Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!samsung!munnari.oz.au!uhccux!yuan From: yuan@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu (Yuan 'Hacker' Chang) Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops Subject: Re: laptop or portable with hard disk Summary: Packard Bell 286LP Message-ID: <6502@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu> Date: 7 Feb 90 10:23:26 GMT References: <151@mnopltd.UUCP> Reply-To: yuan@uhccux.uhcc.hawaii.edu (Yuan 'Hacker' Chang) Organization: Univ. of Barbarians. Honolulu, Hawaii Lines: 38 In article <151@mnopltd.UUCP> gatech!stiatl!mnopltd!neal writes: - -Well, I have been real satisfied thus far with Packard Bell LP286. (But only -had it a week..) It has 27ms disk and does Kermit at 19200. It might also be -cheapest. I did throw some other boxes out of consideration because they -couldn't do 640x400 graphics. (although this really does 72? x 328) I happen to like the Packard Bell as a portable, but not as a laptop. Its negative points: - The NiCad battery is not easily removable, and can't be disabled w/o openning the back of the computer while you run on the AC (the battery could develope the "NiCad Memory" very fast). - The sucker weights 15 lbs. Very hard on the lap. - You get 640 x 400 only in text mode. The effective resolution is 640 x 200 in graphics mode. In other word, the pixels aren't individually addressable. Good points: - If you run the computer on AC and pull the plug (the plug to the wall socket, that is), the computer switches to battery automatically. Think of it as a computer with a built-in UPS. Can be a lifesaver... 8) - Connected to an exteral monitor, the computer could do CGA and Hercules (with the appropriate monitor). - A normal/reverse switch on the LCD screen so that graphics will look closer to that of a monitor (that is, white on black instead of black on white). If Packard Bell trim a few pounds off the computer, make the battery pack removable, and then add a AT&T 6300/Toshiba 3100 compatible screen mode, then it'll be the laptop to beat. For now, it's just a great portable (not laptop) in my book... -- Yuan Chang "What can go wrong, did" UUCP: {uunet,ucbvax,dcdwest}!ucsd!nosc!uhccux!yuan ARPA: uhccux!yuan@nosc.MIL "Wouldn't you like to INTERNET: yuan@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu be an _A_m_i_g_o_i_d too?!?"