Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!paperboy!hsdndev!cmcl2!phri!rna!dan
From: dan@rna.UUCP (Dan Ts'o)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: Notebook Manufacturers Listen Up!
Message-ID: <1104@rna.UUCP>
Date: 5 May 91 18:01:28 GMT
References: <1991May04.204037.21028@eng.cam.ac.uk>
Reply-To: dan@rna.UUCP (Root Beer)
Organization: Rockefeller University Neurobiology
Lines: 51

In article <1991May04.204037.21028@eng.cam.ac.uk> dscy@eng.cam.ac.uk (D.S.C. Yap) writes:
>The following are the specifications for a notebook computer that will
>appeal immeasurably to the tens of thousands of technical
>professionals out there who use computers as an integral part of their
>work.
>
>o dimensions, 8.5" x 11" x 1"
>
>o 8 or 10 MHz  80C88, 80C86 or V20
>
>o MS-DOS compatible
>
>o 1.44 MB disk drive, try to make this as fast as possible, the floppy
>  drives I've used in laptops have been notoriously slow.
>
>o 1 MB ram expandable to 2MB, must be LIM/EMS 4.0 compatible
>
>o 4+ hr battery life, _must_have_sleep/resume_key
>
>o 1 serial port
>
>o Total weight: 3 to 3.5 lbs, I'm adamant on this, it will be the thing
>  that'll make the whole thing work; people will buy it based on this
>  alone.  Trust me on this, I'm very smart. ;-)


	Agreed, almost totally. (Except the part about being smart :-)).
	My slight deviations are that

	- I would still like either a hard disk or enough RAM for a
non-volatile RAM disk (a la T1000SE). The 3Mb on the T1000SE is pretty good.
	- I don't want to have to boot DOS from floppy. So either the hard disk
or MSDOS in ROM.
	- Toshiba-like auto-resume is a must.
	- Of course, a decent keyboard. Again T1000SE is good enough.
	- Even lighter than 3.5 lbs wins BIG points. How about < 2 lbs ?
	- Slightly thinner would be better, too.
	- Although $500 would be nice, I'm willing to spend $800.

	The T1000SE comes close. However, it is too heavy (6-7lbs) and has too
poor battery life (2 hours). If Toshiba could do slight modifications to
reduce the weight of the T1000SE and allow double nickel hydride batteries (in
lieu of modem, a la T1000LE), we could have it. Why is it that the Compac
can get 5 hours of life from its battery while Toshiba can only get 2 hours ?

				Cheers,
				Dan Ts'o		212-570-7671
				Dept. Neurobiology	dan@rna.rockefeller.edu
				Rockefeller Univ.	...phri!rna!dan
				1230 York Ave.		tso@rockvax.bitnet
				NY, NY 10021