Data General/One
| Industry | Computer hardware |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1968 |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Computers, laptops (Data General/One) |
The Data General/One (DG-1) was a laptop introduced by Data General in September 1984. It holds the distinction of being the first battery-operated laptop fully compatible with the IBM PC standard, equipped with a full-sized LCD screen that could display either 80×25 text or CGA graphics at 640×200 resolution. While its market impact was limited, the DG-1 set a precedent for the design of PC-compatible laptops, incorporating features such as an LCD display, a flat keyboard, and a clam-shell chassis. As noted by eWeek in 2010, it served as "the prototype for all that followed," with its overall form factor remaining largely consistent in subsequent decades.
Description
Weighing approximately nine pounds and powered by a battery, the 1984 Data General/One operated on MS-DOS. It included dual 3.5" floppy disk drives, a 79-key full-travel keyboard, between 128 KB and 512 KB of RAM, and a monochrome LCD capable of rendering standard 80×25 character text or full CGA graphics at 640×200 pixels. Its performance and features were comparable to desktop computers available during that period.
History
Among portable computing devices of its era, the Data General/One distinguished itself. Unlike the 1983 Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100, which relied on a limited ROM-based menu system and lacked floppy disk drives, the DG-1 provided a complete operating system alongside dual floppy drives. Although IBM's 1984 Portable PC matched desktop functionality, it was bulkier, heavier, and required external power—contrasting with the DG-1’s battery-powered portability.
Drawbacks
The DG-1 experienced only moderate commercial success. Its reliance on 3.5" floppy disks restricted software compatibility since the industry standard at the time remained 5.25" disks, and various copy-protection methods further complicated software transfers. It achieved some market traction through a significant OEM agreement with Allen-Bradley, who marketed it as the T-45 "programming terminal" from 1987 until 1991, moving several thousand units.
Powered by a CMOS version of the 8086 processor running at 4.0 MHz—a slight reduction compared to the IBM PC’s 4.77 MHz—the DG-1 was incompatible with standard PC/XT expansion cards. Its integrated RS-232 serial ports employed a CMOS UART that did not conform to IBM PC standards, necessitating slower BIOS interrupt calls or specialized software tailored for the DG-1.
Video memory was shared with system RAM; for instance, with 256 KB installed, only about 204 KB was available for user applications. Priced at US$2895—which was deemed "competitive" yet relatively costly—buyers often faced additional expenses for RAM upgrades and external peripherals. The product’s upscale presentation included a designer bag by Pierre Cardin, targeting higher-end consumers.
To appeal to corporate users who needed to connect to minicomputers or mainframes via terminals such as the ADM-3A or Data General’s own Dasher terminals, the DG-1 incorporated an integrated dumb terminal emulator.
Its most significant weakness was the LCD display: although unusually large for its time, it suffered from low contrast and limited viewing angles. InfoWorld described it as "a better mirror than display," while PC Magazine reported frequent visibility challenges in typical office environments.
A subsequent version of the DG-1 offered an enhanced electroluminescent screen; however, this upgrade increased power consumption considerably and was prone to glare under sunlight. Due to these drawbacks, the battery option was eliminated in later models, thereby ending the DG-1’s role as a genuinely portable laptop.
External links
- Russian Vintage Laptop Museum – Data General One, interactive 360-degree model