Owing much to the design of the previous Epson HX-20, and although at first a slow seller in Japan, it was quickly licensed by Tandy Corporation, Olivetti, and NEC, who recognised its potential and marketed it respectively as the TRS-80 Model 100 line (or Tandy 100), Olivetti M-10, and NEC PC-8201.

The year 1983 also saw the launch of what was probably the biggest-selling early laptop, the 8-bit Kyocera Kyotronic 85. Dulmont was eventually taken over by Time Office Computers, who relabeled the brand ' Kookaburra' and marketed 16- and 25-line LCD display versions. The product was marketed internationally from 1984 to 1986. A separate expansion box provided dual 5.25-inch floppy or 10 MB hard disk storage. The Magnum could suspend and retain memory in battery-backed CMOS RAM, including a RAM Disk (D:). It was based on the MS-DOS operating system and applications stored in ROM (A:) and also supported removable modules in expansion slots (B: and C:) that could be custom programmed EPROM or standard word processing and spreadsheet applications. The Dulmont was thus the first computer that could be taken anywhere and offered significant computing potential on the user's laptop (though weighing in at 4.8 kg (11 lb)). This battery-powered device included an 80 character × 8 line display in a lid that closed against the keyboard. The first contender for true laptop computing was the 16-bit Dulmont Magnum, designed by David Irwin and John Blair of Dulmison, Australia, in 1982 and released in Australia in September 1983 by Dulmont.

The Osborne 1 weighs close to 11 kg (24 lb) and was priced at US$1,795 (equivalent to $5,350 in 2021). The Osborne was about the size of a portable sewing machine, and could be carried on commercial aircraft. This and other 'luggables' were inspired by what was probably the first portable computer, the Xerox NoteTaker. Although it was large and heavy compared to today's laptops, with a tiny 5' CRT monitor, it had a near-revolutionary impact on business, as professionals were able to take their computer and data with them for the first time. The computer company was a failure and did not last for very long. An aftermarket battery pack was available. The Osborne 1 had a five-inch screen, incorporating a modem port, two 5 + 1⁄ 4-inch floppy drives, and a large collection of bundled software applications. Adam Osborne founded Osborne Computer and produced the Osborne 1 in 1981. The Osborne 1 is considered the first true mobile computer by most historians.

The keyboard sits on the inside of the lid. An opened Osborne 1 (1981) computer, ready for use.

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