Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!stanford.edu!leland.Stanford.EDU!jessica.stanford.edu!aaron
From: aaron@jessica.stanford.edu (Aaron Wallace)
Subject: Re: Tandy WP-2 laptop
Message-ID: <1991May13.155354.23445@leland.Stanford.EDU>
Sender: Aaron Wallace
Organization: Academic Information Resources
References: <1106@rna.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 13 May 91 15:53:54 GMT
Lines: 33

In article <1106@rna.UUCP> dan@rna.UUCP (Dan Ts'o) writes:
>
>	In the quest for the cheapest, lightest laptop, one option is the
>Tandy WP-2. It is NOT a MSDOS machine. It is just a word processor + comm
>machine. It is light (3lbs), thin (1"), cheap ($350), has a real keyboard,
>has spelling checker and thesaurus, runs on standard AA batteries, can take
>an optional external floppy.
>	It is not the perfect machine by any means, but if you just need to
>type in text and do remote dialup while on the road, it is a cheap and
>minimally bulky way to go.

I too was looking at this machine.  I like the physical aspect, but the
one I played with was impossibly slow to type on when inserting text--the
letters appeared about 1 or 2 per second.

I'd also recommend the Laser PC/4.  This too is not a DOS machine.  It runs
off 4 AA batteries for about 40 hours, weighs about 2 pounds, has a very 
readable 4x40 screen, has 32K of static memory, and 2 meg of ROM with
various applications, such as a spelling checker, work processor, PC4->PC
link software, Lotus-like spreadsheet, BASIC, and various appointment/scheduler
type things.  All for $249.  My only nit with the machine is that the key-
board's feel takes some getting used to, but it's miles above anything on a
Portfolio or Boss/Wizard thing.  It's definitely touch-typable.  To get one
of these, you'll need to contact Laser directly--and I don't have their
number with me.  Oh, you also get some PC Tools software and all necessary
cables with the machine.

If I hadn't just gotten hooked on my $300 MiniSport, I'd still haul it around
with me; at 6 lbs and 3 hours of mattery life in the MiniSport, the PC4 may
yet see more life!!!

Aaron Wallace