by Chuck Horowitz
Chem USA Corporation (Newark, CA) makes the ChemBook 6000 series of notebooks. These units have a 233MHz Mobile Pentium II processor (which can be upgraded in the future), 16MB of RAM (expandable to 144MB), 512KB of external cache, a 2 Gigabyte hard drive, a removable 1.44 MB floppy drive swappable with a 20X CD-ROM. This bay also accommodates an optional DVD, an LS120, a Zip drive or magneto-optical modules. The unit has a 12.1 inch SVGA active-matrix screen or a 13.3 inch XGA screen, built-in Sound Blaster Pro compatible sound, an IrDA port, a USB port, a game/MIDI port, an EPP/ECP parallel port and a lithium-ion battery. This 7.5 pound notebook starts at $4,590. Chem USA can be contacted at 510-608-8818 or www.chemusa.com.
Micro Express, Inc. (Irvine, CA) is now shipping a notebook with a 15.1 inch screen. The NPII/266 has a 15.1 inch screen with a 266MHz Pentium II processor, 64MB of RAM, a 3 Gigabyte hard drive, a modular drive bay that holds a floppy drive, a second hard drive, an LS120 drive or a Zip drive. The price for this unit is $3,499. Micro Express can be reached at 800-989-9900 or www.microexpress.net.
Oracle Corporation (Redwood Shores, CA) and 3Com Corporation’s Palm Computing, Inc. (Santa Clara, CA) have formed a partnership to integrate Oracle’s Oracle Lite Client Database and 3Com’s handheld devices. Users of Oracle Lite will be able to synchronize and share data with applications on the Palm III and PalmPilot devices with data in an Oracle8 database. This integration will also be extended to the IBM WorkPad PC (licensed from 3Com) and devices from Symbol Technologies (also licensed from 3Com). Oracle can be contacted at 650-507-7000 or www.oracle.com and 3Com can be reached at 408-764-5000 or www.3com.com.
Compaq Computer Corporation (Houston, TX) has the Armada 7800, with a 266mhz Pentium II processor, a 14.1 inch TFT screen with XGA resolution and a 8 Gigabyte hard drive. All this weighs a hefty 9.3 pounds and is priced at $5,359. Compaq can be contacted at 800-345-1518 or www.compaq.com/products/ portables.
Umax Technologies, Inc. (Fremont, CA) has introduced a new ActionBook 320T. This notebook has a 233MHz MMX Pentium processor, 12.1 inch TFT screen, 32MB of RAM, a 3.2 Gigabyte hard drive, a 24X CD-ROM and a 56Kbps modem. Umax has priced this unit at $1,699 and they can be reached at 888-815-8629 or www.umax.com.
Axial Technologies, Inc. (Minneapolis, MN) makes the Travel Zip, a smaller, lighter version of Iomega’s Zip drive. This drive can connect to any notebook with a Type II PCMCIA Version 2.1 slot. The drive is 0.7 inches by 4.0 inches by 6.0 inches and weighs 10.6 ounces. The Travel Zip is a standard IDE drive and is capable of moving about 3.5 Mbps for large single files. It draws 5 volts from the PC Card slot, which uses up about 20 minutes of battery life. The price for the Travel Zip is $299. Axial can be contacted at 612-535-6339 or axialtech.com.
Microtech International, Inc. has the Mii Zip, a drive similar to Axial’s Travel Zip. This drive measures 5.8 inches by 4 inches by 0.6 inches and weighs 11 ounces. Microtech can be reached at 800-340-0197 or myzip@microtech.com.
Panasonic Computer Peripherals Co. (Secaucus, NJ) makes the KXL-810A, a 20X portable CD-ROM drive. It measures 5.5 inches by 1.0 inches by 6.4 inches and weighs 12 ounces. It can be powered from the PC Card slot or from AC power. Connection to the notebook is with a SCSI-2 PC Card or the SCSI adapter. The cost for the KXL-810A is $399. Panasonic can be contacted at 800-742-8086 or www.panasonic.com.
Pentax Technologies Corporation (Broomfield, CO) sells the PocketJet II portable thermal printer. It’s a raster printer with no memory limitations. Measuring 2.2 inches by 1.2 inches by 10.0 inches and weighs 1.1 pounds with the battery. The printer comes with a rechargeable NiCad battery, a universal AC adapter/charger, an AC power cord, a parallel interface cable and a carrying case. There is an optional IrDA module and a DC adapter. The PocketJet sells for $399. Pentax can be reached at 303-460-1600 or www.pentaxtec.com.
Chuck Horowitz is a HAL-PC member and can be reached at 713-739-4893, BrisAssoc@aol.com or chuckh@hal-pc.org. n
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