Personal Computer System - Apple PowerBook PB100, 1991

Summary

Apple PowerBook, comprising laptop, external floppy disk drive, battery, high speed data cable (SCSI adapter), original packaging and accessory kit.

The PowerBook 100 is Apple's first lightweight laptop computer, released in October 1991 and discontinued in August 1992.

This is a battery operated portable or 'lap top' computer, supplied in its original packaging (cardboard box). The box also includes a high speed data cable (SCSI adapter), an external floppy disk drive and a spare battery.

Apple's innovative design placed the keyboard close to the screen and placed a trackball (an upside down mouse) close to the user.

Introduced at a time when laptops had no mouse and the keyboard was positioned as far from the screen as possible, this revolution in laptop design was at first ridiculed for placing the keyboard close to the screen and an upside down mouse close to the user. However the configuration proved both stable and comfortable to use on the lap, and is now (2007) accepted as the industry standard.

The donor of this particular PowerBook took the computer with him on about ten journeys around the world and it never failed to perform.

Despite it being smaller in size than standard desktop machines, the PowerBook 100 was much faster and had a larger memory. It incorporated a hard disk, squeezed into a box so tiny and light there was no room for a floppy disk drive.

Part of a representative collection of hardware, software, trade literature and promotional material that documents the history of the Apple company, and its contribution to, and impact on the computer industry and society.