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From: jeff@eng.umd.edu (Jeffrey Frey)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Ultralite
Message-ID: <1991Mar7.135645.4632@eng.umd.edu>
Date: 7 Mar 91 13:56:45 GMT
Sender: news@eng.umd.edu (C-News)
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park, MD
Lines: 31

The problem with the original Ultralite is the absolute lack of nonvolatile
storage.  The Ultralite originally sold for around $2K (1M version discounted)
and was a short-trm hit becauase of its light weight and power per unit volume.
The display is pretty good (not VGA but comfortably bright).

Remember that all data and/or programs have to be stored on those RAMcards
which are volatile, i.e., lose their data when their built-in batteries run
down.  Whether this is a problem or not depends on use patterns.  DAK also
is offering nonvolatile ROMc
is offering nonvolatile ROM versions of some software but the pricess are
prety high.

The incremental $200 for an extra 1M of memory also seems high these days.

Basically, I don't trust volatile storage at all, and don't even trust
built-in HDs on laptops.  The former are battery-dependent and the latter
can be easily damaged, especizlly in a laptop.  My own preference is for
some kind of nonvolatile backup for any thin I may produce on the road,
e.g., a 3.5" or 2" floppy.

I notice the T1000SE is getting down to around $750 in NYC.  (I saw
the Japanese version for $700 in Tjokyo in January).  Perhaps Toshiba is
going to revamp the line and, in any case, the dollar has strengthened quite
a bit in the last few months.  Although it's bigger and heavier, the T1000SE
would seem to be a good bet for a modest portable wordprocessor.  

Apologies for the egregious typos!  I know very little about vi, EMACS
is not available, and whever I try to correct an error whole paragraphs
disappear!

Jeff