mrich@milton.acs.washington.edu (Michael Richardson) (01/16/90)
Has anyone out there had much experience yet with the new Macintosh Portable? How does the reality compare with the ad/media hype so far? Mike Richardson UW Radiology
sas@tut.cis.ohio-state.edu (Scott Sutherland) (01/16/90)
In article <1394@milton.acs.washington.edu> mrich@milton.acs.washington.edu (Michael Richardson) writes: >Has anyone out there had much experience yet with the new >Macintosh Portable? How does the reality compare with the >ad/media hype so far? I've had a Mac Portable for about a month now and I have been quite pleased with it. I would recommend it highly. Here are the main things I like and dislike about this machine. First the DISLIKES - Apple should not even bother selling it with just one meg of RAM. I say this for several reasons: they include a great built-in ram disk which is controlled from the control panel and the use of which extends battery life greatly, but with only one meg of RAM, who can spare some for a ram disk? Secondly, to be realistic, more and more of the available software just is not happy running in 1 meg and you can forget about running MultiFinder without at LEAST 2 meg. To compound matters, the 1 meg upgrade from Apple is expensive even at university prices, and mine is backordered until 'spring'. So I thought, 'OK I can probably get it cheaper from a 3rd party anyway, right?' WRONG. The only 3rd party vendor I've found so far sells a 2 meg upgrade for about $1,600 and $1,300 for each additional 2 meg (choke, gasp, wheeeze). I'm sure these prices will come down as more suppliers appear, but that leaves me with one meg of RAM for now. - My only other major complaint is that it is a bit on the heavy side. It certainly is 'portable,' but there's a GOOD reason why it's not called a 'lap-top.' Without the hard disk it would be a couple of pounds lighter, but I don't consider the HD an option. Now the things I really like: - It is very compatable. I figured that I would find alot of software that wouldn't run with the new machine, but I've had far fewer problems with the portable than I have with the IIci that's on my desk at work (and those problems have been few). - I am quite satisfied with the speed of the mac Portable. I was concerned when I heard that the Portable was to be a 68000-based machine - I didn't want an expensive Mac Plus in a new box. But at 15.7 MHz, it is quick enough that it does not seem slow even after I've spent the day using the IIci at work. - The screen refresh speed is amazing! No smudge as I move the cursor or scroll text. I have not yet found any animation that makes it look like a typical LCD screen. - I get a full 8 hours of use out of the battery and it charges fully in about 2 hours. If I need more than that, I swap the battery for a fresh one (without even having to quit my application) and I'm set for 8 more hours. It also gives me lots of warning before I'm out of power, and if I am wondering how much power is left, I can just fire up the battery desk accessory and check the guage. - I like the track ball in the keyboard. In fact, I've only used the mouse (that also comes with the machine) once, and that was to make sure it worked. - Finally, the thing I like most about this machine is that it is a Macintosh. :-) I say that partly in fun, but I really wouldn't like to go back to a command-line interface or to applications that bear little or no working resemblence to each other. I am also spending a tenth the time (or less) answering cries for help from my users, and that makes me very, very happy. --- *** The above opinions are all mine. I don't speak for OSU. *** Scott Sutherland sas@cis.ohio-state.edu Staff Software Developer The Ohio State University, Department of Dance
pollack@toto.cis.ohio-state.edu (Jordan B Pollack) (01/17/90)
I played with maclaptop for a couple of hours at a local computer store. The screen is amazingly fast, because it is not really an LCD, which is multiplexed, but a Thin-film Transistor (TFT) display, apparently the first on the market. Does anyone know the (OEM) details on this screen and when it will appear in products such as other laptops and overhead projector panels? The button for the trackball is located on the bottom rather than the left of the ball, which was very awkward for me. I'm surprised that Apple let this ergonomic bug escape. I expect that heavy maclaptop users will develop a wrist disease (Carpal-something syndrome?) common in the meat packing industry! Finally, I am amazed that a hard-disk laptop could run 8 hours on a battery. Could the power requirements really be half of equivalent PC machines? -- Jordan Pollack Assistant Professor CIS Dept/OSU Laboratory for AI Research 2036 Neil Ave Email: pollack@cis.ohio-state.edu Columbus, OH 43210 Fax/Phone: (614) 292-4890
mr378022@longs.LANCE.ColoState.EDU (Michael Rael) (02/01/91)
I've seen little mention of the Macintosh Portable in this group. Is it really as much of a flop as people say? Apart from a few minuses, this machine seems to have everything an on-the-go computer user needs: long battery life, an excellent LCD screen, compatibility with virtually all Mac software, etc., etc., etc. Has anyone heard any rumors about the "slimline" portable that Apple is going to introduce? Is this the result of a Sony-Apple coalition? ********************************************** * Michael Rael * * Colorado State University, Fort Collins * * e-mail: mr378022@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu * **********************************************
costello@stx.UUCP (Michael E. Costello) (02/01/91)
In article <12466@ccncsu.ColoState.EDU>, mr378022@longs.LANCE.ColoState.EDU (Michael Rael) writes: > > Has anyone heard any rumors about the "slimline" portable that Apple is going > to introduce? Is this the result of a Sony-Apple coalition? > Macweek reports three models coming in Fall 1991. *16 MHz 030; active-matrix, backlit LCD; 7 lbs; <$5000 (Mac IIsi-like) *16 MHz 020; supertwist, backlit LCD; 7 lbs.; <$4000 (Mac LC-like) *16 MHz 68000; supertwist, backlit LCD; 5.5 lbs.; <$2500 The 68000 model lacks a floppy disk. Longer-range prediction: the Mac Companion, -030 based, touch input and DSP, 3.5 lbs., sometime in 1992. ==>Michael Costello costello@world.std.com ==>BCS*Mac, The Boston Computer Society Macintosh User Group ==>P.O. Box 2591; Woburn, MA 01888 617-631-8188