Friesen@PCO-MULTICS.HBI.HONEYWELL.COM (04/24/89)
I heard the PC Folio (pocket PC) is IBM compatable, but I find that hard to believe for many reasons, the main one being the screen size. Can someone tell me if it is or not. Aric Friesen Addresses: Genie: A.FRIESEN ARPA: Friesen%PCO@BCO-MULTICS.ARPA "Hypnotism; the programming language for people."
c60c-3ds@web-1b.berkeley.edu (John Kawakami) (04/24/89)
In article <890424012144.719744@PCO-MULTICS.HBI.HONEYWELL.COM> Friesen%PCO@BCO-MULTICS.HBI.HONEYWELL.COM writes: >I heard the PC Folio (pocket PC) is IBM compatable, but I find that hard >to believe for many reasons, the main one being the screen size. Can >someone tell me if it is or not. > >Aric Friesen I'll bet my mother that it is PC compatible, provided the software is written well. Good software may have limitations because the screen is small, but it will run (corrolary: bad software cannot handle differing screen sizes, and works only on a 80x24 display). Furthurmore, I saw a mini review in BYTE for another handheld PC comp. I think it is from the same OEM as the one Atari is getting the Folio from. I have one question about the Folio: from how high can it be dropped onto a concrete floor without being damaged. A rugged computer would be ideal for field work, lab work, and as one poster suggested, portable voice synthsis for the speech impaired. Has Atari begun to write software for the Folio that will take advantage of it's size? (there may be potential for large contracts, provided there isproper software) John Kawakami c60c-3ds@web.berkeley.edu
steve@pnet51.cts.com (Steve Yelvington) (04/25/89)
Friesen@PCO-MULTICS.HBI.HONEYWELL.COM writes: > >I heard the PC Folio (pocket PC) is IBM compatable, but I find that hard >to believe for many reasons, the main one being the screen size. Can >someone tell me if it is or not. > According the Atari's news releases, the Folio has a small "window" into a standard-size virtual screen, with the display essentially "panning" as you move beyond the 40th column. This is not a novel approach; the original Osborne portable (luggable!) computer had a horizontal-scrolling feature, and a number of word processors for old-fashioned home computers have done something similar. I'm more concerned about the quality of the keyboard than the size of the display. I'm an editor for a metropolitan newspaper, and I know how Tandy's Model 100 (now 102) has become standard issue for mobile reporters. If the Folio's keyboard is at least as good as the Model 100's, the other features (more memory, RAM card drives, etc.) could make it an attractive alternative. /* * UUCP: {uunet!rosevax,amdahl!bungia,chinet,killer}!orbit!thelake!steve * ARPA: crash!orbit!thelake!steve@nosc.mil * #member <STdNET> The ST Developers Network */
c60c-3ds@e260-3a.berkeley.edu (John Kawakami) (04/26/89)
In article <1001@orbit.UUCP> steve@pnet51.cts.com (Steve Yelvington) writes: > >I'm more concerned about the quality of the keyboard than the size of the >display. I'm an editor for a metropolitan newspaper, and I know how Tandy's >Model 100 (now 102) has become standard issue for mobile reporters. If the >Folio's keyboard is at least as good as the Model 100's, the other features >(more memory, RAM card drives, etc.) could make it an attractive alternative. >/* > * UUCP: {uunet!rosevax,amdahl!bungia,chinet,killer}!orbit!thelake!steve > * ARPA: crash!orbit!thelake!steve@nosc.mil > * #member <STdNET> The ST Developers Network > */ I somehow doubt that the folio has a real keyboard. More likely, it will have a small alphanumeric keypad. Check the press release; it's supposed to be a "handheld" computer. Have you seen the Cambridge z88? It's about the size of a textbook, and weighs about 2 pounds. 80 columns, something like 8 lines. I saw one at a local store, but I've never used one extensively. It's an interesting machine. (I think it uses AA type batteries) John Kawakami c60c-3ds@web.berkeley.edu
Xorg@cup.portal.com (Peter Ted Szymonik) (04/27/89)
Correction, the Folio *does* have a full QWERTY style keyboard, and not a alpha-numeric keypad ala the Sharp Wizard. This is from many reliable sources... Peter Szymonik Xorg@cup.portal.com
Friesen@PCO-MULTICS.HBI.HONEYWELL.COM (05/05/89)
First, a few hardware questions answered... I want to say for those asking, that the PC Folio does have a standard QWERTY keyboard (however, I don't know if it has been spaced standardly or how small the keys are). The Folio basically looks just like a laptop, only much much smaller. The Folio has two input/output ports, a slot in the side under the keyboard which takes the credit card "disks", and a 60 pin bus for printer/modem/PC/etc. hookup. The discussion on applications of the Folio are very interesting. Applications such as lab work and field work have always been filled by the Tandy 102. This computer is very limited (and more expensive) than the Folio. I could easily see the Folio replacing that computer in such applications. Another suggested application was speech synthesis for the speech impaired. I don't know if the speaker (which is rumored to be able to dial phone numbers for the address book) or the sound chip could handle such a task, but if it could the computer could fill a void no computer has filled. Marketing wise, this computer has great potential: oIBM compatable oBuilt in multi language software oUp to 640K plus portability never offered before by a computer of this power. One thing that has not been mentioned, which I would like to see (even the Wizard has one) is a bar code reader. This would allow many applications, including the distribution of programs through magazines, not on disk, but on printed pages to save money. It will be interesting to see how the market reacts. At least for once, I don't think that only "Atari users" will be buying an Atari! Aric Friesen Addresses: Genie: A.FRIESEN ARPA: Friesen%PCO@BCO-MULTICS.ARPA "Hypnotism; the programming language for people."
Friesen@PCO-MULTICS.HBI.HONEYWELL.COM (05/05/89)
One person wrote in saying that the handheld computer the Wizard reciently reviewed in BYTE was from the same OEM as the Folio. I am pretty sure, however, that this is not the case. The Wizard is basically an electronic appointment book, it is not IBM compatable and is very limited. I also do not think that there will be other computers just like the Folio, because I remember hearing (don't quote me though, this is a rumor) Atari bought all of the rights to the technology of the Folio (which was developed by a European company), so no other company can release a device using the same hardware. Remember, this was just a rumor so I would like to hear anything to support or disprove this fact. Aric Friesen Addresses: Genie: A.FRIESEN ARPA: Friesen%PCO@BCO-MULTICS.ARPA "Hypnotism; the programming language for people."