IBM Portable Personal Computer

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IBM Portable PC 5155 model 68
An IBM Portable PC with two 5.25-inch floppy diskette drives installed
DeveloperIBM
TypePortable computer
Release dateFebruary 1984; 41 years ago (1984-02)
Introductory priceUS$4,225 (equivalent to $12,390 in 2023)
DiscontinuedApril 1986 (1986-04)[1]
Operating systemIBM PC DOS Version 2.10 (disk)
CPUIntel 8088 @ 4.77 MHz
Memory256 KB (expandable to 640 KB)
StorageOne or two half-height 5+1⁄4-inch 360 KB floppy disk drives
DisplayCGA card connected to an internal 9-inch monochrome (amber) composite monitor
Mass30 pounds (13.6 kg)
PredecessorIBM Personal Computer
SuccessorIBM PC Convertible

The IBM Portable Personal Computer 5155 model 68 is an early portable computer developed by IBM after the success of the suitcase-size Compaq Portable. It was released in February 1984 and was quickly replaced by the IBM Convertible, only roughly two years after its debut.

Design

The Portable was basically a PC/XT motherboard, transplanted into a Compaq-style luggable case. The system featured 256 kilobytes of memory (expandable to 640 KB), an added CGA card connected to an internal monochrome amber composite monitor, and one or two half-height 5+1⁄4-inch 360 KB floppy disk drives, manufactured by Qume. Unlike the Compaq Portable, which used a dual-mode monitor and special display card, IBM used a stock CGA card and a 9-inch amber monochrome composite monitor, which had lower resolution. It could, however, display color if connected to an external monitor or television. A separate 83-key keyboard and cable was provided, which uses a front panel mounted phone jack styled connector RJ11. The cable from the connector then went to the back of the machine, where the original XT keyboard jack was.

Experts [who?] stated that IBM developed the Portable in part because its sales force needed a computer that would compete against the Compaq Portable.[2] If less sophisticated than the Compaq, the IBM had the advantage of a lower price tag. The motherboard had eight expansion slots. The power supply was rated 114 watts and was suitable for operation on either 115 or 230 VAC.[1] Hard disks were a very common third-party add-on as IBM did not offer them from the factory.[1] Typically in a two-drive context, floppy drive A: ran the operating system, and drive B: would be used for application and data diskettes.

Its selling point as a "portable" was that it combined the monitor into a base unit approximating a medium-sized suitcase that could be simply set on its flat side, the back panel slid away to reveal the power connector, plugged in, the keyboard folded down or detached, and booted up for use, though printers at the time, if needed, still tended to be less "portable". At thirty pounds, it may have been difficult to carry for some, and was often referred to as "luggable".

Timeline

Timeline of the IBM Personal Computer
<timeline>DateFormat=mm/dd/yyyy

Define $start = 01/01/1975 Define $end = 12/31/2005 Period = from:$start till:$end Define $skip = at:end # Force a blank line Define $dayunknown = 15 # what day to use if it's actually not known ImageSize= width:800 height:auto barincrement:21 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal PlotArea = right:20 left:20 bottom:75 top:5 Legend = orientation:vertical position:bottom columns:1

Colors = 

    id:bg         value:white
    id:line       value:rgb(1,0,0)
    id:lightline  value:rgb(0.8,0.8,0.8)
    id:lightline2 value:rgb(0.9,0.9,0.9)
    id:aio        value:rgb(1,0.8,0.8)      legend:All-in-one
    id:desk       value:rgb(0.8,1,0.8)      legend:Desktop
    id:laptop     value:rgb(0.8,1,1)        legend:Laptop
    id:portable   value:rgb(0.8,0.8,1)      legend:Portable
    id:special    value:rgb(1,0.8,1)        legend:Various
    id:current    value:rgb(0.85,0.85,0.85) legend:Ongoing
    id:start      value:green               legend:Original_IBM_PC_released
    id:spinoff    value:orange              legend:IBM_PC_division_made_autonomous_unit
    id:end        value:black               legend:Lenovo_acquires_IBM_PC_division

BackgroundColors = canvas:bg ScaleMajor = gridcolor:lightline unit:year increment:1 start:01/01/1975 ScaleMinor = gridcolor:lightline2 unit:month increment:3 start:01/01/1975

BarData = 

 Barset:ibm

LineData = 

 layer:back color:start
 at:08/12/1981 #IBM PC released
 layer:back color:spinoff
 at:09/03/1992 #IBM PC business spun off
 layer:back color:end
 at:05/05/2005 #Lenovo acquisition finalized

PlotData= 

 width:15 textcolor:black

 barset:ibm
   shift:(5,-5) anchor:from fontsize:s
   color:portable from:09/01/1975 till:03/01/1982 text:"5100"
   color:portable from:01/01/1978 till:03/01/1982 text:"5110"
   color:aio from:01/02/1980 till:03/01/1982 text:"5120"
   color:aio from:01/01/1981 till:01/01/1985 text:"System/23 Datamaster"
   color:desk from:08/12/1981 till:04/02/1987 text:"Personal Computer"
   color:desk from:03/01/1983 till:04/02/1987 text:"5550*"
   color:desk from:03/08/1983 till:06/30/1987 text:"Personal Computer XT"
   color:desk from:10/01/1983 till:07/01/1987 text:"3270 PC"
   color:desk from:10/01/1983 till:04/02/1987 text:"Personal Computer XT/370"
   color:portable from:02/01/1984 till:04/01/1986 text:"Portable Personal Computer"
   color:desk from:03/01/1984 till:03/19/1985 text:"PCjr"
   color:desk from:04/25/1984 till:01/01/1994 text:"Industrial Computer"
   color:desk from:08/14/1984 till:07/31/1987 text:"Personal Computer AT"
   color:desk from:10/01/1984 till:04/02/1987 text:"Personal Computer AT/370"
   color:desk from:10/29/1984 till:09/14/1987 text:"JX*"
   color:laptop from:04/02/1986 till:08/07/1989 text:"PC Convertible"
   color:desk from:09/01/1986 till:10/01/1987 text:"Personal Computer XT 286"
 barset:break
   color:special from:04/01/1987 till:07/01/1995 text:"PS/2"
   color:special from:04/01/1987 till:12/31/2001 text:"PS/55*"
   color:desk from:01/01/1990 till:01/01/1994 text:"PS/1"
   color:laptop from:12/01/1991 till:08/03/1993 text:"PCradio"
   color:special from:01/01/1992 till:01/01/1996 text:"Ambra"
   color:laptop from:03/01/1992 till:03/01/1994 text:"PS/note"
   color:aio from:04/01/1992 till:01/01/1996 text:"EduQuest"
   color:laptop from:10/01/1992 till:05/05/2005 text:"ThinkPad"
   color:desk from:10/01/1992 till:07/01/1995 text:"PS/ValuePoint"
   color:desk from:09/01/1994 till:05/01/2001 text:"Aptiva"
   color:desk from:10/01/1994 till:10/01/2000 text:"PC Series"
   color:laptop from:09/01/1995 till:06/01/1999 text:"Palm Top PC 110*"
   color:special from:04/01/2000 till:01/01/2003 text:"NetVista"
   color:special from:01/01/2003 till:05/05/2005 text:"ThinkCentre"
 barset:break
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   color:current from:05/05/2005 till:12/31/2005
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   $skip
   color:current from:05/05/2005 till:12/31/2005

</timeline>

Asterisk (*) denotes a model released in Japan only

References

  1. ^ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Scott Mueller, Upgrading and Repairing PCs, Second Edition, Que, 1992 ISBN 0-88022-856-3 pp. 76–81
  2. ^ Rosenberg, Ronald (1984-02-28). "Doubts Raised About PCjr". The Boston Globe.
Notes
  • IBM (1984). Personal Computer Hardware Reference Library: Guide to Operations, Portable Personal Computer. IBM Part Numbers 6936571 and 1502332.

External links

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