A technical writer and publisher, Osborne branched into hardware: in 1981, his company Osborne Computer Corp. introduced the first portable personal computer, the Osborne 1. Hardly a laptop, the machine weighed more than 20 pounds.
But besides being portable (later dubbed “luggable”), Osborne also pioneered the concept of “bundling” popular software with the machine, including a word processor, spreadsheet and data base. “I liken myself to Henry Ford and the auto industry,” he said at the time. “I give you 90 percent of what most people need.”
He sold 8,000 machines in 1981 — and 110,000 in 1982; the term “hypergrowth” was coined to describe the company’s rise. But the company crashed and burned in spectacular Silicon Valley fashion when Osborne prematurely announced he would soon introduce an even better model, and sales of the Osborne 1 came to a screeching halt. That led to another term being coined: “The Osborne Effect”.
“His enthusiasm for the next big thing meant Adam couldn’t keep a secret,” said company co-founder Lee Felsenstein. The follow-on Osborne Executive came out far too late to save the company. For the last decade, Osborne suffered from an organic brain dysfunction that caused a series of strokes. He moved to India to live with his sister. He died March 18 in Kodaikanal, India. He was 64.
Author’s Note: My first computer was an Osborne Executive, that “better model” really was a significant improvement.