Second thoughts on thinking small

Article Abstract:

People who are considering buying a portable for their first microcomputer should know that there are drawbacks in power, convenience and cost. This is especially true with new, very small 'notebook' models. Portable microcomputers cost more than desktop models do. Display screens on portables often are small and hard to read, and color screens are expensive or not available. If a miniaturized computer includes a hard disk drive and a diskette drive, weight is increased and battery life is shortened, but without such drives, a system will be inconvenient to use. Keyboards on portable machines usually compare unfavorably to keyboards on desktop models. Even a seven or eight pound computer can seem heavy after a time, and laptops or notebooks are easy to misplace or lose. Despite these factors, many people choose laptop or notebook models as their first machines. The Apple Macintosh PowerBook 170 is especially recommended. Among MS-DOS 80386SX-based machines, the Toshiba 2200SX 5.5-pound notebook is popular. The Dell 320N+, and Compaq's 386s/20 and AT&T's Safari are also recommended. For those who want a very lightweight computer, the Texas Instruments TravelMate 2000, which weighs only 4.2-pounds might be a possibility, but it comes without a disk drive.

Laptop computers, Portable computers, Laptop/Portable Computer, Hardware Selection, Miniaturization, Texas Instruments TravelMate 2000 (Portable computer), Apple Macintosh PowerBook 170 (680X0-based notebook), Toshiba T2200SX (Notebook computer), Dell Computer Dell 320N (Portable computer), Compaq Deskpro 386s/20 (Portable computer)

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Do Apple's compromises make business sense?

Article Abstract:

Apple's new Macintosh models, the Centris 610 and 650, boast of notable power at low prices but Apple has compromised on certain features that are important to business users. Both Centris models are based on the Motorola 68040 microprocessor which is roughly as powerful as the Intel 80486 chip on which many microcomputers that run Microsoft Windows are based. The entry-level Centris 610 lists for $1,859 without monitor or keyboard; if equipped with add-ons that are necessary for business use, the machine will cost almost $3,500, or higher than a comparable Intel 80486SX computer. The Centris 610's drawbacks include a limited expansion ability and the absence of a math coprocessor. The Centris 650 is a better buy for businesses in terms of expandability and performance. The 650's base price is $3,189; with add-ons such as a bigger hard disk, it could cost about $5,000.

Prepackaged software, Business, Computer industry, Product information, Apple Inc., Comparison, Price, Apple Macintosh Centris 610 (680X0-based system), Apple Macintosh Centris 650 (680X0-based system)

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Dispatches from the bus wars

Article Abstract:

Competition between Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) and Micro Channel Architecture (MCA) was a major issue at Comdex-Fall, held in Las Vegas, NV, in Nov 1989. Debate over these rival 'bus architectures' took on significance because several computer companies have introduced products that implement EISA. However, in spite of sales pitches about the relative merits of these architectures, two questions might be asked: 'What will it allow me to do that I cannot already do?' and 'Do I really need to do those things?' To take full advantage of either MCA or EISA, a user needs 32-bit add-in cards for memory, networking control or communications. Only MCA boards will fit in MCA-based computers, so an MCA user must buy new cards. EISA machines will accept 16-bit cards, but using them would negate the value of the new 32-bit architecture.

Evaluation, Buses (Transportation), Comdex, 1989 AD, End users, column, Bus conductors (Electricity), User Need, Competition, Buses, EISA, EISA (Computer buses), Micro Channel Architecture, Extended Industry Standard Architecture, Comdex-Fall

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