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Hyperion (computer)

one of the first portable IBM PC compatible computers

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General referenceInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 24, 2026
Entity authorityQ5958163
Source-derived summary

The Hyperion is an early portable computer that vied with the Compaq Portable to be the first portable IBM PC compatible. It was marketed by Infotech Cie of Ottawa, a subsidiary of Bytec Management Corp., who acquired the designer and manufacturer Dynalogic Corporation, in January 1983. In 1984, the design was licensed by Commodore International in a move that was forecast as a "radical shift of position" and a signal that Commodore would soon dominate the PC compatible market. Despite computers being "hand-assembled from kits" provided by Bytec and displayed alongside the Commodore 900 at a German trade show as their forthcoming first portable computer, it was never sold by Commodore and some analysts downplayed the pact. The Hyperion was shipped in January 1983 at C$4995, two months ahead of the Compaq Portable.

Brand name

The name "Hyperion" was invented by Taylor-Sprules Corporation in Toronto. They also designed the retail packaging, all marketing materials and the tradeshow exhibit at Comdex in Atlantic City where Hyperion was first introduced in 1982. Two prototypes were shown. The amber graphics screens, and a built-in modem, were notable features that attracted comment at the show.

Design

The machine featured 256 KB RAM, dual 360 KB 5.25" floppy disk drives, a graphics card compatible with both CGA and HGC, a video-out jack, a built-in 7-inch amber CRT, 300-bit/s modem, and an acoustic coupler.

Editorial summary

The public source identifies “Hyperion (computer)” as one of the first portable IBM PC compatible computers. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Hyperion, computer and first.

Editorial reviewA concise reference frame for defining the subject, testing terminology and identifying the institution closest to the evidence. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1983, 1984, 1982—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. Its value is orientation rather than verdict, with Hyperion, computer and first providing the first useful test.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Hyperion (computer)”, the useful work is to connect “one of the first portable IBM PC compatible computers” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.

Evidence profile

Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 24, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q5958163. The Library of Congress control number is sh85063702. None of the 1 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1983, 1984 and 1982.

Critical limits

The absence of detail may reflect summary conventions rather than a lack of surviving documentation. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

Best used for
  • Subject orientation
  • Search vocabulary
  • Locating named sources
Verify next

The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Hyperion (computer)”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Hyperion (computer) primary sources, Hyperion (computer) archive and Hyperion research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Hyperion (computer)”?
  2. Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
  3. Which institution is responsible for the underlying evidence?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from Hyperion (computer)” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.