Notebook with CPU Zilog Z80
by admin on Mar.11, 2010, under Uncategorized
The heart of the machine served as the CPU Zilog Z80, operating at a clock frequency of 4 megahertz. Osborne 1 was equipped with 64 kilobytes of memory, serial and parallel ports. Built-in monochrome CRT display supports only text mode, revealing the work of 24 lines of 52 characters each. Screen size is five inches, which was due to technological failure to work offline for displays of large sizes. Computer disk system consisted of two “floppovodov”, which enabled us to work with disks pyatidyuymovymi capacity 91 or 182 kilobytes (for double-density disks). Under each of the storage compartment was located, designed for installation of additional devices, such as a modem.
When folded, the Osborne 1 could be taken for a small suitcase. Case has been compact keyboard equipped with 69 keys, – flap.
Demand for the first notebooks was so high that the company Adam Osborne was the fastest in Silicon Valley. Due to unique consumer and technical characteristics of the machine, Osborne Computer Corporation has sold ten thousand copies of the Osborne 1 month. But success is not eternal. The company management has decided to announce new models for a few months earlier than their actual release. Sales of the Osborne 1 fell, the company was unable to get out of financial crisis and ceased to exist.
It should be noted that, subsequently, Compaq, IBM and other computer makers largely repeated the successful design of Adam Osborne.