PC Card is a parallel peripheral interface for laptop computers and PDAs. The Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) originally introduced the 16-bit ISA-based PCMCIA Card in 1990, but renamed it to PC Card in March 1995 to avoid confusion with the name of the organization. The CardBus PC Card was introduced as a 32-bit version of the original PC Card, based on the PCI specification. The card slots are backward compatible for the original 16-bit card, older slots are not forward compatible with newer cards.
Various PC Cards, with the left one being a CardBus PC Card
Parallel port Ethernet adapters were commonly used before PC Cards. This is an Accton Etherpocket-SP parallel port Ethernet adapter (c. 1990). Supports both coaxial (10BASE2) and twisted pair (10BASE-T) cables. Power is drawn from a PS/2 port passthrough cable.
16-bit Type II PC Card: IBM V.34 data/fax modem, manufactured by TDK
Left: connector of a 16-bit ISA-based PC Card. Right: connector of a 32-bit PCI-based CardBus PC Card. Usually, CardBus PC Card slots are compatible with the ISA-based PC Cards, but not the other way around.
A laptop computer or notebook computer, also known as a laptop or notebook, is a small, portable personal computer (PC). Laptops typically have a clamshell form factor with a flat-panel screen on the inside of the upper lid and an alphanumeric keyboard and pointing device on the inside of the lower lid. Most of the computer's internal hardware is fitted inside the lower lid enclosure under the keyboard, although many modern laptops have a built-in webcam at the top of the screen, and some even feature a touchscreen display. In most cases, unlike tablet computers which run on mobile operating systems, laptops tend to run on desktop operating systems, which were originally developed for desktop computers.
Clockwise from top left: A 2021 MacBook Pro by Apple Inc.; a 2019 Microsoft Surface Pro 7 with detachable hinge (left) and a 2018 Dell XPS 15 9570 with 360 degree hinge (right); a 2014 ThinkPad Helix by Lenovo with detachable screen; and a 2014 Acer Chromebook 11
Alan Kay holding the mockup of his Dynabook concept in 2008
IBM 5100 (1975)
The Epson HX-20, the first "notebook computer", was invented in 1980 and introduced in 1982.