arie@dip.eecs.umich.edu (Arie Covrigaru) (09/22/90)
I am looking into buying a portable computer to use on the road, but since the Mac portable is so expensive and my needs on the road do not require all the features of a Mac, I am thinking that a small and cheaper portable will suffice. On the other hand I use Macs at the office and at home so I would like to be able to transfer data between the Mac and the portable with ease. What are the most common portable that do that and what is the common procedure (software as well as hardware) that lets the portable and the Mac exchange data? Please respond to the net since I believe that this is an issue that others would like to know about beside myself. Thanks for your comments. -- ============================================================================= Arie Covrigaru | Internet: arie@eecs.umich.edu University of Michigan AI Lab | 1101 Beal Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109 =============================================================================
gabe@ctr.columbia.edu (Gabe Wiener) (09/23/90)
In article <1990Sep22.161616.23028@zip.eecs.umich.edu> arie@dip.eecs.umich.edu (Arie Covrigaru) writes: >What are the most common portable that do that and what is the >common procedure (software as well as hardware) that lets the >portable and the Mac exchange data? This is a tough question that has been plaguing mac owners for years. Exchanging data is technically no problem. It's a snap to get two computers to "talk to each other" and spit ascii back and forth. The problem occurs when you try to get formatting info to transfer back and forth. That problem has been abated somewhat in recent years by a program called LapLink Mac, which can read files from MS Dos laptops and convert the formatting info into MacWrite or MS Word format. Therefore, if you're looking for something to tap text into and then shoot it over into the mac, any <gasp> MS DOS laptop should do. If I had to buy one now, I'd probably look at the NEC UltraLite. It's about $1,600, is ridiculously small, has a 2 meg digital hard drive, and a built-in modem. More than enough for transferring data to the mac, and great for checking into the net while on the road! :-) Of course, any MS-DOS laptop will work OK. -- Gabe Wiener - Columbia Univ. "This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings gabe@ctr.columbia.edu to be seriously considered as a means of gmw1@cunixd.cc.columbia.edu communication. The device is inherently of 72355.1226@compuserve.com no value to us." -Western Union memo, 1877
isr@rodan.acs.syr.edu (Michael S. Schechter - ISR group account) (02/21/91)
In article <1990Sep23.032119.1767@ctr.columbia.edu> gabe@ctr.columbia.edu (Gabe Wiener) writes: >In article <1990Sep22.161616.23028@zip.eecs.umich.edu> arie@dip.eecs.umich.edu (Arie Covrigaru) writes: >>What are the most common portable that do that and what is the >>common procedure (software as well as hardware) that lets the >>portable and the Mac exchange data? >Therefore, if you're looking for something to tap text into and then shoot >it over into the mac, any <gasp> MS DOS laptop should do. If I had to buy rather than spend lots of money on a DOS laptop, if you only want to "tap text" then pick up one of the Radio Shack "notebooks" We have the model 300, i believe it is, and it works pretty good. and it only cost 250 or 300. it has a built in comm program to upload/ download files into Microphone or whatever Mac comm program you may want to use. The only problem is that it'll need a custom cable made to connect to your Mac. Of course, if you want to kill some brain cells learning messy-dos, than go right and buy a DOS laptop. Mike Schechter Systems Engineer ISR -- InterNet:Mike_Schechter@isr.syr.edu BITNET: SENSORY@SUNRISE
rush@mnementh.metaphor.com (Ed Rush) (03/05/91)
>>>What are the most common portable that do that and what is the >>>common procedure (software as well as hardware) that lets the >>>portable and the Mac exchange data? >>... >rather than spend lots of money on a DOS laptop, if you only >want to "tap text" then pick up one of the Radio Shack "notebooks" >We have the model 300, i believe it is, and it works pretty good. >and it only cost 250 or 300. it has a built in comm program to upload/ >download files into Microphone or whatever Mac comm program you >may want to use. The only problem is that it'll need a custom cable >made to connect to your Mac. I looked into the Radio Shack "notebook" but found that it is limited to about 32KB RAM when you buy it and 128KB at maximum expansion. At 4 to 5KB per printed page, that just wasn't enough for me without a floppy or hard drive, and those add too much bulk and weight. I would like something with 256 or more KB that weighs a trifle. ----------------------------------------- Ed Rush, employed by but not speaking for Metaphor Computers, Mtn. View, CA UUCP: [...!{apple|decwrl}!]metaphor!mnementh!rush Internet: rush@mnementh.metaphor.com ----------------------------------------- Calm down, everyone, it's only ones and zeroes.
francis@uchicago.edu (Francis Stracke) (03/06/91)
In article <2105@metaphor.Metaphor.COM> rush@mnementh.metaphor.com (Ed Rush) writes: I looked into the Radio Shack "notebook" but found that it is limited to about 32KB RAM when you buy it and 128KB at maximum expansion. At 4 to 5KB per printed page, that just wasn't It's more like 2K when you don't have any formatting and such, isn't it? (Which is *definitely* going to be the case on one of those thingies. :-) (250 words/page)*(5 chars/word + 1 space/word)=1500 bytes/page. Your mileage may vary. (This is double-spaced.) Or, of course, you could wait for Big Blue to come out with their implementation of GO's system. (What's it called--PencilPoint? Think that's it. It's basically a smart notebook--see a recent Byte. Looks *very* nice.) Shouldn't cost more than about 10-15 times as much. :-) -- /=============================================================================\ | Francis Stracke | My opinions are my own. I don't steal them.| | Department of Mathematics |=============================================| | University of Chicago | Until you stalk and overrun, | | francis@zaphod.uchicago.edu | you can't devour anyone. -- Hobbes | \=============================================================================/
dnsurber@lescsse.uucp (Douglas Surber) (03/08/91)
In <2105@metaphor.Metaphor.COM> rush@mnementh.metaphor.com (Ed Rush) writes: > I would like something with 256 or >more KB that weighs a trifle. The most recent DAK catalog lists an NEC Ultralight with 640KB RAM, a 1MB silicone disk, and DOS and LapLink in ROM for $699. It weighs about 6 pounds, has a full size keyboard, backlit supertwist display and accepts popular software in special ROM cards. If I had $700 I'd get one. -- Douglas Surber Internet: lobster!lescsse!dnsurber@menudo.uh.edu Lockheed (LESC) UUCP: lobster!lescsse!dnsurber SSE SSFP NASAmail: dnsurber/jsc/nasa Houston, Texas Phone: 713-283-5195