IBM ThinkPad iSeries Type 2621

Circa 1999

Use Case:

A consumer-oriented multimedia laptop line. It was designed for general use, including web browsing, email, and running office applications and software of the late 1990s. Many models featured built-in CD players (as this one has) and were geared toward entertainment and family use, a departure from the strictly business focus of other ThinkPad lines.

Historical Significance:

• ACER Design: A key historical note is that most of the iSeries models, including the Type 2621, were manufactured for IBM by ACER under contract. They share a chassis design with ACER's own laptops, which sometimes led to them being nicknamed "AcerPads" among enthusiasts.

• Consumer Focus: The iSeries represented IBM's significant push into the consumer market, attempting to offer the build quality and iconic design of the ThinkPad line at a more affordable price point.

• Affordable Computing: These models were a precursor to the modern age of inexpensive laptops, making mobile computing more accessible to the average home user in the early days of widespread internet access.

Included Accessories:

• AC PowerSupply/Charger.

• SMC EZ Card 10/100 Mbps CardBus Adapter SMC8035TX. (A wired Ethernet network card designed to be inserted into the laptop's PCMCIA Type II slot—circa 2001).

(H-4.5cm x W-33cm x D-27cm)