Laptop thumbnail 1
Laptop thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Japan, Room 45, The Toshiba Gallery

Laptop


Information supplied by Toshiba of Europe Limited in June 2018 as follows:

The T1100 was a laptop manufactured by Toshiba in 1985 (development started in April 1984), and has subsequently been described as "the world's first mass-market laptop computer".

In the early 1980s Toshiba was struggling to stay in the PC market, and decided the only way to stay competitive was to create an innovative computer that was mobile (light enough to be carried in a backpack) , power efficient (the battery could last up to 8 hours) and for the first time, a portable computer that was fully compatible with standard computers.

This laptop also introduced the now-standard "resume" feature to DOS-based machines: the computer could be paused between sessions without having to be restarted each time.

Epson’s HX-20 portable (1982) preceded it as the world’s first portable computer but the T1100 was the first in the now common clamshell shape and importantly was compatible with standard machines.

The T1100 laptop PC has received certification as a major innovation under the IEEE Milestone Program. The T1100 was recognized for its invaluable contribution to the development of laptop PCs.

See reference to orignal brochure in references.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Moulded plastic
Brief description
Toshiba, Toshiba T1100 Laptop, 1985
Physical description
'Clamshell' style laptop computer in moulded cream plastic, the keyboard and screen accessed by opening the laptop using buttons at the side. The screen has the text 'February 1985' printed on it.
Dimensions
  • Width: 31cm
Gallery label
Laptop computer, ‘T1100’ Designed 1984; manufactured 1985 The T1100 has been described as the ‘the world’s first mass-market laptop computer’. Weighing 4.1 kg and with a battery life of up to eight hours, it was designed to compete in the burgeoning PC market of the mid-1980s. It was the first portable computer to have the clam-shell design typical of laptops produced up to the present day. Designed and manufactured by Toshiba Plastic; electronic components Given by Toshiba of Europe Limited Museum no. FE.211-2018(10/2018)
Credit line
The Gift of Toshiba of Europe Limited
Summary
Information supplied by Toshiba of Europe Limited in June 2018 as follows:

The T1100 was a laptop manufactured by Toshiba in 1985 (development started in April 1984), and has subsequently been described as "the world's first mass-market laptop computer".

In the early 1980s Toshiba was struggling to stay in the PC market, and decided the only way to stay competitive was to create an innovative computer that was mobile (light enough to be carried in a backpack) , power efficient (the battery could last up to 8 hours) and for the first time, a portable computer that was fully compatible with standard computers.

This laptop also introduced the now-standard "resume" feature to DOS-based machines: the computer could be paused between sessions without having to be restarted each time.

Epson’s HX-20 portable (1982) preceded it as the world’s first portable computer but the T1100 was the first in the now common clamshell shape and importantly was compatible with standard machines.

The T1100 laptop PC has received certification as a major innovation under the IEEE Milestone Program. The T1100 was recognized for its invaluable contribution to the development of laptop PCs.

See reference to orignal brochure in references.
Bibliographic reference
Collection
Accession number
FE.211-2018

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Record createdMay 30, 2018
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