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From: pastor@PRC.Unisys.COM (Jon Pastor)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Subject: Re: Notebook Manufacturers Listen Up!
Message-ID: <17556@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM>
Date: 9 May 91 14:09:14 GMT
References: <1991May04.204037.21028@eng.cam.ac.uk> <1104@rna.UUCP>
Sender: news@PRC.Unisys.COM
Reply-To: pastor@PRC.Unisys.COM (Jon Pastor)
Organization: Unisys Corporation, Paoli Research Center; Paoli, PA
Lines: 24

I must have missed the original posting, but here are my thoughts:

- with a modem (built-in, power-consuming only when in use...), a serial
  port, and Laplink in ROM -- as well as an optional disk to plug into at
  home -- is a floppy necessary?  Who wouldn't rather have, say, a couple
  of MB of hardRAM?  More, maybe; if the street price of RAM is $80/MB, a
  manufacturer could afford to load you up.
- memory expandability using non-proprietary memory; Toshiba expandibility
  is fine if you don't mind getting ripped off even for third-party memory.
  check out the cost of taking a T2000 to 9 MB -- you could buy a second
  laptop!  How about using SIMMs?...
- DOS (*FULL* DOS, Toshiba!  not half of it.) in ROM
- 9x12x1.5 is fine -- AND, it lets you have a full keyboard (with cursor
  keys *and* page up/down, end, and home, rather than emulating the latter)
- 4-5 pounds is fine
- VGA, with 50-line mode; grey-scales not necessary, if that increases cost
- a REASONABLY-PRICED external hard-drive
- multiple battery options -- custom rechargeable, off-the-shelf rechargeable, 
  disposable -- along with the ability to change batteries without shutting 
  machine off (shouldn't be hard to do with a small backup battery, or two
  banks of batteries that are alternated).
- I'd pay up to $1000 for this machine, if it existed -- and for that, they 
  should be able to put in a 286 (or maybe even a 386SX, if they don't have 
  spring for hard drive, floppy drive, disk controller, etc.)