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Why do almost all laptops not come with a built-in handle? That is the quintessence of a portable item. Forget the bag.

by 1970-01-01 1y ago

loloquwowndueo 1y ago
Laptops ape notebooks (the paper kind). When’s the last time you saw a notebook with a handle?
- WarOnPrivacy 1y ago
  I'm with the parent. But then again, my bag also has a shoulder strap, two large compartments and a ½doz pockets. I carry 1-2 laptops along with an assortment of tools, cables and adapters. I serve to live.
zffr 1y ago
To me a handle implies that the object is somewhat sturdy. It’s okay to have it bump against other things and to set it on the floor.
0_____0 1y ago
Weight. Packed size. Most people don't need a handle, so why waste volume and material on it? I think the Toshiba Toughbook had a handle. I think many folks here, given their druthers, would design something that looked like a Toughbook, then become disenchanted with it for various completely foreseeable reasons, and go back to using their standard issue MBP.
- Dylan16807 1y ago
  It's worth noting that by the time you make a rugged laptop it's actually bulkier than a small laptop bag with a handle.
- eichin 1y ago
  *Panasonic Toughbook (There were generations of these with handles, but at least in the early ones, the handle didn't dominate the dimensions - things like "removable drives encased in impact gel" did.)
  - 0_____0 1y ago
    Hah, I guess I'm a sucker for alliteration. Thanks for the correction.
sgerenser 1y ago
The original “Toilet Seat” iBook from 1999is the only one I can recall that came with a handle: https://lunduke.substack.com/p/ode-to-the-clamshell-ibook-g3-aka https://lunduke.substack.com/p/ode-to-the-clamshell-ibook-g3...
- eichin 1y ago
  Also the eMate 300! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMate_300 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMate_300 (from 1997) (And if you go much farther back, the TRS-80 Model 4p - but "sewing machine class" portables kind of had to.)

Why do almost all laptops not come with a built-in handle? That is the quintessence of a portable item. Forget the bag.

loloquwowndueo 1y ago

Laptops ape notebooks (the paper kind). When’s the last time you saw a notebook with a handle?

WarOnPrivacy 1y ago
I'm with the parent. But then again, my bag also has a shoulder strap, two large compartments and a ½doz pockets. I carry 1-2 laptops along with an assortment of tools, cables and adapters. I serve to live.

zffr 1y ago

To me a handle implies that the object is somewhat sturdy. It’s okay to have it bump against other things and to set it on the floor.

0_____0 1y ago

Weight. Packed size. Most people don't need a handle, so why waste volume and material on it? I think the Toshiba Toughbook had a handle. I think many folks here, given their druthers, would design something that looked like a Toughbook, then become disenchanted with it for various completely foreseeable reasons, and go back to using their standard issue MBP.

Dylan16807 1y ago
It's worth noting that by the time you make a rugged laptop it's actually bulkier than a small laptop bag with a handle.
eichin 1y ago
*Panasonic Toughbook (There were generations of these with handles, but at least in the early ones, the handle didn't dominate the dimensions - things like "removable drives encased in impact gel" did.)
- 0_____0 1y ago
  Hah, I guess I'm a sucker for alliteration. Thanks for the correction.

sgerenser 1y ago

The original “Toilet Seat” iBook from 1999is the only one I can recall that came with a handle: https://lunduke.substack.com/p/ode-to-the-clamshell-ibook-g3-aka https://lunduke.substack.com/p/ode-to-the-clamshell-ibook-g3...

eichin 1y ago
Also the eMate 300! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMate_300 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMate_300 (from 1997) (And if you go much farther back, the TRS-80 Model 4p - but "sewing machine class" portables kind of had to.)