Outbound Laptop
Encyclopedia
The Outbound Laptop was an Apple
Macintosh-compatible
laptop
computer
. It was powered by a 15-MHz Motorola
68000 processor. Later versions increased the clock speed to 20 MHz.
Introduced in 1989, at over 4 kg the Outbound Laptop was significantly lighter and easier to carry than Apple's own Macintosh Portable
, which became available at around the same time. However, due to Apple's refusal to license its software in read-only memory
(ROM), Outbound users had to install a Mac ROM to make the computer work. The ROM was typically removed from an older Mac, a process that would render the donor Mac unusable. Even with this additional cost, a typical price of US $4,000 compared favorably to that of the Mac Portable.
The Outbound featured a built-in pointing device
located below the keyboard; it was a cylinder that scrolled up and down and slid left and right.
The Outbound ran on standard camcorder
batteries, rather than expensive custom batteries, as was common for most portable computers.
The Outbound Laptop was succeeded by the Outbound Notebook in 1991. Apple's introduction of the PowerBook
later that year led to the demise of the Mac-compatible laptop market. Probably more significant than the increased competition, was the fact that the Outbound was using ROMs under a licensing agreement with Apple. Apple refused to license the use of subsequent proprietary ROMs to Outbound and so the company's ability to manufacture laptops ended when the 68000 processors became too difficult to obtain. For a short time after Outbound went out of business a small group of former employees set up a company to handle service and warranty issues.
The company, Outbound Systems, was located at 4840 Pearl East Circle, Boulder, CO 80301; (303) 786-9200, (800) 444-4607. Due to the kangaroo logo, many believed that it was an Australian firm.
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
Macintosh-compatible
Macintosh clone
A Macintosh clone is a personal computer made by a manufacturer other than Apple, using Macintosh ROMs and system software.-Background:...
laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
computer
Computer
A computer is a programmable machine designed to sequentially and automatically carry out a sequence of arithmetic or logical operations. The particular sequence of operations can be changed readily, allowing the computer to solve more than one kind of problem...
. It was powered by a 15-MHz Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
68000 processor. Later versions increased the clock speed to 20 MHz.
Introduced in 1989, at over 4 kg the Outbound Laptop was significantly lighter and easier to carry than Apple's own Macintosh Portable
Macintosh Portable
The Macintosh Portable was Apple Inc.'s first attempt at making a battery-powered portable Macintosh personal computer that held the power of a desktop Macintosh...
, which became available at around the same time. However, due to Apple's refusal to license its software in read-only memory
Read-only memory
Read-only memory is a class of storage medium used in computers and other electronic devices. Data stored in ROM cannot be modified, or can be modified only slowly or with difficulty, so it is mainly used to distribute firmware .In its strictest sense, ROM refers only...
(ROM), Outbound users had to install a Mac ROM to make the computer work. The ROM was typically removed from an older Mac, a process that would render the donor Mac unusable. Even with this additional cost, a typical price of US $4,000 compared favorably to that of the Mac Portable.
The Outbound featured a built-in pointing device
Pointing device
A pointing device is an input interface that allows a user to input spatial data to a computer...
located below the keyboard; it was a cylinder that scrolled up and down and slid left and right.
The Outbound ran on standard camcorder
Camcorder
A camcorder is an electronic device that combines a video camera and a video recorder into one unit. Equipment manufacturers do not seem to have strict guidelines for the term usage...
batteries, rather than expensive custom batteries, as was common for most portable computers.
The Outbound Laptop was succeeded by the Outbound Notebook in 1991. Apple's introduction of the PowerBook
PowerBook
The PowerBook was a line of Macintosh laptop computers that was designed, manufactured and sold by Apple Computer, Inc. from 1991 to 2006. During its lifetime, the PowerBook went through several major revisions and redesigns, often being the first to incorporate features that would later become...
later that year led to the demise of the Mac-compatible laptop market. Probably more significant than the increased competition, was the fact that the Outbound was using ROMs under a licensing agreement with Apple. Apple refused to license the use of subsequent proprietary ROMs to Outbound and so the company's ability to manufacture laptops ended when the 68000 processors became too difficult to obtain. For a short time after Outbound went out of business a small group of former employees set up a company to handle service and warranty issues.
The company, Outbound Systems, was located at 4840 Pearl East Circle, Boulder, CO 80301; (303) 786-9200, (800) 444-4607. Due to the kangaroo logo, many believed that it was an Australian firm.
External links
- Outbound Laptop on AppleFritter - review with pictures
- Outbound Laptop on LowEndMac - specifications
- Outbound Notebook on Obsolete Computer Museum - review and pictures of the Notebook model
- Article describing the Outbound Laptop (in French; via Wayback Machine)
- What's Outbound got that Apple doesn't?