Intel Corporation (Santa Clara, CA) has introduced the “Tillamook” processor for low-power, high performance notebook computers. The Tillamook are 200MHz or 233MHz, MMX Pentium processors. NEC, Toshiba, Dell, AST, IBM, Compaq, Gateway 2000 and Micron will soon release notebook computers using the Tillamook processor.
Toshiba America Information Systems (Irvine, CA) makes the Portege 300CT notebook computer, with a 133MHz, MMX Pentium processor, 256K of Level 2 cache, a 1.5 Gigabyte hard drive, 32MB of EDO RAM, 2MB of video RAM, a Yamaha OPL 3-SA3 stereo sound system (16-bit), CardBus and Zoom video, a 10.4 inch ac tive-matrix screen, a lithium-ion battery, IrDA port, two stacked Type II PC Card slots, a pointing stick, and all of the normal ports. This unit weighs 4.2 pounds with the AC adapter and has a street price of $3,499. Toshiba can be contacted at 800-45 7-7777 or http://www.computer.toshiba.com.
Panasonic Personal Computer Co. (Secaucus, NJ) has the CF-35, a rugged construction 150MHz MMX Pentium processor notebook. The unit comes with 256K cache, 16MB of EDO RAM, a 12.1 inch active-matrix TFT screen, a modular bay that holds a floppy drive or a 10X CD-ROM drive, a lithium-ion battery, a t ouch pad pointing device, an IrDA port, Zoomed video support, stacked Type II PC Card slots and normal external ports. The unit weighs 4.9 pounds and retails for $4,599. Panasonic can be reached at 800-662-3537 or www.panasonic.com/ruggedpc.
Unisys Corporation (San Jose, CA) makes the Alqluanta VN, a 133MHz Pentium notebook with a 1 Gigabyte hard drive, a 3.5 inch floppy drive, 16MB of RAM (expandable to 64MB), 256K of external cache, a CD-ROM drive, a 12.1 inch active-matrix screen and a lithium-ion battery. The unit weigh s about 7½ pounds. With 16MB of RAM and a NiMH (Nickel Metal Hydride) battery the price starts at $1,750. Unisys can be contacted at 888-278-2682 or www.unisys.com.
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Japan Palmtop Direct (Japan) is offering the Toshiba Libretto 60CT with a 150MHZ Pentium processor, a 3.1 Gigabyte hard drive, 32MB of RAM, a 6.1 inch TFT active-matrix screen, a lithium-ion battery with hotswap capability, built-in sound card and a Type II PC Card slot. Windows 9 5 is included in this 8.3 inch by 4.5 inch by 1.3 inch unit that weighs 1.9 pounds. The problem with this unit is the price. Japan Palmtop wants $5,290 for this gem. Japan Palmtop can be reached at 800-641-5996 or www.mmjp.or.jp/jpd.l.
On the other hand, Mobile Planet, CompUSA and Computer Discount Warehouse are selling the Libretto 50CT with a 75MHz Pentium processor, 16MB of EDO RAM (expandable to 32MB), an external 3.5 inch PC Card floppy drive, a Type II PC Card slot, an 810MB hard drive (formats to 772MB), and an AccuPoint pointing device. Mobile Planet’s price is $2,249, CompUSA’s price is $1,999.95 and CDW’s price is $1,959.45. Mobile Planet can be contacted at 800-675-+2368, CompUSA can be reached at 800-598-5590 and CDW can be contacted at 800-664-4239 or www.cdw.com.
Nimantics, Inc. (Irvine, CA) has the Persona (move over Toshiba), a 2.65 pound subnotebook with a 120MHz or a 133MHz processor, an 8.4 inch TFT (Thin Film Transistor) screen, 16MB of RAM, an 810MB or a 1 Gigabyte hard drive, integrated speakers with 16-bit sound, three PC Card slot s and a lithium-ion battery. The Persona runs Windows 95 as its operating system. These unit sell for $1,999 to $2,299. Nimanticcs can be reached at 800-646-5005 or www.nimantics.com.
Digital Equipment Corporation (Maynard, MA) makes the HiNote Ultra 2000, a notebook computer with a 166MHz MMX Pentium processor, 32MB of RAm (expandable to 144MB), a 2.1 Gigabyte hard drive, a 20X CD-ROM drive, a 33.6Kbps U.S. Robotics modem, two speakers, two Type II PC Card slots, an RJ-45 plu g (for Ethernet) and a 12-cell lithium-ion battery (with 4 to 6 hours of use). The price for this unit is $6,000. Digital Equipment can be contacted at 800-722-9332.
By the time you read this column I should be at Fall Comdex, in Las Vegas, looking forward to many new and interesting items to tell you about. Many of the vendors displaying these new products at Comdex promise to send information, which never arrives. I pickup what I can find at the show, but I’m limited as to what I can carry home, along with the luggage. I keep hoping that they will followup on their promises; however, after many years of Comdex, I don’t expect their performance to improve. As a lways, we will do what we can and find some interesting things to tell you about.
Chuck Horowitz is a HAL-PC member.
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