Background and Identification
Compal Electronics is a Taiwanese original design manufacturer (ODM) that produces notebook computers, monitors, tablets, and televisions for various clients, including Apple Inc., Acer, Lenovo, Dell, Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, and Fujitsu. Compal is the second-largest contract laptop manufacturer in the world. In 2010, Compal shipped over 48 million laptops worldwide.
Laptops are small, portable computers with a notebook or “clamshell” shape, meaning that the two halves of the laptop can fold together. The top half of the laptop is made up of a thin LCD or LED computer screen mounted on the inside of the upper lid. The bottom half has an alphanumeric keyboard, and sometimes a touchpad as well. Under the keyboard, the rest of the laptop casing holds the components that make the computer work, including the processor, motherboard, and more. The clamshell shape is opened for use and closed for transportation. Laptops were given their name due to the idea that people would place the computers on their laps to use them. The first laptop was made in 1970, and the market quickly expanded. Today, many companies make laptops either as their primary or secondary products. Compal is among these companies.
Compal laptops can sometimes be identified by the name “Compal” printed in capital letters either in the center of the laptop’s backing or in the center of the laptop’s bottom bezel. Because Compal is an original design manufacturer, computers designed and sold by Compal sometimes include other seller’s names.