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Hardware

Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

By Mark W. Kaelin November 22, 2019, 12:05 PM PST

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100_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
100_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Two dinosaurs on the prowl

Two dinosaurs on the prowl

While we have spent a good bit of time discussing the pros and cons of the Apple MacBook Air, there are other portable computers we could be talking about, namely, the Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 Model 4P.

When it comes to dinosaur computers in the luggable category the first name that should always be mentioned is the Osborne 1. We can talk about innovation with the Air, but we should first consider a PC that was truly revolutionary back in 1981. The Osborne 1 was the first completely self-contained portable computer.

Coming along a few years later was the Radio Shack TRS80 Model 4P, which refined the concepts laid out by the Osborne 1 and made lugging a computer from here to there a common every day reality for many.

There is now a Cracking Open Photo Gallery of the Osborne 1.

101_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
101_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Weight is relative

Weight is relative

The Osborne 1 is generally recognized as the world’s first self-contained portable computer. But it is only portable in the sense that it can be moved — the concepts of laptops and notebooks was still years away in 1981. You can get the full back story for the Osborne 1 at oldcomputers.net.

102_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
102_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Not everything lasts

Not everything lasts

The handle on the Osborne was made out of leather or leather-like material and has long since disintegrated. The case is pure plastic and apparently nearly indestructible.

103_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
103_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Top to bottom

Top to bottom

The top of the Osborne 1 doubles as the bottom depending on whether you are carrying it or about to open it up.

105_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
105_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Familiar ports

Familiar ports

The Osborne 1 was equipped with the standard serial ports of the day.

106_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
106_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

A battery -- that's innovation

A battery -- that's innovation

Before the Osborne 1, the idea of non-military personnel being able to use a computer while not connected to an electrical outlet was not practical. The Osborne 1 included a battery pack that could power the PC out in the field. I can imagine this was a major innovative breakthrough and was definitely a foreshadowing of the future of portable/mobile computing.

107_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
107_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Big floppy

Big floppy

The Osborne 1 contained two full-size 5 1/4 floppy disk drives. Just think one floppy for applications and a second floppy for data — now that’s portability.

108_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
108_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

No movies here

No movies here

The video screen is only 5 inches diagonal. Just enough room to see 52 characters on each line.

109_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
109_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

It's alive

It's alive

Our Osborne 1 is alive and operating flawlessly. Now that is some engineering for you.

110_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
110_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Dir = directory

Dir = directory

Here is a list of the files found on our floppy disk.

111_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
111_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Wordstar

Wordstar

For some of you the word processor Wordstar will bring back many memories. Whether they are good or bad memories I will not venture to guess.

112_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
112_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

TRS-80 Model 4P

TRS-80 Model 4P

While we have made a Dinosaur Sighting for the Radio Shack TRS-80 Color Computer 2 and subsequently published a Cracking Open gallery, this is our first look at the TRS80 Model 4P — the P stands for portable of course.

In many ways, the Model 4P is a revision and update of the Osborne 1. When this luggable computer hit the market in 1983, the Osborne computer company was trying to cope with stiff competition that ultimately resulted in bankruptcy. Radio Shack, Compaq, and a few other companies were making bids to corner the fledgling portable PC market and the Osborne had trouble keeping up.

113_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
113_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Look and feel

Look and feel

The TRS80 Model 4P looks very similar to the Osborne 1.

114_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
114_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Up is down

Up is down

And like the Osborne 1, the Model 4P has a lid protecting the keyboard, screen, and floppy disk drives that doubles as a bottom when the portable computer is being lugged around.

115_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
115_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Latches

Latches

Release the latches to reveal the PC beneath.

117_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
117_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Room to spare

Room to spare

The TRS80 Model 4P saves a significant amount of room by using half-sized 5 1/4 floppy drive bays.

118_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
118_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Power me up

Power me up

The power and reset switch are on the front panel.

119_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
119_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

I can see

I can see

The screen on the Model 4P is considerably larger than the small screen on the Osborne 1.

120_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
120_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Top to back

Top to back

This panel door is on top when traveling and on the back when in use.

121_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
121_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Identification please

Identification please

The panel door contains several pieces of vital information about our TRS80 Model 4P.

124_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
124_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

You break it...

You break it...

The service contract ran out over 20 years ago, I’d better be careful when I do the Cracking Open.

126_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
126_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Need to print that?

Need to print that?

The parallel printer port was a standard component of PCs in this time period.

127_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
127_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Plug it in

Plug it in

The built-in modem was connected to the phone lines back here.

128_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
128_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Fire it up!

Fire it up!

The TRS80 Model 4P booted up like a champ. The Model 4P could run a version of DOS or CP/M.

129_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
129_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Yeah that's old

Yeah that's old

One fascinating thing to note about our Model 4P — it will not accept dates past 1999. The infamous 2K bug in action. I just used a 1985 date.

130_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
130_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

Directory II

Directory II

Here are the lists of what applications and programs are stored on our two floppy disks.

131_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
131_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

How it used to be

How it used to be

Here we go – one application disk and one data disk.

132_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
132_Osborne1_TRS80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

High times

High times

The Osborne 1 and the TRS80 Model 4P are very similar, but the TRS80 is clearly superior. The Model 4P is constructed out of more sturdy material and has more of a finished feel.

The Osborne, while innovative for its time, feels more like a conceptual prototype. And in retrospect, it did turn out to be a blueprint for the luggable personal computers that followed.

150_osborne1_trs80.jpg
150_osborne1_trs80.jpg
Dinosaur sightings: The Osborne 1 and the TRS-80 huggable luggables

A few generations

A few generations

The difference between what constitutes a portable computer today and what was considered portable some 25 years ago is drastic.

The Apple MacBook Air is over 10 times lighter than either the TRS80 or the Osborne 1 and is easily 1000 of times more powerful.

The real question is where we go from here.

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By Mark W. Kaelin
Mark W. Kaelin has been writing and editing stories about the information technology industry, gadgets, finance, accounting, and tech-life for more than 25 years. Most recently, he has been a regular contributor to BreakingModern.com, aNewDomain.net,
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