Social Science - Quiz 33 - Pg. 72-74

The Osborne 1 ran the

• PC/IX operating system

• Unix operating system

• MS-DOS operating system

• CP/M operating system

• DNIX operating system

Answer explanation

The Osborne 1, the first successful portable computer, had a five-inch monochrome screen and ran the CP/M operating system. [72,5]

Which of the following devices became the first laptop computer?

• Osborne 1

• Xerox NoteTaker

• IBM 5100

• GriD Compass 1101

• Compaq

Answer explanation

The GRiD Compass 1101 became the first computer laptop in 1982. However, it was only used in specialized markets because it was not compatible with CP/M, MS-DOS, or Unix, and had a very high price tag. [72,5]

Which of the following movies includes handheld computers with flat video screens?

• Metropolis

• 2001: A Space Odyssey

• Star Wars: A New Hope

• Planet of the Apes

• Destination Moon

Answer explanation

The idea of a device that could be held in one hand and used while walking has been around for decades. 2001: A Space Odyssey, which premiered in 1968, even features handheld computers with flat video screens. [72,6]

Upon returning to Apple, Steve Jobs

• innovated the Newton’s handwriting recognition

• lowered the price of the Newton

• replaced the stylus of the Newton

• discontinued production of the Newton

• sold the rights of the Newton to Microsoft

Answer explanation

One of the first things Steve Jobs did when he returned to Apple was discontinue the production of the Newton. It was bulky and expensive and didn’t sell very well. [73,0]

Which of the following devices used graffiti instead of handwriting recognition?

• Newton

• Psion Organizer II

• Palm Pilot

• BlackBerry

• Garmin

Answer explanation

Instead of trying to read handwriting, the Palm Pilot created a gesture-based alphabet called graffiti to enter text. [73,1]

Which of the following devices is NOT a PDA?

• Psion Organizer II

• Garmin

• BlackBerry

• Palm Pilot

• Newton

Answer explanation

The first PDA is generally considered to be the Psion Organizer II. Soon after, the Newton, Palm Pilot, and BlackBerry PDAs were released. [72,7;73,1]

Which of the following companies released the BlackBerry?

• Research In Motion

• USRobotics

• Motorola

• Nokia

• IBM

Answer explanation

The BlackBerry PDA was released by a Canadian company called Research in Motion. [73,1]

The Blackberry became popular for its

• innovative writing system and large storage

• large screen and bright colors

• easy-to-use keyboard and email service

• messaging service and song-playing capability

• ergonomic shape and stylus

Answer explanation

Research In Motion’s BlackBerry PDA was known for its easy-to-use keyboard and fast wireless email service. [73,1]

The term GPS refers to a cluster of navigation satellites launched by

• the United States Air Force

• Roscosmos

• DLR

• the European Space Agency

• NASA

Answer explanation

The term GPS stands for Global Positioning System and refers to a cluster of satellites launched into orbit by the United States Air Force. [73,2]

The first GPS-powered navigation computers appeared in the

• 2000s

• 1980s

• 1990s

• 1960s

• 1970s

Answer explanation

The first GPS-powered navigation computers appeared in the 1990s as an option on luxury cars. [73,2]