers of the time, didnt include a hard disk drive. Osborne 1 brochure chm revolution computer history museum. Kaypro computer offered portables that, like the osborne 1, ran cpm and included a software bundle, but kaypro offered larger 9 inch display. As the osborne is a pretty standard cpm machine, any cpm software will do, so look out for cpm users groups there are plenty.
The computer shipped with a large bundle of software that was almost equivalent in value to the machine itself, a practice adopted by other. Making a kaypro, osborne or other cpm computer boot disk and getting other cpm software from disk images. It had 64 kb of memory, a 5 inch display screen and had two floppy disk drives and a full sized keyboard. Osborne 1 complete history of the osborne 1 computer. Computers began appearing in the home in the mid to late 1970s. After the company demonstrated its osborne 1 at the west coast computer faire in january 1981, orders began rolling in and sales of the osborne 1 rose exponentially through 19812, to a peak of 10,000 units a month. The osborne executive, like the osborne 1, came with application software. Dysan interrogator drive diagnostic program for the osborne 1 program files for sssd disk, image of the disk in imagedisk format, scanned. Original software, keyboard overlaystemplates, battery pack, monitor terminator. The first osborne 1 shipped in july 1981, and its low price set market expectations for bundled hardware and software packages for several years to come.
The ibm pc the machine that would create the personal computer industry was still around the corner so in its absence, the osborne 1 was the first proper computer that could run your. The osborne 1 is the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, released on april 3. The first osborne 1 was shipped in july 1981 with bundled software. Osborne produced the worlds first practical, portable, personal computer. The osborne 1, the worlds first commercially produced computer designed to be portable, is 30 years old this month. Released in june 1981 by the osborne computer corporation, the osborne 1 is considered to be the first true portable, fullfeatured computer. Making a kaypro, osborne or other cpm computer boot disk. If you have found this page directly from an internet search as opposed to a link from my disk imaging introduction page you have most likely missed some important information. In 1981, adam osborne produced what is generally considered to be the first truly portable computer.
Computers osborne was known to frequent the famous homebrew computer clubs meetings. As my osborne 1 ages, various of my disks have had to be retired with errors, and im concerned it may not survive much longer so am looking for ways to extend. Osborne was able to include this software at no actual cost to the company the software providers were given stock in the osborne computer. It is powered from a wall socket, as it has no onboard battery, but it is still classed as a portable device since it can be handcarried when packed. An original advertising of the osborne 1 personal business computer osborne 1 1981 when the personal computer became portable. Mar 26, 2003 the osborne 1 computer, which was introduced at the west coast computer faire in june 1981, was a 24pound luggable machine that came with a large library of essential software, including a word. The osborne computer corporation was, unfortunately, the prototype for this kind of company. It was a lot of money in 1981, but along with a very chunky. The computer shipped with a large bundle of software that was almost equivalent in value to the machine itself, a practice adopted by other cpm.
The osborne computer corporation was founded in 1980 with an emphasis placed on portable computers. Cpm8680 osborne computer software for business games and operating utilities 45. Are there any communities who maintain software for the osborne 1. Osborne obtained the software in part by offering stock in the new osborne computer corporation, 1 which he founded in january 1981. Adam osborne, founder of the osborne computer corporation, introduced the 11kg. What is often overlooked is his other achievements notable achievements. Rare osborne stuff available for download vintage computer. It includes all the components required to be a completely useful and operational computer system. The screen unit fits into slots on the keyboard unit. Early life osborne was born in thailand on march 6, 1939, to british parents and spent most of his childhood in india. It was released in 1981 by osborne computer corporation and used a design that was inspired largely by the xerox notetaker. Marketing materials for luggables such as the osborne optimistically featured users carrying the computer as if it were as light as a paperback book. Apple computer s offerings had a large software library of their own and with aftermarket cards, could run cpm as well. Making a kaypro, osborne or other cpm computer boot disk and getting other cpm software from disk images introduction if you have found this page directly from an internet search as opposed to a link from my disk imaging introduction page you have most likely missed some important information.
While the idea of bundled software was not new, the relatively low cost of the osborne 1 with software had a big impact on personal computer prices. Unlike other startup companies, osborne computer corporations first product was ready soon after its founding. Use the db25 port the machine has two serial interfaces, a db9 and a db25. The osborne 1 is the first commercially successful portable microcomputer, released on april 3, 1981 by osborne computer corporation. The osborne computer company announced a successor to the osborne 1 in 1982, the executive model occ2, and in early 1983, the company announced the more advanced osborne vixen. Osborne computer corporation filed for bankruptcy in september 1983. Osborne 1 was the first ever portable microcomputer. The software included wordstar, supercalc, and later in production dbase ii. This is a smaller machine with the keyboard permanently attached and serving as a stand. This osborne 1 in my collection is one of the early units in a brown case. Apr 01, 2011 the osborne 1 may have been the first fullfledged portable pc to hit the market, but it wasnt unprecedented. The osborne executive was introduced well before its design had been completed and the introduction dried up the market for the still viable osborne 1. In fact, the idea of a computer in a sewing machinelike case with a keyboard built into the lid had been kicking around the industry for years.