Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!laird
From: laird@think.com (Laird Popkin)
Subject: Re: HP-32S II Curiosity
Message-ID: <1991May2.190426.20539@Think.COM>
Sender: news@Think.COM
Organization: Thinking Machines Corporation, Cambridge MA, USA
References: <51123@apple.Apple.COM> <7360104@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM>
Date: Thu, 2 May 91 19:04:26 GMT

In article <7360104@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM> rrd@hpfcso.FC.HP.COM (Ray Depew) writes:
>>And as far as "they don't duplicate other company's work" you must be
>>kidding.  HP makes some pretty good IBM _clones_ (unless you consider an
>>almost unused IR "touchscreen" on some models fundamental innovation).  
>
>True.  Some people can even afford them.  (Not me...)
>
>May I offer a slight correction to the following statement (most of which
>I agree with, and official HP probably would, too) ?
>
>>And the 95LX is pretty obviously HP's attempt to catch up in a market
>                                                 ^^^^^^^^
>>created by Poquet and Atari.
>
>Try "leapfrog".  Yes, the market already exists; however, this is the first
>"real" Palmtop PC -- it doesn't use "compatible" or "lookalike" software or
>OS -- it uses *real* MSDOS 3.22, *real* Lotus 1-2-3 2.2, *real* Kermit --  
>it's a *real* XT-compatible.

As I understand it, the Poquet runs "real" MS-DOS.  In any case, the use of
Microsoft's DOS and Lotus' spreadsheet is a matter of licensing as opposed
to technology.  The DOS clone in the Portfolio seems to work fine, and the
123 clone is a better spreadsheet than the ones I used back in '80.  It's
not as nifty as the latest Excel, but then neither is 123.  As far as I can
tell (not having used a 95LX yet) the PF and 95LX both seem to be equally
DOS compatible, and either is certainly sufficient for a tiny portable
extension to a desktop computer.

I said it before and I'll say it again: the 95LX is more powerful machine
than a Portfolio, but less powerful than a Portfolio, and priced somewhere
in the middle.  It may be that HP has found a better price/performance
tradeoff than either Atari or Poquet, but what the guys in Corvalis have
created is a nice addition to an existing market.

>I wish the Corvallis guys the best of luck with this *real* winner.
>Disclaimer:  I don't speak for HP.  I only work here.
                                ^^   ^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^
Wonder why he reads _this_ newsgroup.  <smile>  I think it'll be a whil
euntil we see the palmtop Connection Machine.

- Laird Popkin, Thinking Machines

Connection Machine: Massively parallel supercomputer.  Also a cool black
cube with more blinking lights than you can shake a stick at.
