It was about the size of a three-ring binder and weighed 4.5 kilograms. Introduced in 1982, the Graphical Retrieval Information Display (GRiD) Compass was the first portable computer to feature a clamshell design. The bright amber of the laptop's 21.6-centimeter plasma screen could be "viewed from any angle and under any lighting conditions," according to its maker, GRiD Systems Corp. The computer was also exceedingly rugged. Sales reps claimed they would drop one in front of prospective buyers to show off its durability. With a price tag of US $8,150 (about $23,000 today), the Compass wasn't intended for the consumer market. Instead, it found a home with NASA, becoming standard equipment on space shuttle missions through the early 1990s. The space agency's trust in the computer was not misplaced: Reportedly, the GRiD flying aboard Challenger survived the January 1986 crash.

中文翻译：

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轨道上的第一台笔记本电脑 - [Past Forward]

它大约是一个三环活页夹的大小，重达 4.5 公斤。图形检索信息显示 (GRiD) 指南针于 1982 年推出，是第一台采用翻盖设计的便携式计算机。据其制造商 GRiD Systems Corp. 称，笔记本电脑 21.6 厘米等离子屏幕的明亮琥珀色可以“从任何角度和任何照明条件下观看”。这台电脑也非常坚固。销售代表声称他们会在潜在买家面前放一个，以炫耀其耐用性。Compass 的标价为 8,150 美元（今天约为 23,000 美元），不适合消费市场。取而代之的是，它在 NASA 找到了归宿，在 1990 年代初期成为航天飞机任务的标准设备。航天局对计算机的信任并没有错：据报道，