Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!gem.mps.ohio-state.edu!sunybcs!boulder!tramp!graefe
From: graefe@tramp.Colorado.EDU (GRAEFE WILLIAM S)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac
Subject: Re: The Wallaby Mac-compatible portable
Keywords: not the MacPortable, not the Colby Walk-Mac
Message-ID: <13379@boulder.Colorado.EDU>
Date: 31 Oct 89 22:58:49 GMT
References: <2224@draken.nada.kth.se> <18973@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU>
Sender: news@boulder.Colorado.EDU
Reply-To: graefe@tramp.Colorado.EDU (GRAEFE WILLIAM S)
Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
Lines: 40

In article <18973@pasteur.Berkeley.EDU> c8s-an@franny.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (Alex Lau) writes:
=In article <2224@draken.nada.kth.se> ianf@nada.kth.se (Ian Feldman) writes:
=>  In the BYTE Magazine, November issue, p. 49 there is a short notice
=>  of a new Mac-compatible Laptop called Wallaby that includes a paper-
=>  white 640-by-400 backlit LCD screen, an optional 20-meg hard drive,
=>  nonvolatile RAM-disk and other goodies in less than 10 pounds of weight,
=>  for less than US$ 3000.-
=
=>    A Wallaby isn't a Mac-clone;  it requires the use of ROMs from a
=>  Plus or SE in order to function;  the "lobotomized" main unit is
=>  still usable as long as the Wallaby-with-the-ROMS stays connected to it.  
=
=>    Has anybody on the net seen/ used/ bought it yet? 
=
=>------ ianf@nada.kth.se/ @sekth.bitnet/ uunet!nada.kth.se!ianf

I saw the Wallaby in September here in Boulder at Boulder Mac Maniacs' meeting.

A few of the notable notables:
  Someone commented that the screen looked better than a standard Mac I's.
  It comes with a thingy called an IsoPoint which substitutes for the Mouse. It
    is rather difficult to use compared to a regular mouse, but the rep said
    you get used to it in about a couple of days. It's kinda like a small
    swizzle stick sitting horizonally at the bottom of the screen that rolls
    up and down and slides back and forth. When you get to the end of the side
    to side travel, you hit a spring that sends the pointer moving at a
    constant rate. An optional non-adb mouse is available.
  Most of the machine is made from IBM PC parts, so the cost drops nicely.
  The keyboard is laid out like an standard keyboard.
  Speed is acceptable.
  It's made here in Boulder. :-)
  It only is available for use with a certain kind of machine, SE or +. (I
    don't remember which.) currently.

I was rather impressed.

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