Interesting features of old laptops, part 1

    Sometimes, looking at modern laptops, I want to say that laptops today are not the same. But this will probably be wrong, it's just evolution.

    The number of exhibits in the museum is approaching 50, and so I decided to tell you about the different fruits of engineering. Rare laptops have a lot of interesting, and sometimes very useful features.
    features of old laptops

    I'll start, perhaps, with one of the most interesting design features: a laptop-butterfly!
    (caution! many photos)

    1995 IBM Thinkpad 701c. It is called a butterfly because of the folding keyboard - butterfly.
    image

    When opened, a mechanism is triggered that spreads the keyboard, the size of which is not inferior to the keyboards from "large computers".
    image

    When you close the lid of the laptop keyboard folds up and does not go beyond the boundaries of the case.

    The mechanism is driven by a design on the left hinge of the lid:
    image

    Even James Bond used it!
    official commercial

    If modern small netbooks had a similar opportunity - they would not have a price.

    Legs


    Now many different laptop stands are sold, which provide a convenient printing position for the laptop, namely its keyboard. Previously, legs were built into many laptops. You can always lift your laptop if you wish .

    For example, the Apple Powerbook 3400c contained such legs. It was only necessary to press the button on each side and they fired:
    imageimage
    This button is almost invisible (oblong)

    In the raised state, the laptop looks something like this:
    image

    The Canon Innova book 200LS laptop (yes, there were laptops of this brand) has legs of a slightly different design
    image

    They are similar on the design on the legs on conventional keyboards:
    imageimage

    There were also swivel designs, for example the Dell Latitude XPi:
    imageimage

    The Apple powerbook 170, by the way, is also of a rotary design, but I did not photograph them, because it is under repair (disassembled).
    The legs of the Compaq Armada 7360DT (7350, etc.) fit beautifully into the design. You may not even notice them at first.
    imageimage

    Shooting legs can be found at Toshiba. For example, Toshiba Satellite T1950.

    image

    But to bring them into working position you need to turn the laptop over - not so convenient.
    pulled the engine - the leg jumped out:
    imageimage

    Of the strange: the legs of the Digital laptop were metal, and they had to be twisted. But it turns out quite a rigid, reliable design.


    image
    Not only do you need to turn the laptop over, you also have to turn the uncomfortable lamb, stretch the leg and turn the lamb back to fix it. Inconvenient, but functional.
    imageimage

    Well, the last leg that I will tell you about - the legs of the IBM ThinkPad 770 - a thick productive (at that time) monster:


    image

    Foldable ears in the corners
    imageimage


    Pens


    Feet kicked, but which laptop without a carry handle?

    Everyone remembers the old Soviet tape recorders with a pull-out handle? here is almost the same on the Toshiba T3200 laptop. You ask why does he need a pen? - Yes, it weighs 8.5 kg!
    image

    The handle is reliable, sturdy.
    imageimage


    A little distracted from the topic of carrying handles, I also want to talk about this dinosaur (Toshiba T3200):
    it is 1987, it weighs 8.5 kg, as I said, it does not have a battery, it has a processor of 12 MHz.

    He has a built-in power supply. If the manufacturer put a battery there, I think the weight of the
    image

    laptop would have exceeded 10 kg. Another of its interesting features: you can insert two ISA boards from large computers into the laptop, for example, a network card or a sound card, for this there is a corresponding compartment with connectors at the back, and on the side are the outputs:
    image


    image
    In a word - a monster.
    Another carrier for this pen is the Sharp PC – 4501. Also 87th year.
    image

    The laptop is simpler, lighter (although the battery is provided), and the handle is simpler - folding.
    image


    image

    And he already has two floppy drives - zhyyyr


    image

    Holders are not only big monsters. For example, the Panasonic Toughbook CF-25 superprotected
    image

    It is all metal, shockproof, waterproof - like a military. You can talk a lot about him.
    The handle can be removed by unscrewing 2 bolts.
    image

    Batteries


    Now the possibility of installing other devices (a second battery, a floppy) in the sidirom compartment is almost irrelevant, but before that it was in the order of things. Few manufacturers make ultrabay compartments, and then only in some, expensive line of laptops.
    For example, in the Apple Powerbook G3, a second battery could be put in the cider side, the most important thing is that it is exactly the same. Those. it was not necessary to produce a second battery in a different case design.
    image

    Although a cider and a wider battery, a special shutter was provided and the compartment took the required dimensions
    image


    . Many other laptops produced a second battery, similar in shape to a sidyuk.
    Batteries were generally more interesting before :). For many models, an indication of the state of charge was organized. Most often, these are several LEDs and a button.
    For example, a battery from Dell Latitude XPi
    image

    or from Compaq Armada 7350MT

    image

    And the IBM Thinkpad 775 had a switch on the battery, i.e. the battery could be disconnected without removing it.
    image

    What is most interesting is that some batteries managed to survive to this day. For example, the battery on the Apple Powerbook 3400 97goda still supports the laptop for a couple of hours.
    I almost forgot about the battery of the Digital laptop, the charge level of it could be seen right on the spot, without taking it out.
    image

    Keyboard


    Speaking about the magic keyboard above, IBM forgot to mention the no less magic keyboard of the Compaq Armada 7360DT.

    The keys are high, have a large stroke. The manufacturer made a mechanism that allows the keys not to rest on the screen when closing the lid.
    image

    There are levers near the hinges of the screen.
    image

    When the lid is closed, the protruding parts of the screen press on these levers and the keys seem to fall through.
    A couple of photos showing the process:
    image


    image

    Cursor control


    If you can’t make up and do a lot with keyboards, except perhaps a large enter (for example, on an AST Ascentia laptop), then there were a lot of ideas with the cursor keys.

    photo of the enter laptop key AST:
    image

    The same AST has a trackpoint instead of the touchpad, and the keys are placed on the very edge of the laptop to save space.
    image

    AST itself as a whole is nothing special, but it’s good in small things.
    image

    Here is the trackpoint Ibm thinkpad 775c
    buttons are even smaller and located on the very corner.
    image

    Well, if the trackpoint is familiar to almost everyone, it is now put on laptops (a convenient thing, you just need to get used to it), then not everyone saw the trackball, but meanwhile it was often used before in laptops.

    For example, the trackball of a Dell Latitude XPi laptop is located in the usual place, instead of the touchpad:
    image

    But you can’t always see the trackball in its usual place. The Hyundai neuron 400 laptop is located above the keyboard in the right corner.
    image

    Yes, and the buttons are not so familiar
    image


    with him. I have one NoName laptop (noname, because on it I have not yet found a single mention of the manufacturer either outside or inside), whose trackball is also above the keyboard, but the buttons are located otherwise.
    image

    By the way, if someone suddenly admits what kind of laptop and says - I will be very grateful (suddenly someone was like that). Here is his photo:

    image

    Toshiba, one of the oldest laptop manufacturers, invented snap-on trackballs.
    The Toshiba Satellite T1950 and T1960 laptops from my collection have just those trackballs.
    On the right side, the laptop has a special connector, covered with a curtain, in which you can connect a trackball.
    image

    After fastening it, you can adjust its tilt and conveniently operate the
    image


    buttons on it 3. Two on the sides are duplicated, and one on top next to the ball.
    This toshiba also has the usual connectors for the keyboard and mouse - next to it, under the cover.
    image

    An interesting engineering idea is that by sliding the curtain to connect the trackball, you automatically block access to these connectors. Either a mouse with a keyboard, or a trackball.
    image

    I have two twin laptops. One is ICL ergolite n3 / 25x (Fujitsu will later buy the company), the second is Acer AcerNote 530 (who bought to see a production license, or the right to label their nameplate).
    image
    On their example, you can show various configurations of the same laptops. One has a trackball with large long buttons, the second has absolutely nothing.

    imageimage

    Having unfastened the keyboard, you can take out the trackball and put it in the second laptop.
    image

    In Acer, there’s just a plastic plug.
    image


    I have not seen such laptops with a touchpad, but there may well be a touchpad in this compartment.
    Continued in the second part.

    Also popular now: