In the mid-1990s, I bought a used IBM ThinkPad 701 in Hong Kong. Ten years before netbooks, this wonderful little laptop had a very unique approach to compact size: A "butterfly" keyboard that unfolded when you opened the laptop. There are some photos and historical information about the 701 here:
Supposedly, the design was inspired by a black bento box.
Although primitive by today's standards, it was a solid little laptop that served me well for the tasks I was engaged in at the time -- writing, Web surfing, learning HTML, and playing Doom.
The butterfly keyboard is one of those fascinating little cul-de-sacs of computing history: a brilliant design that never went anywhere. But it sure made an impression; to this day I can't think of ThinkPads without thinking of it.
http://renaissancechambara.jp/2012/04/26/throwback-gadget-ib...
Supposedly, the design was inspired by a black bento box.
Although primitive by today's standards, it was a solid little laptop that served me well for the tasks I was engaged in at the time -- writing, Web surfing, learning HTML, and playing Doom.