DYNABOOK-The laptop concept predicted by ALAN KAY in the early 70s & my thoughts on the device

It was around 1972 that American Computer Scientist ALAN KAY revealed to the world his concept for what would become the Modern Day LAPTOP we use today.

This was referred to as the KiddiComp concept, 

This was what he referred to as...

"THE PERSONAL COMPUTER FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES."

It wasn't really a patent for a computer but rather an outline of requirements for a conceptual portable computer that can be used.

All of this was to embody the learning theories of JEROME BRUNER and some of the teachings made by the late SEYMOUR PAPERT who in turn studied under development psychologist JEAN PIAGET who was one of the inventors of the LOGO Programming Language.

The idea was to create an ecosystem of portable computers using things like the aforementioned studies and Programming Languages and a few sprinkles of the SMALLTALK language to make it happen.

This Computer can be used by adults but the primary target was children. 

So in other words: ALAN KAY invented the LAPTOP!!!

Sort of like the one you're probably using to view this particular blogpost,

Or more like the DELL INSPIRON RYZEN 7 LAPTOP that I'm using to create these blogposts since I bought it in JULY 14 2025 to replace my aging MSI GP62M 7RDX Leopard.

So even though what ALAN KAY was trying to present to the world wasn't really a patent, there does exist this AUGUST 31 1972 Concept drawing of the computer.

Let me just say, I'm glad the drawing and the prototype held by ALAN KAY was not a patent because who thinks this can pass off as a Laptop?

Honestly for 1972, ALAN KAY was way too ahead of his time.

The DYNABOOK Concept predated the 1973 XEROX ALTO by a year 

The First Computer to use a GUI.

Another thing is that the term PERSONAL COMPUTER did exist prior to 1977 but back then, computers were split between 

OVERTLY EXPENSIVE

IBM 5100(1975)

PROOF OF CONCEPTS

DATAPOINT 2200(1970)

or MEANT FOR THE HOBBYISTS.

MITS ALTAIR 8800

IMSAI 8080

It wasn't until 1977 that these three computers showed up:

(Left)Commodore PET, (Middle)Apple II, (Right)TRS-80 Model 1

And suddenly, the age of affordable computers was made possible.

However, they were all of the DESKTOP Formfactor which meant even if it was keyboard integrated or all-in-one, they all required power from the wall to operate.

In the 1980s, Portable Computers started to show up but their designs ranged from 

PORTABLE BUT LIMITED

EPSON HX20(1982)

To Powerful but weighed like a SINGER SEWING MACHINE

OSBORNE 1(Original 1981 Revision)

COMPAQ PORTABLE (1983)

The very first computer to take the recognizable form of a laptop didn't appear until the early 1980s.

If you think it was the GRID COMPASS series of laptops?

Yeah Yeah.. That was a good guess.

But that was the recognizable form factor we are using now.

The very first laptop to use the Clamp shell design logic was this:

Say HELLO to the DULMONT MAGNUM!

This Australian-Built COMPUTER was the first to use the CLAMP SHELL for computer designs but it's also the very first to be BATTERY POWERED.

But it struggled to make a dent in both it's native AUSTRALIA & INTERNATIONALLY.

And when Companies like GRID, HP, SHARP, etc

Started to make their own laptops in this same form factor, it was all over for DULMONT.

But in my mind, this was a ballsy, even for DULLMONT as that Narrow LCD Screen on these early computers were a real hinderance.

Look, I know these DOS-Compatible early laptops were meant for BUSINESS and not GAMES but even I would not be caught dead using such a NARROW LCD for even serious business work.

So in practice, YES, ALAN KAY was way ahead of his time because not only did he have to take into account the many times the laptop had to evolve but you also have to remember that 

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY or RAM was extremely expensive in both the 70s and 80s.

And given how early the history of Portable Computers were, The design of the DYNABOOK was way too far ahead.

I've read that the DYNABOOK concept is meant to predict tablets that we use today

So yeah. Way off.

In fact, now to think of it, the Form Factor of the DYNABOOK seems to remind me of that BAPACO LAPTOP I covered on this BLOG back in SPRING 2025.

Except, the DYNABOOK Concept had a more 4:3 aspect ratio 

While the BAPACO above is more of a ULTRAWIDE Display.

While the tech is obviously here today that would make a DYNABOOK,

ALAN KAY even in the 2020s thinks that the concept still doesn't exist because to him, key software and educational curricula are still missing.

.......

Ok I'm gonna have to speak up and bring my own opinion on this matter.

For starters, 

We have many pieces of Software that would benefit the Educational Market.

And many of them are not even software but websites.

And I'm sure that at the time he made his concept, ALAN KAY was at one point targeting UNIX as the operating environment which today is LINUX.

But that's just my thought.

And unfortunately, one thing that ALAN KAY didn't predict is that 2020s Children, particularly the very young ones before they hit puberty are less likely to play on COMPUTERS or even use a Laptop or Desktop until their Middle School years.

And they mostly play their games or browse on their IPADS or SAMSUNG TABLETS than to use a traditional computer.

And what makes me sad is that the EDUCATIONAL GAMES children play on TABLETS are all CHERRY-PICKED or CURRICULA-DRIVEN and not the entertaining CD-ROM MULTIMEDIA edutainment of my early childhood so that puts a damper on things.

So much for a PERSONAL COMPUTER FOR CHILDREN OF ALL AGES concept when you fail to predict that in 50 years time since your unveiling, children are less inclined to use a traditional computer with a keyboard when you just have a large touchscreen.....

 

Despite ALAN KAY's project never becoming a proper reality, the computer's namesake was indeed made a reality.......

By TOSHIBA of all COMPANIES!!!

Behold the TOSHIBA DYNABOOK Subnotebook Laptops.

Now don't expect ALAN KAY who's still alive at the time of this writing to make an judgements or lawsuits as the man himself was very pleased that his Concept's namesake was used.

As a matter of fact, ALAN KAY was personally gifted said Laptop for his own personal use and was also made a guest of honor at TOSHIBA.

TOSHIBA sold their computer manufacturing to SHARP in 2018 and the DYNABOOK name has been used by SHARP since then worldwide.

And THANK BALLS I was able to make a blogpost on ALAN KAY's DYNABOOK concept before DAVID FARQUHAR of THE SILICON UNDERGROUND could beat me to said post.

Otherwise, I'd never live it down.