| The Kaypro II, introduced in 1982 by Non-Linear Systems under the Kaypro brand, was one of the earliest and most successful portable computers of the CP/M era. Housed in a rugged aluminum case with a built-in 9-inch green phosphor CRT and dual 5¼″ floppy drives, it was designed as a “luggable” computer—intended to be moved between locations rather than truly portable. It came equipped with a Zilog Z80A processor running at 2.5 MHz, 64 KB of RAM, and ran the CP/M operating system, which made it compatible with a wide range of business and productivity software. The full-sized keyboard, which latched onto the front of the case for transport, added to its usability. Though named “II,” it was actually Kaypro’s first widely released model—the “I” designation was retroactively applied to an earlier, limited model. The Kaypro II quickly gained a strong following thanks to its robust build, generous bundled software, and competitive pricing. |
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