Definition: Data General-One

The first DOS-based, battery-backed laptop with a thin LCD screen. Introduced by Data General in 1984, it was fully IBM compatible and, weighing only nine pounds, was considerably easier to carry than a 30-pound Compaq, which was a very popular portable of the day.

Although reasonably priced for a premium product ($2895), the DG-1 never caught on because the monochrome LCD panel was not easy to view. In addition, it used 3.5" diskettes, which was ahead of its time. See Data General, Compaq and LCD.

The DG-1

Although the monochrome LCD screen was large for its time, it was difficult to view unless the room lighting was just right. (Image courtesy of Austin Calhoon, http://austincalhoon.com and Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike program 3.0.)