Vintage PC hardware gallery

Posted by Rob Beschizza, December 3, 2008 10:07 AM | permalink

Said to be the first laptop computer, The GRiD compass was designed in 1979 by Bill Moggridge. In its day, the 320x200 display, bubble RAM and integrated 1200 bps modem made it the province of only the most spendy outfits: Nasa and the U.S. Military, and not so much you or I.

It's one of several fascinating items at Royal Pingdom's gallery of vintage computer hardware. I would like an ugly netbook just like it, with a miniature but clacky IBM-style keyboard.

Gallery of Historical PC Hardware [Royal Pingdom via Wired: Gadget Lab]

posted in:

Favorite this!

Older Cameraphones, your weapon in the coming price-match wars

Newer A drinking straw made from ... straw!

Discussion

Take a look at this

#1 posted by Tommy

, December 3, 2008 10:51 AM

Obligatory links:

Indispensable:
http://oldcomputers.net/

Long defunct:
http://obsoletecomputermuseum.org/

Take a look at this

#2 posted by Anonymous , December 3, 2008 11:27 AM

I think these were used as the remote controllers for the sentry guns in the Special Edition cut of Aliens.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGE_h4jBBXc

Take a look at this

#3 posted by Anonymous , December 3, 2008 12:40 PM

It looks like they used a vintage camera (pre focus) to take the pictures

Take a look at this

#4 posted by bardfinn , December 3, 2008 2:33 PM

I have a GRiD carrying bag, for a Techie purse. It conveniently holds two Palm III's and foldable keyboards, or nine iPhones.

I used to have two - and bribed someone with one.

Take a look at this

#5 posted by Bryan Price

, December 3, 2008 4:36 PM

I have a working 8086 GRiD laptop. I also have a '386 laptop, but I don't think it's in working condition. I used to work for them.

So well built that they could be abused and keep ticking. One of my cow-orkers dropped one in a stairwell, in front a CEO, with minimal damage (the hinge broke, we always had spares to fix those, and I don't even think the CEO was aware of that), and the CEO thought it was a deliberate show. It wasn't. (Hi Sam!)

I'm forwarding this in any case to Mike for his guffaw.

It was very odd working in a company where the servers where laptops.

Take a look at this

#6 posted by dculberson , December 4, 2008 8:57 AM

Rob, I forgot to say that your netbook concept is gorgeous and I'm expecting you to sell me your second prototype.