Path: utzoo!censor!geac!jtsv16!uunet!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!cs.utexas.edu!execu!sequoia!job From: job@sequoia.UUCP (Mark Job) Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops Subject: Re: Market Study for laptops and your input? Summary: Another laptop wish list Keywords: Laptops, wishlist, design Message-ID: <8085@sequoia.UUCP> Date: 8 Feb 90 17:37:40 GMT References: <1777@apt.UUCP> <7924@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> Reply-To: job@sequoia.UUCP () Distribution: usa Organization: Execucom Systems Corp., Austin, Texas Lines: 55 In article <7924@cbnewsh.ATT.COM> wcs@cbnewsh.ATT.COM (Bill Stewart 201-949-0705 erebus.att.com!wcs) writes: >In article <1777@apt.UUCP> brian@apt.UUCP (Brian Litzinger) writes: >]My company is about to commence a market study of laptop computers >]for one of our clients. >]Do the readers of this group wish to have an opportunity to offer >]their opinions on laptops, their designs, and the features they'd >]like to see in future laptop designs? >]Or is it improper to use this forum for such a purpose? > Seems OK, especially if you publish a summary. Hope your client approves this. > >Now, as to what I'd like to see in a laptop: > >small, light, cheap, powerful all at once (of course!) My summary wishes: minimum of 386SX processor (387/Weitek socket) 2M memory expandable to 12+M w/SIMMS (at non-ripoff price) color display (a la NEC Prospeed CSX) only if cost-effective else page-white VGA display SIMULTANEOUS display on laptop screen and out VGA port 2 serial ports (one modem, one other) and 1 parallel Laplink3 in ROM FAST 40M (or larger) hard disk under 12 pounds battery powered, minimum 3 hour life batteries that can be changed on the fly (w/o power down) whatever shielding is necessary to get FAA approval for in-flight use, and make it OK to pass thru airport security check 8 or 16-bit ISA slot(s) would be nice universal auto-sensing 100-240V 50/60 cycle power supply in charger Oh, yes, the price should be under $3750... > >MODULARITY!! > In particular, design should be modular, with reasonably > priced modules - the Tandy and Toshiba-1200 strategy of a > floppy-only model and a $1000-extra hard disk model > strikes me as gouging. Unless you're going to compete in [Bill goes on to make several good points, all of which I second, except for the GrIdPaD - no smudgescreens for me please] Another thing: don't waste any time designing yet another outrageously priced proprietary modem card. Touchbase and others have that licked with their 9Volt battery powered family of modems. I got a WorldPort 2496 which does 2400 baud comms, 9600 baud GrpIII Fax for under $500. Ditto for Ethernet - I haven't tried Xircom's pocket Ethernet adapter, but the reviews look good. External is the way to go for comms adapters, so you don't pay again for the proprietary card each time you change to another vendor. Give me 2 serial ports instead! Lastly, a laptop this powerful can best most desktops. Put on an external key board adapter socket so I can walk into my office, plug into keyboard, VGA mon, and LAN and go... > -- --- Above is IMHO, not ESC's --*:*:*:*:*:*:*--------------------------------- UUCP: ...!cs.utexas.edu!execu!job * "As far as we know, our computer has Internet: execu!job@cs.utexas.edu * never had an undetected error." job%execu.uucp@cs.utexas.edu * - C.H. Weisert, Union Carbide Corp.