gnu@hoptoad.UUCP (07/12/86)
This message is being typed on a Kaypro 2000, which is a laptop PC clone
with 768K RAM, 1 3.5'' disk drive (720K), 25x80 LCD screen, full size
detachable keyboard, and built in 6 hour batteries. It cost about
$1700. I got the 1200 baud built in modem option for an extra $250 or
so.
The screen is readable though as with all LCDs it could be better.
I looked at all the laptops I could find in the Bay Area before
buying this one (at Whole Earth Access in Berkeley). This one had
the best screen by far. (We could not see the Toshiba; the one
store that had it had *sold their demonstrator* and would be glad
to order us a machine but could not let us see the screen ahead of time.
We said no thanks.)
Its only drawbacks are that it runs MSDOS and the floppy is very slow
-- takes a second to seek from one side of the disk to the other,
buzzing all the way, and of course MSDOS doesn't have a buffer cache so
it seeks a lot. Also, the modem jacks use HANDSET modular plugs, not
WALL JACK modular plugs, so Whole Earth ends up making a custom cable
for each one they sell. Also the AC adapter is pretty huge. If they
made a version where the phone cord and AC cord came out on little cord
reels it would be a big win, but they didn't have the space.
The whole bus comes out on a long connector on the bottom, so you can
sit it in a "base unit" which can have video monitors, hard disks,
5-1/4'' disks, etc plugged into it. No option for IBM slots though.
It came with a lousy terminal emulator, a good SideKick clone, and
wordstar or something. The emulator had xmodem though, so I could
upload something better; I'm currently using Procomm and highly
recommend it. I've never had trouble running MSDOS binaries, and
the hardware or BIOS emulates both color and b&w.
Be sure you get the one with a big screen. An earlier version had a 25x80
screen but the screen was only a few inches high. The one we got has
square pixels and a higher contrast, larger screen.
It's all very cleverly packaged and includes room for carrying two disks
inside the machine. We've been carying it on a month long motorcycle trip,
in one of the saddlebags, and have had no problems.
--
John Gilmore {sun,ptsfa,lll-crg,ihnp4}!hoptoad!gnu jgilmore@lll-crg.arpa
May the Source be with you!pete@octopus.UUCP (07/15/86)
In article <897@hoptoad.uucp> gnu@hoptoad.uucp (John Gilmore) writes: >This message is being typed on a Kaypro 2000, which is a laptop PC clone >.... This one had >the best screen by far. (We could not see the Toshiba; the one >store that had it had *sold their demonstrator* and would be glad >to order us a machine but could not let us see the screen ahead of time. >We said no thanks.) > The new Toshiba T1100+ seems to be the newest 'best' laptop in this price range. I may be biased, since we now sell them, but we're doing it as a result of requests from consulting clients (we evaluated a big pile of laptops!) What's good about the new Toshiba? - Screen folds back all the way, which is nice in an airplane - 9 volt DC recharging. Cigarette lighter plug for a car/boat available. - comes with memory resident program that changes color-on-color display so you don't ever get black-on-black LCD problems - improved keyboard. Function keys and cursors are where they should be (cursors are inverted-T style, which I much prefer) - uses 8086 at 7.something MHz (has slow mode too) - 640K, 2 Floppies, Par & Ser ports, RGB & Composite ports, clock/cal, bundled Sidekick are all standard - 1 yr warranty. If you have trouble, call an 800 number. They send Fed Ex to pick up your machine, and they Fed Ex a replacement right away. (Extended warranty will be announced in ~ a week) - Completely PC XT compatible. Runs everything. - Options include internal 1200 baud modem, interface to a five slot PC-option-board chassis. List price is $2400 now. I can get good discounts. We've sold a bunch at $2K, but our cost is falling, so I might be able to do better soon. If you need more... Wait for new upgrades coming in ~ half a year on the Toshiba T3100: 80286, 8 MHz, 20+ MB disk drive, 2.6+ MB RAM, etc etc... Lots of bucks, of course! -- OOO __| ___ Peter Holzmann, Octopus Enterprises OOOOOOO___/ _______ USPS: 19611 La Mar Court, Cupertino, CA 95014 OOOOO \___/ UUCP: {hplabs!hpdsd,pyramid}!octopus!pete ___| \_____ Phone: 408/996-7746
geoff@suneast.uucp (Geoff Arnold) (07/15/86)
Sounds cute, but again... no slots. Does anyone know of a
reasonably portable (not "luggable") machine with one full-length
slot in it? Pansonic almost did it right except for the printer (X pounds
of deadweight) and the (very) short slot. Oh, well, at least using a Compaq
helps build up your arm muscles....
--
"disclaimo, disclaimas, disclaimat, disclaimamus, disclaimatis, disclamant"
UUCP: {hplabs,ihnp4,nsc,pyramid,decwrl}!sun!suneast!hinode!geoff