Mod. 5140 - IBM's First Laptop Computer

(richardsapperdesign.com)

16 points | by jumpocelot 3 hours ago ago

4 comments

  • c-smile 10 minutes ago ago

    I used to have NEC MobilePro 900 like here: https://live.staticflickr.com/213/481422006_92cdaeb6ee_b.jpg

    I miss that form factor really.

    And BTW, I regret that WindowsCE is not the thing anymore. IMO it has the best development infrastructure out there backed with MSVC IDE.

    I classify OSes into two major groups: "writer OS" (all desktop OSes primarily) and "reader OS" (all mobiles). But there is a void in between for palmtop form factor devices.

    Sigh, probably its only me who needs this ...

  • michaelsmanley an hour ago ago

    When I was a co-op student employee at IBM in the late 80s, I was given a desk in what was otherwise a storage room piled with stuff that had been used and then set aside. One box contained a 5140 convertible laptop with one of each peripheral "slice" -- printer, modem, expansion ports -- and the full set of technical manuals.

    I was allowed to take that beast home with me. I learned so much tinkering with that machine. Eventually, I sold the whole set at a ham fest and I have regretted it often.

    Nice to see an appreciation of it, though I would never have looked at it as alligator-like.

  • sroerick 11 minutes ago ago

    Aesthetically this beats about 75% of the current laptop market.

    Would love to see some genuine creativity / cyberdeck type builds from laptop makers

  • johnDD 38 minutes ago ago

    I wonder if John Titor could have used this?