Gallery: Happy 30th Birthday to the Portable PC

  • Osborne 1 Detail
    01

    osborne-1-detail

    *The Osborne 1, the world's first commercial portable computer, debuted on April 3, 1981. Photo: [Marcin Wichary/Flickr.com](http://www.flickr.com/photos/mwichary/2319910132/)*
  • Osborne 1 overhead
    02

    osborne-1-overhead

    *The Osborne 1 had one tiny CRT, two floppy disk drive bays (and two smaller bays for disk storage) and a removable keyboard. Photo: [Marcin Wichary/Flickr.com](http://www.flickr.com/photos/mwichary/2224433407/)*
  • Osborne 1 on a shelf
    03

    osborne-1-on-a-shelf

    *Finding an Osborne 1 in working order today is a rarity, as the computers are nearly 30 years old now. Photo: [Marcin Wichary/Flickr.com](http://www.flickr.com/photos/mwichary/2319866620/)*
  • WordStar keyboard template
    04

    wordstar-keyboard-template

    *The keyboard template here shows the many keyboard commands needed to use WordStar, a popular word processor for the Osborne-1 and other luggable computers of the early 1980s. Photo: [James Harton/Flickr.com](http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesotron/511533177/)*
  • Osborne robot head
    05

    osborne-robot-head

    *A non-operational Osborne 1 finds new "life" as the decorative head for a wheeled robot. Photo: [Zack Weinberg/Flickr.com](http://www.flickr.com/photos/zackw/5565990129/)*
  • Kaypro 1
    Andy Ihnatko
    06

    kaypro-1

    *Similar to the Osborne-1 but more compact, Kaypro enjoyed longer-lasting commercial success than its competitor, releasing many models well into the mid-1980s, including this Kaypro 1. Photo: [Andy Ihnatko/Flickr.com](http://www.flickr.com/photos/andyi/5032041439/)*
  • Kaypro logo
    07

    kaypro-logo

    *Perhaps the reason that Kaypro succeeded where Osborne failed is that the company had a really awesome logo. Photo: [Jason Kuffer/Flickr.com](http://www.flickr.com/photos/digiart2001/2253875795/)*
  • Compaq 486 portable
    08

    compaq-486-portable

    *By the early 1990s, portable computers had graduated to LCD screens instead of CRTs and 3.5-inch floppies instead of 5.25-inch ones, but the pop-off keyboard persisted in a few models, like this Compaq 486/66 portable. Photo: [Brian Jepson/Flickr.com](http://www.flickr.com/photos/bjepson/3608477026/)*
Read More
Meet Dyson’s New Robot Vacuum Army
The Nurovi line includes three lidar-powered robovacs. But to get the model I’m most intrigued by, you’ll need a Costco membership.
Nena Farrell
Here’s What Snap’s Expensive Specs Can Actually Do
Snap thinks its chunky, pricey smart glasses are the future of human computing, powered by a new AI app and features that do everything from translating languages to improving your golf swing.
Boone Ashworth
OpenAI Creates a New Framework to Disclose Bad AI Behavior
The company also disclosed previously unreported incidents in which its AI models behaved in misaligned ways, including uploading files to the internet without being asked.
Maxwell Zeff
Washington Won’t Be Regulating AI Anytime Soon
Even with mounting concerns about AI models going rogue, legislation appears unlikely, and the White House is outright opposed to oversight.
Hugo Lowell
The WIRED Guide to Shopping Prime Big Deal Days
Before Amazon’s October sale begins, learn how to investigate prices and track products like a pro.
Louryn Strampe
The Top New Features Coming to MacOS 27 Golden Gate to Try Out Now
Siri’s reintroduction takes center stage as Apple officially rolls out the latest version of macOS to download and install.
Luke Larsen
I Trained a Fly’s Brain to Generate WIRED Story Ideas
I used an open-source map of a fruit fly’s brain to vibe code a website called PitchFly. Its headline suggestions were delightfully bananas.
Will Knight
The 8 Best Movies to Stream This Month
The Mandalorian and Grogu, The Wild Robot, and Obsession are among the must-watch films arriving this month.
Matt Kamen
Chipotle Is Working With Palantir to Track Food Safety Risks
The burrito chain has enlisted Palantir for a platform that monitors pest incidents, employee illnesses, and other factors. The partnership comes after a nightmare summer for food safety across the US.
Kate Taylor
The iPhone 18 Pro Is for the Shutterbugs
Fun camera features help make these candy bar iPhones stand out from the dazzle of the folding iPhone Duo.
Julian Chokkattu
Don’t Buy an Android Phone Until You Read Our Guide
Shopping for a phone can be an ordeal. That’s why we’ve tested almost every Android phone, from the smartest to the cheapest—even phones that fold—to find the ones worth your money.
Julian Chokkattu
Hackers Got Inside a Flock Camera. Its Data Shows How the System Really Works
A hacker collective pulled down a Flock camera and dumped its data. The files included thousands of videos and logs showing that the device captured 1.6 million images of 50,000 vehicles in 21 days.
Dhruv Mehrotra