View source for Compaq Portable series

{{Short description|Laptop manufacturer}}
[[Image:CompaqLogoOnCompaqPortable.jpg|200px|thumbnail|The Compaq logo as used on the first Compaq portables]]
[[File:Compaq Portable II with handle.jpg|thumb|Compaq Portable II]]
The '''Compaq Portable series''' was a series of [[portable computer]]s that comprised [[Compaq|Compaq Computer Corporation]]'s first products. Initial entries in the series sported the "[[Luggable computer|luggable]]" form factor; late entries were smaller and were termed "lunchbox computers". These computers measured approximately {{convert|16|in}} deep, {{convert|8|in}} tall, and approximately {{convert|20|in}} wide.  As the products evolved, laptops and notebooks were created offering a new level of portability that caused the market to explode.

Some of the portables, such as the original [[Compaq Portable|Portable]] and the [[Compaq Portable II|Portable II]], had [[CRT monitor]]s, while later the [[Compaq Portable III|Portable III]] and the [[Compaq Portable 386|Portable 386]]) had flat, monochrome, usually [[amber (color)|amber]], [[plasma display]]s. The portables came/could come with internal [[hard disk|hard disk drives]] on 0.5" shock mount springs; [[floppy disk drive|diskette drives]], usually [[floppy disk drive#The 5.BC-inch minifloppy|5-{{fraction|1|4}}"]] double- or quadruple-density drives; [[battery (electricity)|batteries]]; and/or a dual-[[Industry Standard Architecture|ISA]] expansion chassis, about one full-drive-height wide. Note this was before the term "ISA" became a standard. The [[Compaq Portable 486]] included mono and color LCD screens and were battery powered.

==Machines of the series==
* [[Compaq Portable]] &ndash; Compaq's first computer; first 100% [[IBM PC compatible]]
** [[Compaq Portable Plus]] &ndash; Compaq's version with built-in [[hard drive]]
** [[Compaq Portable 286]] &ndash; Compaq's version of the [[PC AT]] in the original Compaq Portable chassis;<ref>{{Cite magazine|title=Compaq Line Gains Addition |last=Lombardi |first=John |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qy8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22compaq%20portable%20286%22&pg=PA58|pages=58–59 |magazine=InfoWorld |date=1986-04-21 |publisher=InfoWorld Media Group, Inc.|language=en}}</ref> equipped with 6/8-MHz 286 and a high-speed 20-MB [[hard drive]]
* [[Compaq Portable II|Compaq Portable II &ndash;]] smaller and lighter version of Compaq Portable 286; it was less expensive but with limited upgradability and a slower [[hard drive]]
* [[Compaq Portable III]]
** [[Compaq Portable 386]]
* [[Compaq Portable 486]] and Compaq Portable 486c

The '''Compaq Portable''' is an early [[portable computer]] which was one of the first 100% [[IBM PC compatible]] systems. It was [[Compaq Computer Corporation]]'s first product, to be followed by others in the Compaq Portable series and later [[Compaq Deskpro]] series.

== Initial Production and Competition==
The Compaq Portable was announced in November 1982 and first shipped in March 1983,<ref name=oldcomputers>{{cite web|title=Compaq I Portable computer|url=http://www.oldcomputers.net/compaqi.html|website=www.oldcomputers.net|accessdate=25 July 2016}}</ref> priced at {{US$|2995|1983|round=-2}} with a single half-height [[5¼"]] {{val|360|u=kB}} diskette drive or {{US$|long=no|3590}} for dual, full-height diskette drives. The {{convert|28|lb|abbr=on|adj=on}} Compaq Portable folded up into a [[luggable]] case the size of a portable [[sewing machine]]. Compaq sold 53,000 units in the first year with a total of {{US$|long=no|111 million}} in revenue, an American Business record. In the second year revenue hit {{US$|long=no|329 million}} setting an industry record. Third year revenue was at {{US$|long=no|503.9 million}}, another US business record.<ref name=oldcomputers/>

The computer was an early [[all-in-one computer|all-in-one]], becoming available two years after the [[CP/M]]-based [[Osborne 1]], one year after the [[Kaypro II]], in the same year as the [[8088]] and [[MS-DOS]]-based (but not entirely IBM PC compatible) Dynalogic [[Hyperion (computer)|Hyperion]], and a year before the [[Commodore SX-64]]. Its design was influenced by that of the [[Xerox NoteTaker]], a prototype computer developed at [[Xerox PARC]] in 1976. Other portable "work-alikes", that were not [[PC compatible]] clones include the [[Seequa Chameleon]], and [[Corona Data Systems]]' Model PPC-400, and [[Eagle Computer]]'s Eagle Spirit Portable. They were all short-lived competitors.

IBM responded to the Compaq Portable with the [[IBM Portable Personal Computer|IBM Portable PC]], developed because its sales force needed a comparable computer to sell against Compaq.<ref name="Rosenberg">{{Cite news |title=Doubts Raised About PCjr |last=Rosenberg |first=Ronald |date=1984-02-28 |work=The Boston Globe}}</ref>

== Design ==
The Compaq Portable has basically the same off-the-shelf hardware as an [[IBM PC]], transplanted into a luggable case (specifically designed to fit as carry-on luggage on an airplane), with Compaq's [[BIOS]] instead of IBM's.<ref name=oldcomputers/> All Portables shipped with 128k of RAM and 1-2 double-sided double-density 360 KB disk drives.

The machine uses a unique hybrid of the [[IBM MDA]] and [[IBM CGA|CGA]] which supports the latter's graphics modes but contains both cards' text fonts in ROM.{{r|dahmke198301}} In text modes, the 9x14 font is used on the internal monochrome monitor, and the 8x8 font is used on an external monitor. (The user switches between internal and external monitors by pressing {{key press|Ctrl|Alt|>}}.) The user can use both IBM video standards, for graphics capabilities and high-resolution text. The same graphics hardware is also used in the original [[Compaq Deskpro]] desktop computer.

The internal CRT monitor has a low refresh rate and exhibits heavy ghosting; this was not a Compaq choice but a consequence of replicating the IBM MDA design, which uses a 50 Hz refresh rate and a long-persistence P39 green phosphor CRT (in the [[IBM 5151]] video display). IBM chose this design to provide high vertical resolution&mdash;for sharp text&mdash;with low flicker for low eye strain over long (all-workday) periods of use.

Compaq used a “foam and foil” keyboard from Keytronics, with contact mylar pads that were also featured in the Tandy TRS-80, Apple Lisa 1 and 2, Compaq Deskpro 286 AT, some mainframe terminals, SUN Type 4, and some Wang keyboards. The foam pads the keyboards used to make contact with the circuit board when pressed disintegrate over time, due to both the wear of normal use and aging degradation.

== Software ==
Compaq's efforts were possible because IBM had used mostly [[Commercial off-the-shelf|off-the-shelf]] parts for the PC and published full technical documentation for it, and because [[Microsoft]] had kept the right to license [[MS-DOS]] to other computer manufacturers. The main difficulty was the BIOS, because it contained IBM's copyrighted code. Compaq solved this problem by producing a [[clean room design|clean room]] workalike that performed all documented functions of the IBM PC BIOS, but was completely written from scratch.

Although numerous other companies soon also began selling PC compatibles, few matched Compaq's achievement of essentially-complete software compatibility with the IBM PC (typically reaching "[[PC compatible#Compatibility issues|95% compatibility]]" at best).Then [[Phoenix Technologies]] and others began selling similarly reverse-engineered [[BIOS]]s on the open market.<ref name="alsop19940131">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AzsEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22flight+simulator%22&pg=PT1 | title=A public Windows pane to make compatibility clearer | accessdate=February 28, 2011 | author=Alsop, Stewart | date=1994-01-31 | publisher=InfoWorld | pages=102}}</ref>

The first Portables used MS-DOS essentially identical to PC DOS 1.10 except for having a standalone BASIC that did not require the IBM PC's ROM Cassette BASIC, but this was superseded in a few months by MS-DOS 2.00 which added hard disk support and other advanced features. The initial Portables are similar to the 16K-64K models of the IBM PC in that the BIOS was limited to 544K of RAM and did not support expansion ROMs, thus making them unable to use EGA/VGA cards, hard disks, or similar hardware. After DOS 2.x and the [[IBM XT]] came out, Compaq upgraded the BIOS. Although the Portable was not offered with a factory hard disk, users commonly installed them. Starting in 1984, Compaq began offering a hard-disk equipped version in the Portable Plus. The original hard disks offered would be 10 or 21 megabytes, although bad sectors often reduced the space available for use.

== Reception ==
''[[Byte (magazine)|BYTE]]'' wrote, after testing a prototype, that the Compaq Portable "looks like a sure winner" because of its portability, cost, and high degree of compatibility with the IBM PC. Its reviewer tested [[IBM PC DOS]], [[CP/M-86]], [[WordStar]], [[SuperCalc]], and several other software packages, and found that all worked except one game.<ref name="dahmke198301">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/stream/byte-magazine-1983-01-rescan/1983_01_BYTE_08-01_Looking_Ahead#page/n31/mode/2up | title=The Compaq Portable | work=BYTE | date=January 1983 | accessdate=27 July 2013 | author=Dahmke, Mark | pages=30–36}}</ref> ''[[PC Magazine]]'' also rated the Compaq Portable very highly for compatibility, reporting that all tested applications ran. It praised the "rugged" hardware design and sharp display, and concluded that it was "certainly worth consideration by anyone seeking to run IBM PC software without an IBM PC".<ref name="sandler198606">{{cite news | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=14Kfbrc6cbAC&pg=PA186 | title=Compaq: Have Computer Will Travel | work=PC Magazine | date=June 1983 | accessdate=21 October 2013 | author=Sandler, Corey | pages=186}}</ref>

== Later Models ==
The Compaq Portable Plus simply had a [[hard drive]] to replace one floppy disk drive, and logos and badges with gold backgrounds instead of silver. Independent computer stores were previously doing this upon request of users, and Compaq saw this as a lost revenue opportunity. In 1985, Compaq introduced the Portable 286, although it was replaced by the more compact Portable II in a redesigned case within a few months. The Portable 286 featured a full height hard disk, and the options of one half-height floppy drive, two half-height floppy drives, or a half-height floppy drive and a tape backup drive The Compaq Portable 286, Compaq's version of the [[PC AT]] was offered in the original Compaq Portable chassis; equipped with {{val|6|/|8|u=MHz}} 286 and a high-speed {{val|20|u=MB}} [[hard drive]]
The [[Compaq Portable II|Compaq Portable II &ndash;]] was smaller and lighter version of Compaq Portable 286; it was less expensive but with limited upgradability and a slower [[hard drive]].

The [[Compaq Portable III]] was another AT-compatible computer released in 1987.<ref name=oc/>  It was advertised as being much smaller and lighter than the previous portable [[x86]]-PCs, however it was still quite large by today's standards.  Three models were announced at release. The Model 1 had a [[list price]] of {{USD|3999}} and was equipped with a {{val|12|u=MHz}} [[Intel 80286]], {{val|640|u=KB}} [[Random-access memory|RAM]], {{val|1.2|u=MB}} {{val|5.25|u="}} [[floppy drive|floppy]], and a {{val|10|u="}} [[Amber (color)|amber]] colored [[plasma display|gas-plasma display]].<ref name="byte">{{cite news | url=https://archive.org/details/byte-magazine-1987-05/page/n235/mode/2up?view=theater | title=Compaq's New Carrryon | work=Byte Magazine | date=May 1987 | accessdate=November 28, 2018 | author=Unger, John | pages=221–225 }}</ref> Other options included the Model 20 at {{USD|4999}} which added a {{val|20|u=MB}} [[Hard disk drive|hard disk]],<ref name=n2/>  or {{USD|5799}} for the Model 40 with the upgraded {{val|40|u=MB}} hard disk.<ref name=oc/>  There was also an optional [[Industry Standard Architecture|ISA]] Expansion chassis allowed for 2 full length 16-bit [[Industry Standard Architecture|ISA]] add-in cards<ref name=oc/> for {{USD|199}}.<ref name=n2>[http://net2000plus.tripod.com/compaqiii.htm net2000plus.tripod.com - Compaq Portable III computer]</ref>  Power is supplied using a [[mains electricity]] outlet, no battery exists.<ref name=oc>[http://oldcomputers.net/compaqiii.html oldcomputers.net - Compaq III Portable computer]</ref>

The [[Compaq Portable III]], [[Compaq Portable 386]], [[Compaq Portable 486]] and Compaq Portable 486c were later in the series.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Compaq Portable}}
* [http://oldcomputers.net/compaqi.html Old Computers - Compaq Portable]
* [http://www.cedmagic.com/history/compaq-portable.html CED in the History of Media Technology - Compaq Portable]
* [http://www.obsoletecomputermuseum.org/compaq/ Obsolete Computer Museum - Compaq Portable description]

==See also==
* [[Compaq SLT]] laptop series
* [[Compaq LTE]] notebook series - initially co-developed with Citizen Watch Company 
* [[Compaq Contura]] value notebook series
* [[Compaq Contura Aero]] subnotebook series
* [[Compaq Aero]] handheld series
* [[Compaq Concerto]] pen table convertible

{{Compaq}}

[[Category:Compaq Portable| ]]
[[Category:IBM PC compatibles]]
[[Category:Portable computers]]