website/content/museum/gavilan.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Gavilan	Computers	Portable	U.S.A.	1983	Intel 8088	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos oc_id source Gavilan /media/museum/photos/gavilan_system_1.jpg /companies/gavilan GAVILAN label value NAME Gavilan label value MANUFACTURER Gavilan label value TYPE Portable label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR June 1983 label value END OF PRODUCTION 1985 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE None label value KEYBOARD Full stroke 59-key with numeric keypad + 9-key touch panel label value CPU Intel 8088 label value SPEED 5 MHz label value RAM 32 KB (later 64 KB) - Up to 4 x 32 KB RAM modules - Optional 128 KB RAM card\ Total maximum RAM of 320 KB label value VRAM Unknown label value ROM 48 KB - Holds Operating System and user interface routines label value TEXT MODES 66 chars. x 8 lines label value GRAPHIC MODES Unknown label value COLORS Monochrome label value SOUND Beeper label value SIZE / WEIGHT 11.4 (W) x 11.4 (D) x 2.7 (H) ins / 9 pounds + 4 pounds printer label value I/O PORTS Built-in 300-baud modem, printer, disk drive, RAM expansion, Serial RS232, Video label value BUILT IN MEDIA 3'' 320 KB built-in floppy disc drive. Optional 2nd. external FDD unit label value OS GOS and MS-DOS label value POWER SUPPLY 10 x rechargeable batteries and AC adaptor label value PERIPHERALS 50 cps thermal-transfer printer, External FDD + 128 KB RAM, 32 KB RAM modules label value PRICE $3995 - Printer $1000 photos 858 title subtitle text image GAVILAN DESKTOP File drawer (top) and zoom command (bottom) that encloses the part of the document that will be displayed on the screen if user taps the touch pad. /media/museum/photos/gavilan_screenshot_1.jpg 877 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230605035851/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=877 2023-06-05

The Gavilan, along with its optional thermal transfer printer that clipped onto the back, fitted in a standard-size attaché case. It was a true 16-bit laptop computer conceived by John Zepecki, Gaviland's director of hardware engineering. It featured a 8-line LCD screen and was powered by either an AC adaptor or 10 half-D rechargeable batteries with 8 hours autonomy.

The 48 KB ROM held the Gavilan GOS (Graphic Operating System) kernel, a FORTH-like interpreter and a desktop manager software with graphic windows, drawers, folders and documents hierarchy.

The Operating System itself was written in Forth and supervised by John Banning, chief of the Gaviland's software development team. Most of the graphical environment was managed through an innovative touch panel located above the keyboard and intended to compete with first mouse driven systems. By moving his fingertip across this panel, the user moved a pointer and could invoke various actions by tapping one of the eight button areas.

Gavilan developed several software that took advantage of the GOS interface, a word processor, a spreadsheet, communication and mail utilities. The system could run MS-DOS OS as well.

Despite numerous innovations, the Gavilan always suffered from hardware and software problems. Furthermore, it was not fully PC-compatible. Many changes have been made to the initial machine and first sales only started in June of 1984, one year after the machine was first announced. A 16-line display version was also produced. At this time, competiton became harder and the Gavilan couldn't compete with new Japanese portable generation (i.e. the Sharp PC-5000). The Gavilan production thus stopped definitively in 1985 and the company failed.

We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.