Adam Osborne
Pioneer of the portable computer with the Osborne 1
- Lived
- 64 yrs
- 1939 – 2003
- Works listed
- 2
- Book
- Honours
- 0
- Awards & distinctions
- Profile views
- 1
- 0 followers
Adam Osborne was a British-American author and entrepreneur who launched the Osborne 1 in 1981, the first commercially successful portable computer. His company collapsed in 1983, giving its name to the “Osborne effect” of announcing products too early. He died in 2003.
Biography
Background
Osborne was born in Bangkok to British parents, grew up partly in India and studied chemical engineering in Britain and the US.
Publisher
He wrote An Introduction to Microcomputers (1975) and founded Osborne & Associates, a computer-book publisher bought by McGraw-Hill.
Osborne 1
In 1981 he launched the Osborne 1, designed by Lee Felsenstein: a 10.7 kg computer with a 5-inch screen and bundled software for $1,795.
Collapse
In 1983, after he talked about better future models, customers stopped buying, and the company went bankrupt. He later founded Paperback Software. He died in India in 2003.
Timeline
-
1939
Born in Bangkok, Thailand
-
1975
An Introduction to Microcomputers
-
1981
Osborne 1
-
1983
Osborne Computer bankrupt
-
1984
Founds Paperback Software
-
2003
Dies
-
2003
Died, aged 64
Notable works
-
1975
An Introduction to Microcomputers Book
-
1984
Hypergrowth Book
With John Dvorak.
Did you know?
-
1
The Osborne 1 fitted under an aircraft seat.
-
2
Its bundled software was worth more than the computer.
-
3
He was born in Thailand.
Frequently asked
Who is Adam Osborne?
Adam Osborne was a British-American author and entrepreneur who launched the Osborne 1 in 1981, the first commercially successful portable computer. His company collapsed in 1983, giving its name to the “Osborne effect” of announcing products too early. He died in 2003.
When did Adam Osborne die?
Adam Osborne died on 18 March 2003 at the age of 64.
Where is Adam Osborne from?
Adam Osborne was born in Bangkok, Thailand.
What is Adam Osborne known for?
Adam Osborne is best known for Osborne 1 (1981); Osborne/McGraw-Hill computer books; the “Osborne effect”.
References
- Adam Osborne — Wikipedia. Wikipedia. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Adam Osborne — Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
- Adam Osborne (Q350582) — structured data. Wikidata. Retrieved 4 November 2026.
Includes material from the Wikipedia article “Adam Osborne”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. That text is available under the same licence. Learn more
External links
About this profile
- Researched by the TrackFame editorial team; reviewed by Sanjay Sokal under our editorial policy
- First published 4 November 2026
- Last updated
Cite this page
“Adam Osborne.” TrackFame, last updated 5 November 2026. https://trackfame.com/person/adam-osborne
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