ChronoFive
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Setting the scene
Portable computers existed as suitcase-sized luggables, but Adam Osborne wanted a machine executives could carry on planes with software bundled in the price.
What happened
The Osborne 1 was released in April 1981, weighing 24 pounds with a 5-inch screen, floppy drives, and bundled programs like WordStar and SuperCalc.
Why it still matters
It coined the term "laptop" in marketing even though users rarely rested it on their knees, and it sold well until competitors undercut it. Memorable detail: the "Osborne effect" later described sales collapsing when the company pre-announced better models too early.
Background
It coined the term laptop in marketing.