Path: utzoo!censor!geac!torsqnt!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!NSTN.NS.CA!cs.dal.ca!dal1!osler
From: osler@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Upgrading from a T1000SE to a SHARP PC-4721, advice please
Keywords: T1000SE, PC-4721, upgrade
Message-ID: <2387@ac.dal.ca>
Date: 3 Dec 90 11:23:35 GMT
Reply-To: osler@ac.dal.ca
Lines: 55
Organisation: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada


  Upgrading from a T1000SE, advice please

   I am a very satisfied T1000SE user except that my need for a 
 hard disk drive in my laptop continues to increase. My applications 
 were mainly  terminal emulation with EM4105 and word processing 
 with WORDSTAR. However, as the writing stage of my thesis begins 
 I have started using WP 5.1 and FREELANCE 3.1, the former is a 
 nuisance and the latter impossibble to run with my standard T1000SE 
 configuration. I have explored the ugrading options for the T1000SE, 
 namely adding the 2mB RAM card or adding an external hard drive 
 through the 100 pin port, but both of these options are fairly 
 expensive given that I believe I can sell my machine and buy another 
 with the features I desire for roughly the cost of the upgrade. 

   In the Toshiba line, the T1000XE by itself, won't suit my needs since
 I will frequently require a floppy. I could buy an external floppy 
 for the T1000XE, but why bother when the T1000LE is soon arriving 
 and my guess is that the T1000XE will likely go the way of the T1100 
 - discontinued! However, as a student the T1000SE and T1000XE are 
 available to me at educational discount while the T1000LE, being a 
 new release, is not. And the 1200XE, is just too expensive. So my
 dilemna unfolds...

   I have started to consider purchasing a machine outside the 
 Toshiba line. I was interested in recent comments in this 
 newsgroup about the Tandy 1500HD, but according to a local store 
 it is not yet available in Canada and no expected date of arrival 
 could be given. 

   One machine which did catch my eye is the SHARP PC-4721
 backlit LCD 640x400 triple supertwist
 10 MHz 8088 
 20 MB HD
 3.5 inch 1.44 MB floppy
 640 KB RAM, expandable to 1.6 MB   
 parallel and serial ports
 and an empty slot for a modem, or 2nd serial port, or CRT adapter
 weight: 8lbs
 price: $ 2054 Cdn, (educational price)

  Does anyone have any experience with this machine or any 
  SHARP computers? 
  
  Can anyone suggest another machine which I should be considering? 
  price is a factor (max $2200 Cdn, or $1600 US)
  
  Can anyone find flaws in my reasoning to get anyway from the Toshiba 
  line? I don't really want to, but don't see any alternative.
  
  Thanks in advance,

 John Osler                        osler@ac.dal.ca
 Dalhousie University 
 Halifax, Nova Scotia