A notebook computer is a portable personal computer that can be carried along and used almost anywhere, much like a notebook. The notebook computer typically weighs about 3 kilograms (6.6 pounds) and is small enough to fit into a briefcase. The notebook computer usually has all the functionality of a desktop, but is less powerful, more expensive, and greater portability.

The first notebook computer available commercially was introduced to the public in 1981 and was named the Osborne 1. This notebook computer was understandably bulkier than the ones we get to see these days. Nevertheless, this revolutionary notebook computer -- which did not run on battery power and had to be plugged in for AC power -- took the business world by storm because of its portability, a feature that is notably absent in the heftier desktops.

Then came the Compaq Portable first made public in 1983 and also ran on AC power rather than batteries. This first-ever IBM-compatible notebook computer proved to better than the IBM's own Portable Computer that was introduced a year later.

The GRiD Compass 1101, released in 1982, was a notebook computer in the true sense of the term. The brainchild of William Moggridge, this notebook computer had the typical clamshell design -- where the screen folds and shuts against the keyboard -- that is now practically the industry standard. This notebook computer was not IBM-compatible, ran on batteries and had a prohibitively high price tag. As one may guess, it was used by the specific few -- mainly the military and astronauts.

The Sharp PC-5000 and the Gavilan notebook computer, appearing in 1984, are also worthy of special mention. As a matter of fact, the Gavilan was the first notebook computer that was promoted as a laptop and had a cursor control device resembling a touch pad. Both had LCD screens and clamshell cases.

The notebook computer called Kyocera Kyotronic, first introduced in 1983, powered by AA batteries, was a huge commercial success largely because of its portability, battery life and low price.

The first true IBM-compatible notebook computer was the IBM PC Convertible, introduced in 1986 -- followed by Toshiba T1000 and T1200 in the following year. In 1989, Apple introduced the Macintosh Portable notebook computer.

From 1991 on, innovations initiated by the PowerBook series of Apple became standard features in the modern notebook computer. These include built-in features like touch pad, palm rest, Ethernet networking, trackball, and 256-color displays. Then followed the Thinkpad series of IBM, which was a very popular notebook computer.

Now almost an essential gadget in the business world, the notebook computer is here to stay.

Susan Miller enjoys writing for several popular web sites, on products and shopping and product reviews issues.

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