Facts About Laptop Computers

Misnomer

• The laptop's misleading name comes from the fact that they are small and light enough to rest on a person's lap. A laptop should not sit directly on a person's lap. They should sit on a flat surface such as a desk or a cooling mat. Laptop fans need space to cool the machine. If the fans are blocked, the laptop may overheat and cause damage. Some overheated laptops may even burn you if placed directly on your skin.

History

• The first portable computer that resembled laptops today came out in 1982, the GRID Compass. It was not widely used. The first successful laptop computer was the Japanese Kyocera Kyotronic 85, introduced in 1983. Laptop computers were not IBM compatible until 1986.

  In the 1990s, with such companies as Dell, Apple and Gateway competing to make useful portable computers, laptop technology rapidly advanced. In 1995, Microsoft made the first of their Windows operating systems and streamlined the design of future laptops.