Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!laird
From: laird@think.com (Laird Popkin)
Subject: Re: FAQ-List: Laptop Vendors and Prices
Message-ID: <1991Apr18.205331.5970@Think.COM>
Sender: news@Think.COM
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
References: <12681@pt.cs.cmu.edu>
Date: Thu, 18 Apr 91 20:53:31 GMT

In article <12681@pt.cs.cmu.edu> mkant@glinda.oz.cs.cmu.edu (Mark Kantrowitz) writes:
>The enclosed lists (of laptop prices, laptop vendors, etc) could be
>the start of a FAQ list. Send corrections, updates, suggestions for
>additional questions (with answers), etc., to mkant@cs.cmu.edu. I'm
>especially interested in replacing the list prices in this list with
>approximate street prices.
>
>--mark
>
>;;; ****************************************************************
>;;; Laptop Prices **************************************************
>;;; ****************************************************************
>
>;;; ********************************
>;;; Key ****************************
>;;; ********************************
>Size/Weight Classification:
>	Portable (P):  	> 10 lbs
>	Laptop (L):    	6-9 lbs
>	Notebook (N):  	< 6 lbs, 8.5" x 11" x 2" (or pretty darn close)
>	Handheld (H):  	< 2 lbs, 9" x 4" x 1"
>
>Display:
>	Backlit (B), Sidelit (S)
>	EGA (E), CGA (C), VGA (V)
>	640x200 (H), 640x480 (F)

        Smaller (S)

>	
>Power:
>	Battery Type:
>		C-Cells (C), AA Cells (A), Nicad (N), Lead-Acid (L)
>	Battery Life in Hours: 
>		Short (S): 1-3
>		Medium (M): 4-6
>		Long (L): 7-12
>		Extra-Long (X): >> 12
>
>Memory:	RAM/Hard-Disk/Floppy

Should include expansion options somewhere, too.

>Processor: Name (Speed)
>	
>Name:Processor:Memory:Price:modem:battery:display
>
>Standard for bare-bones model
>
>Prices are list prices, or street prices when available.

These should be differentiated between -- otherwise people end up comparing
the street prices of some machines to the list prices of others without
knowing which is which.

>;;; ********************************
>;;; Handhelds: *********************
>;;; ********************************
>Ataria Portfolio         	      128K             $ 300          XA

I believe that the Atari Portfolio uses an 80C88 running at 4.77 MHz.
Street prices have been reported in the $225 range.  In case you want to
list expansion capabilities, the PF uses SRAM cards (32K-128K), and can be
expanded to a 640K RAM 20 Mb HD system.

>Poqet PC	    80C88  (7 MHz)    512K  IC         $1099	      XA  CH

I thought that the Poquet listed for about $1450.  Or is this a street
price?  If so, I may have to look into it again.

Aside from that, the list looks quite useful.

- Laird Popkin (laird@think.com)