| Developer | Xerox PARC |
|---|---|
| Type | Portable computer |
| Released | 1978 (1978) |
| Introductory price | US$ 50,000(today $246800) |
| Units shipped | 10prototypes only[1] |
| Operating system | Smalltalk |
| CPU | Intel 8086 @ 5MHz[2] |
| Memory | 256KBRAM |
| Storage | Floppy disk drive |
| Display | 7 inch (18 cm) built-in touch-sensitivemonochromedisplay monitor[3] |
| Sound | Stereo speakers[3] |
| Input | Folded outkeyboard, Microphone[3] |
| Controller input | Mouse |
| Connectivity | Ethernet board[3] |
| Power | Rechargeable battery[3] |
| Dimensions | 2 1/2 x 21 1/2 x 7 1/2 in[4] |
| Weight | 22 kg (49 lb) |
| Predecessor | Dynabook |
TheXerox NoteTaker is aportable computer developed atXerox PARC inPalo Alto, California, in 1978. Although it did not enter production, and only around tenprototypes were built, it strongly influenced the design of the laterOsborne 1 andCompaq Portable computers.[1]
The NoteTaker was developed by a team that includedAdele Goldberg, Douglas Fairbairn, andLarry Tesler.[5] It drew heavily on earlier research byAlan Kay, who had previously developed theDynabook project. While the Dynabook was a concept for a transportable computer that was impossible to implement with available technology, the NoteTaker was intended to show what could be done.
The computer employed what was then highly advanced technology, including a built-inmonochromedisplay monitor, afloppy disk drive and amouse. It had 256KB ofRAM, then a very large amount, and used a 5MHzIntel 8086CPU.[2] It used a version of theSmalltalkoperating system that was originally written for theXerox Alto computer, which pioneered thegraphical user interface.
The NoteTaker fitted into a case similar in form to that of a portablesewing machine; thekeyboard folded out from the bottom to reveal the monitor and floppy drive. The form factor was later used on the highly successful "luggable" computers, including theOsborne 1 andCompaq Portable. However, these later models were about half as heavy as the NoteTaker, which weighed 22 kg (49 lb).
To no avail, for several months he tried to get bosses to turn the NoteTaker portable computer the team had been working on into a commercial release. When they ignored him, Tesler left.