Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops
Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!think.com!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!stanford.edu!leland.Stanford.EDU!jessica.stanford.edu!aaron
From: aaron@jessica.stanford.edu (Aaron Wallace)
Subject: Re: More on the PC4 Laptop
Message-ID: <1991May21.185221.19463@leland.Stanford.EDU>
Sender: Aaron Wallace
Organization: Academic Information Resources
References: <13772.2838e96e@ecs.umass.edu>
Date: Tue, 21 May 91 18:52:21 GMT
Lines: 158

In article <13772.2838e96e@ecs.umass.edu> pugliese@ecs.umass.edu writes:
>Hello again all,
>
>	Ive had a couple request for a summary of more info on the 
>Laser PC-4, so I thought i post a list of what the company sent me...
>here goes

I have one, and am generally very happy with it.  I'll comment where I
think appropriate below.  Keep in mind that these are my opinions,
and since I own one, I of course think it's the neatest!

>The PC-4 comes with the following software in its 2MB of ROM:
>		o Word Processor

The WP is nothing too fancy; about on line with, say, early versions of
WordStar.  It's okay for editing short files, but lacks commands for
industrial-strength navigation (such as page/paragraph up/down).  The
commands are: arrows for moving around, ^I (insert mode on/off), ^X
(delete character), ^F (find), ^S (check spelling), ^R (find and
replace), ^B (goto beginning), ^E (goto end), ^T (insert tab--no tab
key on keyboard), and ^T (thesaurus, if installed).  There are a few 
others, but nothing earth-shattering.  It wraps text for the screen
and doesn't show stuff like bold/underlining, page breaks, or such.
On the other hand, it does support printing to most dot matrix
printers and has a slew of useful dot commands for simple formatting.

Basically, for jotting down notes on a trip it's fine.  For doing
serious editing of long documents, the 4x40 screen and limited
navigation will seem a hinderance.  But I've found it very useful
for taking notes, library use, and such.  I'd expect that most users
will transfer stuff to their home PC and use that for printing/final
editing.

>		o 80,000 Word Spell Checker

A bit slow, but it's there.  YOu can check words either from "top
level" or from within the word processor.  The ^W command checks the
whole document.

>		o Lotus-compatible spreadsheet

The spreadsheet is actually quite good (althoug I may have
found a printing bug...), and I've transfered stuff to Excel
w/o a problem.  It has most functions of a simple spreadsheet.
The main problem: you only get about 2x35 of actual spreadsheet
text; the rest is the row/column heading and formula area.  Again,
for simple calculations it's fine.

>		o Basic Programming Language

A simple but capable BASIC.  It seems to have some weird memory
limitations; I'd treat it more like a very easy-to-use programmable
calculator.

>		o Telephone Directory
>		o Appointment Book
>		o Automatic Telephone Dialer
>		o Expense Account Tracker

These are all pretty well-implemented, but I haven't played with
them too much.  The Alarm clock (16 daily or weekly alarms) is
helpful--the machine will go off even when "off."

>		o Calculator with log/trig functions

You won't give up your HP or Ti, but the on-screen editing of
formulas is nice.  I prefer to use BASIC for such stuff.  Also,
there is an embedded keypad for doing the calculator (and a Num 
Lock key for using it in other programs).  The only major thing
lacking is a y^x and y^(1/x) key.  But it does have EXP (e^x) and
LOG (ln), so you can fake the exponentials with a little math
(something like exp(x * log y) = y^x...  BASIC does have a y^x
operator...)

>The PC-4 has a 4x40 display and a full size keyboard

4 x 40 display is *extremely* readable in almost all lit conditions.
Large characters are a plus.  The font is a bit crude (the descenders
didn't get much real estate), but otherwise usable.  The keyboard
is the right size, but takes some getting used to.  They keys are
convex on top, not concave, and have to be hit squarely--no sloppy
hunt-and-feeling allowed.  There is feedback, but often I'll swear
I hit the key and it won't appear.  My girlfriend has had a lot of
problems with chaarcters being double-typed; I'd conclude that it's
a very picky (or exacting, non-forgiving) keyboard.  But compare it
with the Portfolio, Boss, or Wizard before being too harsh...!

>Dimensions: about 10x7x1.75  and weighs 2 pounds

Which is why I may yet park my Minisport--2 lbs is portable; 6 is
carryable but still a burden.  

>The PC-4 also has an expansion slot for other software.  At the moment 
>you can get a Roget's Thesaurus Cartridge for it, and the company told m
>e ther is a modem card on the way via a third party, as well as various
>other as-yet-unspecified cards.  

The thesaurus is $39 or $49, I think.  

>
>The PC-4 comes with 32K of user memory, upgradable to 128K for $59.99

But you're limited to 32K per application, still (i.e. 32K for BASIC,
32K for the WP, 32K for the spreadsheet, etc...)

>The PC-4 has both a parallel and serial port, and comes with a set of each
>type of cable, as well as an AC adapter and carrying case
>
>Also included is a copy of PC-Tools version 5.5 for either the PC or the 
>Mac -- this is included to make file transfers easier.

Ignore the Computer Shopper warning that you can't transfer ASCII files
back to the PC4.  You can.  But it's an all-or-nothing proposition:
when you load a bunch of files into an application on the PC4, it 
replaces any files already there.  You can't, say, bring down one more
file.  The fix is easy--upload all files, then download them + the new
ones.  I was bummed by this, but it hasn't been a problem...

>Thats about it.. all for $249.99 , or $216.66 if 6 of us buy them at
>once.  Please let me know if you are interested.

You forgot the best parts: it comes with a nice carry pouch (pocket for
ref. cards inside) and lasts about 40 hrs on 4 AA batteries.  So I have
a spare set in the case and never have to worry about going dead (you can
change batteries w/o losing anything!)  No nicad cycles to worry about,
no heavy packs to carry around, and you can get them at any store.  To
be honest, I don't think I've used the AC adapter yet!

In general, the machine seems rugged.  I wouldn't worry too much about
dropping it from a few inches or banging it accidentally.  The plastic is
reasonably thick.  The keys may be the weakest link (they seem to wiggle 
a good bit), but I've carried one around in my backpack and haven't jammed
or broken any...

>
>Also, could anyone who has this thing tell us what u think of it please? 
>Thanx...

Done.  For the price, it can't be beat, esp. since those $300 MiniSports
seem to be all bought up.  When my chiropractor tells me that lugging
a 6 pound machine around isn't good, it still may not be beatable!

>Rob Pugliese
>Department of Chemical Engineering
>University of Massachusetts
>
>413-545-4285 days
>413-549-4648 eves

Oh, and btw--do you know anything more about this modem card?  The machine
has punch outs for line plugs in it, and the docs refer to a PC4XL which
is basically the PC4 with a modem, modem software, and the thesaurus.  When
I called they knew nothing.  Do you know the price of the modem--it'd make
a very neat portable terminal (neat, but maybe not too useful at 4x40?)

Aaron Wallace


