pmorriso@gara.une.oz.au (Perry Morrison MATH) (01/22/90)
Here in Oz, tandy are selling their old model 102 laptops for $499 ($US= $400). It is a discount of about %40. I assume they come with the "standard" amount of memory (no details in the ad). Is this a good deal or is this machine just too ancient? I'd like something just for text entry and uploading to a larger machine. It's lightness and size have always been appealing, especially when flying on business. However, do the newer generation of laptops make it a joke? Obviously cost factors in Oz are not well known at the moment, so price comparisons with new machines aren't much of a guide. What is the onboard software like? I haven't had a play yet and may or may not depending on the array of responses I get. Any comments appreciated.
ttak@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Timothy Takahashi) (01/23/90)
In article <1368@gara.une.oz.au> pmorriso@gara.une.oz.au (Perry Morrison MATH) writes: > Here in Oz, tandy are selling their old model 102 laptops for >$499 ($US= $400). It is a discount of about %40. I assume they come with >the "standard" amount of memory (no details in the ad). > Is this a good deal or is this machine just too ancient? > I'd like something just for text entry and uploading to a larger >machine. It's lightness and size have always been appealing, especially >when flying on business The Tandy 102 has a full featured version of Microsoft BASIC in ROM, a simple telcommunications program TELCOM and ADRESS and SCHEDULE modes for their text editor, TEXT (all of this is in ROM). The cassette interface is reliable. The keyboard is decent. The screen is fairly legable - more so IMHO than the Toshiba 1000's. It's light. The batteries las a while. CON : Built in Modem only 300 baud Telcom is rudimentary - no Kermit/XMODEM Software not too plentiful However, for what it does, it performs well. If you buy a T1000, you'd sort of be able to run windows, Lotus, et.al. but without a hard drive, an MSDOS pc is limited. tim takahashi .
jmc10392@uxa.cso.uiuc.edu (01/23/90)
Well there are a lot of varing opinions out there I bet but I am one satisfied customer. Before buying a Tandy 102 (or for that manner any computer) first sit down and compile a list of needs you have in a computer. Rank these needs and desires and then go exploring. I was looking for a small sized computer which I could use to write most of the types of papers which I am required to write. Also I wanted a computer which could perform as a terminal for calling the campus mainframe. Finally I wanted a computer which would continue to be useful even after my needs for computer power grow. I wanted this in a package less than $1000(US). I found that Tandy filled all these needs. I have 32K of memory in which I can write a 15 page paper and with the addition of a disk drive ($200) and WriteROM ($100) I am able to write quite sofisticated documents ranging up to a 100 page office manual. The computer is small enough and has a long enough battery life (8hrs per set of 4 AA batteries or 4hrs for rechargeables) that I can take it to class and take notes or to the library and do research.The main limitation of the computer is its 8x40 screen which causes my note to go on and on. Don't believe that the Tandy is perfect because it is not, but it a useful computer which I will continue to use even when I finally get enough money to buy that 386. If you want to know more send a note to mariano@uiuc.edu and I will gladly fill your mailbox fuller than I filled this notesfile! Jeff Cortez University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign mariano@uiuc.edu
silvert@cs.dal.ca (Bill Silvert) (01/23/90)
In article <4873@ur-cc.UUCP> ttak@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Timothy Takahashi) writes: (in connection with the Tandy 102) >CON : Built in Modem only 300 baud > Telcom is rudimentary - no Kermit/XMODEM > Software not too plentiful I have run a PD program on the Model 100 which supports Xmodem file transfers, and it may run on the 102 also (it does NOT run on the 200). There are sources of m100 software in the US, but I haven't pursued them so I can't say too much about their current status. I have both a 100 and a 200 which make convenient notebook computers for text entry. I often take one to a meeting, write down material, and then use TELCOM to transfer to my Unix system. They don't offer the power of an MS-DOS laptop, but they are small, light, and good at what they do. They also run for an extremely long time on 4 AA cells! You can buy a disk drive for the Tandy's, but don't expect to run it very long on battery power -- I always plug mine in. -- Bill Silvert, Habitat Ecology Division. Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, NS, Canada B2Y 4A2 UUCP: ...!{uunet,watmath}!dalcs!biomel!bill Internet: bill%biomel@cs.dal.CA BITNET: bill%biomel%dalcs@dalac