419:
437:
411:
45:
896:
256:
Development of the
Compass began in 1979, and the main buyer was the U.S. government. NASA used it on the Space Shuttle during the early 1980s, as it was powerful, lightweight, and compact. The military Special Forces also purchased the machine, as it could be used by paratroopers in combat.
320:
The initial model, the 1101, was introduced in April 1982; The 1100 model designation were never released commercially, but featured in some pre-release marketing material. The computer was designed by
579:
268:
released the following year, the GRiD Compass established much of the basic design of subsequent laptop computers, although the laptop concept itself owed much to the
504:
967:
382:
I/O (also known as GPIB or
General Purpose Interface Bus). This port made it possible to connect multiple devices to the addressable device bus. It weighed
244:
from the wall. Grid sold the succeeding model, the
Compass II, in 1984 with an optional external battery unit. Grid replaced the Compass with the
343:
case (where the screen folds flat to the rest of the computer when closed), which was made from a magnesium alloy. The computer featured an
418:
587:
837:
296:
operating system. But, unlike the
Compass, the Osborne was not a laptop and lacked the Compass's refinement and small size.
508:
972:
648:
724:
354:
857:
222:
292:
computer sold at around the same time as the GRiD, was more affordable and more popular, and ran the popular
347:
132:
56:
962:
361:
163:
52:
862:
602:
738:
830:
704:
507:. The Longest list of the longest stuff at the longest domain name at long last. Archived from
325:
234:
941:
765:
760:
625:
276:
from the late 1960s. GRiD Systems
Corporation subsequently earned significant returns on its
340:
304:
The
Compass ran its own operating system, GRiD-OS. Its specialized software and high price (
230:
122:
575:
218:
89:
482:
884:
772:
367:
328:
322:
226:
71:
436:
956:
823:
788:
277:
265:
410:
878:
846:
749:
31:
44:
240:
This original model of
Compass lacked an internal battery compartment, requiring
429:
The
Compass II was released in 1984; known as 1121, 1129, 1131 and 1139 models.
925:
807:
798:
698:
672:
375:
344:
273:
261:
137:
289:
49:
17:
730:
915:
552:
379:
358:
269:
245:
241:
203:
192:
159:
148:
59:
534:
920:
237:—some historians credit the original Compass as the first ever laptop.
423:
417:
409:
371:
187:
293:
895:
819:
815:
613:(3). Hayden Publishing: 82–97 – via the Internet Archive.
809:
Video about the SPOC program that was used on the NASA Shuttle
431:
580:"Clamshell! The story of the best computing form factor ever"
127:
CCOS (Compass
Computer Operating System), optionally MS-DOS 2
312:) meant that it was limited to specialized applications.
546:
544:
636:(24). IDG Publications: 54–55 – via Google Books.
448:
934:
903:
871:
775:. Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum
771:Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
505:"World's first laptop. Osborne 1 GRiD Compass 1101"
198:
180:
170:
154:
143:
131:
121:
110:
95:
85:
77:
67:
697:"Pioneering the Laptop – The GRiD Compass",
529:
527:
525:
483:"GRiD Compass Laptop Computer Prototype, 1981"
831:
626:"Attractive Gridcase 2 Runs Well, Costs More"
378:and floppy drives could be connected via the
225:. The design for the Compass was rendered by
8:
649:"The Space Age Best Inventions We use Today"
37:
570:
568:
894:
838:
824:
816:
481:Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum.
43:
36:
603:"'Lap' Portables: How Small Is Too Small"
473:
280:as its innovations became commonplace.
968:Computer-related introductions in 1982
184:19-pin "serial", Telephone line+Audio
793:, Vintage Laptop Museum, 5 April 2017
117: (equivalent to $ 25,730 in 2023)
7:
55:posing with a Grid Compass aboard a
790:GRiD Compass 1100, 360 degree model
25:
647:didyouknowwebsite (2020-06-14).
435:
707:from the original on 2021-12-21
624:Casella, Phil (June 16, 1986).
1:
601:Foster, Edward (March 1985).
422:GRiD Compass II onboard the
729:, Net magic, archived from
989:
586:. Time Inc. Archived from
355:electroluminescent display
221:introduced in 1982 by the
29:
892:
853:
485:. Smithsonian Institution
42:
858:Grid Systems Corporation
800:Video about GRiD Compass
223:Grid Systems Corporation
30:Not to be confused with
390:). The power input is ~
57:Space Shuttle Discovery
426:
415:
362:magnetic bubble memory
766:InfoWorld Nov 8, 1982
761:InfoWorld Aug 2, 1982
421:
413:
272:project developed at
27:Early laptop computer
973:Grid Systems laptops
863:Grid Defence Systems
590:on December 4, 2022.
414:GRiD Compass II 1129
743:, old-computers.com
677:vintage-laptops.com
537:. oldcomputers.net.
535:"GRiD Compass 1101"
326:industrial designer
39:
607:Personal Computing
447:. You can help by
427:
416:
374:. Devices such as
339:The design used a
111:Introductory price
81:GRiD Systems Corp.
950:
949:
578:(July 17, 2012).
465:
464:
235:portable computer
211:
210:
16:(Redirected from
980:
898:
840:
833:
826:
817:
812:
803:
794:
784:
782:
780:
757:
744:
734:
710:
708:
694:
688:
687:
685:
684:
669:
663:
662:
660:
659:
644:
638:
637:
621:
615:
614:
598:
592:
591:
576:McCracken, Harry
572:
563:
562:
560:
559:
548:
539:
538:
531:
520:
519:
517:
516:
501:
495:
494:
492:
490:
478:
460:
457:
439:
432:
401:
397:
393:
389:
385:
370:
353:
311:
307:
233:—the first in a
231:clamshell design
219:laptop computers
207:
190:
176:
166:
123:Operating system
116:
106:
104:
47:
40:
21:
988:
987:
983:
982:
981:
979:
978:
977:
953:
952:
951:
946:
930:
899:
890:
867:
849:
844:
806:
797:
787:
778:
776:
770:
747:
737:
722:
719:
714:
713:
696:
695:
691:
682:
680:
671:
670:
666:
657:
655:
646:
645:
641:
623:
622:
618:
600:
599:
595:
574:
573:
566:
557:
555:
553:"Old computers"
550:
549:
542:
533:
532:
523:
514:
512:
503:
502:
498:
488:
486:
480:
479:
475:
470:
461:
455:
452:
445:needs expansion
408:
399:
395:
391:
387:
383:
365:
352:320 × 240-pixel
351:
337:
318:
309:
305:
302:
286:
260:Along with the
254:
229:. Owing to its
217:is a family of
202:
185:
174:
164:magnetic bubble
162:
114:
102:
100:
99:April 1982
90:Laptop computer
63:
35:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
986:
984:
976:
975:
970:
965:
955:
954:
948:
947:
945:
944:
938:
936:
932:
931:
929:
928:
923:
918:
913:
907:
905:
901:
900:
893:
891:
889:
888:
885:Bill Moggridge
882:
875:
873:
869:
868:
866:
865:
860:
854:
851:
850:
845:
843:
842:
835:
828:
820:
814:
813:
804:
795:
785:
773:"GRiD Compass"
768:
763:
758:
750:"GRiD Compass"
745:
735:
726:GRiDs in Space
718:
717:External links
715:
712:
711:
689:
673:"GRiD Compass"
664:
639:
616:
593:
564:
540:
521:
496:
472:
471:
469:
466:
463:
462:
442:
440:
407:
404:
392:110/220 V
336:
333:
329:Bill Moggridge
317:
314:
301:
298:
285:
282:
253:
250:
248:line in 1985.
227:Bill Moggridge
209:
208:
200:
196:
195:
182:
178:
177:
172:
168:
167:
156:
152:
151:
145:
141:
140:
135:
129:
128:
125:
119:
118:
112:
108:
107:
97:
93:
92:
87:
83:
82:
79:
75:
74:
72:Bill Moggridge
69:
65:
64:
53:John Creighton
48:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
985:
974:
971:
969:
966:
964:
963:Early laptops
961:
960:
958:
943:
940:
939:
937:
933:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
912:
909:
908:
906:
902:
897:
886:
883:
880:
877:
876:
874:
870:
864:
861:
859:
856:
855:
852:
848:
841:
836:
834:
829:
827:
822:
821:
818:
811:
810:
805:
802:
801:
796:
792:
791:
786:
774:
769:
767:
764:
762:
759:
755:
754:Cool Old Junk
751:
746:
742:
741:
736:
733:on 2008-06-25
732:
728:
727:
721:
720:
716:
706:
702:
701:
693:
690:
678:
674:
668:
665:
654:
653:Did You Know?
650:
643:
640:
635:
631:
627:
620:
617:
612:
608:
604:
597:
594:
589:
585:
581:
577:
571:
569:
565:
554:
547:
545:
541:
536:
530:
528:
526:
522:
511:on 2016-12-03
510:
506:
500:
497:
484:
477:
474:
467:
459:
450:
446:
443:This section
441:
438:
434:
433:
430:
425:
420:
412:
405:
403:
396:47–66 Hz
381:
377:
373:
369:
363:
360:
356:
349:
346:
342:
334:
332:
330:
327:
324:
315:
313:
299:
297:
295:
291:
288:The portable
283:
281:
279:
278:patent rights
275:
271:
267:
266:Sharp PC-5000
263:
258:
251:
249:
247:
243:
238:
236:
232:
228:
224:
220:
216:
205:
201:
197:
194:
189:
183:
179:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
150:
146:
142:
139:
136:
134:
130:
126:
124:
120:
113:
109:
98:
94:
91:
88:
84:
80:
76:
73:
70:
66:
61:
58:
54:
51:
46:
41:
33:
19:
911:Grid Compass
910:
879:John Ellenby
847:Grid Systems
808:
799:
789:
777:. Retrieved
753:
740:GRiD Compass
739:
731:the original
725:
699:
692:
681:. Retrieved
679:. 2017-04-05
676:
667:
656:. Retrieved
652:
642:
633:
629:
619:
610:
606:
596:
588:the original
583:
556:. Retrieved
513:. Retrieved
509:the original
499:
487:. Retrieved
476:
453:
449:adding to it
444:
428:
338:
319:
303:
287:
259:
255:
239:
215:Grid Compass
214:
212:
186:1,200 bit/s
181:Connectivity
96:Release date
78:Manufacturer
38:Grid Compass
32:Grid compass
18:GRID Compass
376:hard drives
284:Competitors
957:Categories
926:Grid 386PX
887:(designer)
872:Key people
779:10 October
748:Hrothgar,
703:, Google,
683:2021-07-30
658:2020-06-14
558:2009-05-19
515:2009-05-19
468:References
406:Compass II
388:11 lb
366:1200
345:Intel 8086
274:Xerox PARC
262:Gavilan SC
138:Intel 8086
881:(founder)
630:InfoWorld
456:July 2021
400:75 W
384:5 kg
348:processor
341:clamshell
306:US$ 8,000
290:Osborne 1
199:Successor
175:320 × 240
115:US$ 8,150
68:Developer
50:Astronaut
916:GridCase
904:Hardware
705:archived
489:17 April
380:IEEE-488
364:, and a
359:kilobyte
310:$ 10,000
270:Dynabook
246:GridCase
242:AC power
204:GridCase
62:in 1985.
942:GRiD-OS
921:GRiDPad
756:, Total
723:Clare,
700:YouTube
584:CNN.com
323:British
316:Compass
252:History
171:Display
155:Storage
103:1982-04
101: (
60:mission
551:Dave.
424:VC-137
357:, 340-
335:Design
300:Models
144:Memory
935:Other
372:modem
368:bit/s
188:modem
781:2012
491:2021
394:AC,
350:, a
294:CP/M
264:and
213:The
193:GPIB
158:384
147:256
86:Type
451:.
133:CPU
959::
752:,
675:.
651:.
632:.
628:.
609:.
605:.
582:.
567:^
543:^
524:^
402:.
398:,
331:.
191:,
160:KB
149:KB
839:e
832:t
825:v
783:.
709:.
686:.
661:.
634:8
611:9
561:.
518:.
493:.
458:)
454:(
386:(
308:–
206:2
105:)
34:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
