pdc@lunch.wpd.sgi.com (Paul Close) (04/26/91)
I have been looking through computer magazines at laptop ads, and one struck
me as being quite nice: the AST Premium Exec. I haven't heard much about
it, and the PC review was too early to include one. SOme of the nice
features:
12 MHz 286, *upgradable* to 20 MHz 386 SX
Sidelit triple-twist LCD VGA screen
3.5" floppy drive
20 or 40 MB hard drive
3 hour (?) battery
6-1/2 lbs.
I was wondering if anyone has one, or has seen one. The first question is
always "Does the battery last as long as they say it will". The next is
simply "how do you like it?"
I'm also intrigued by the Sharp/TI 4-1/2 lb wonder. I'm a bit concerned
about the PC review which stated the screen wasn't very rigid. I've read
some messages from owners of the Sharp/TI machine....
Thanks,
--
Paul Close pdc@sgi.com ...!{ames, decwrl, uunet}!sgi!pdc
Oh, no! You walked into the slavering fangs of a lurking grue.kevinf@agora.rain.com (Kevin Fowler) (05/02/91)
In article <1991Apr25.225702.4078@fido.wpd.sgi.com> pdc@sgi.com (Paul Close) writes: >I have been looking through computer magazines at laptop ads, and one struck >me as being quite nice: the AST Premium Exec. I haven't heard much about >it, and the PC review was too early to include one. SOme of the nice >features: > > 12 MHz 286, *upgradable* to 20 MHz 386 SX > Sidelit triple-twist LCD VGA screen > 3.5" floppy drive > 20 or 40 MB hard drive > 3 hour (?) battery > 6-1/2 lbs. > >I was wondering if anyone has one, or has seen one. The first question is >always "Does the battery last as long as they say it will". The next is >simply "how do you like it?" > >Paul Close pdc@sgi.com ...!{ames, decwrl, uunet}!sgi!pdc > Our company has purchased two AST Premium Exec 386sx notebook computers for use in the client service and production support depts. The machines are compact as would be expected, with the keyboard fairly well laid out. The display is pleasant to the eyes a easily readable, though the lcd does 'bleed' a bit when the contrast/bright adjustments are pushed to the extreme. It comes with some very friendly setup software and default hotkeys to change things such as processor speed, or lcd/external display swapping. It came with 9pin serial, 25pin parallel, as well as standard keyboard and VGA monitor connections. The machine appears to be adequately fast. I haven't had ours of the mains yet, so I can't comment on the battery life. On the negative side, the client support machine is slated for return because the Hard disk sounds like it has bad bearings. The production support machine has already been exchanged after the backlight on the first's lcd burned out, and the second production support machine has a floppy drive with a nervous twitch (it makes an audible seek-like sound every 14 seconds (talk about chinese water torture!)). One other thing I noticed that may or may not be valid (or of concern) is upon examination of the ROM (by some utility I got from somewhere), I am led to believe the ROM was written for the `286. These machines are new on the market. Hopefully in the next couple months the initial production problems will reside (if our experience is indeed a typical one). -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Kevin Fowler / kevinf@agora.rain.com | | P. O. Box 69393 This Space For Rent | | Portland OR 97201-0393 |