In the weight vs. power equation, a new compromise; 'subnotebooks' weigh as little as two pounds. But can they really get the job done?

Article Abstract:

Computer companies continue trying to develop microcomputers that are small enough to carry, yet are powerful enough to meet business executives' needs. New notebook products, which weigh 5 to 8 pounds, are significantly improved compared with earlier designs. New notebooks incorporate 80486-class microprocessors and come with bright screens and keyboards that allow comfortable touch typing. But these machines are still too heavy, and computer companies are now offering 'subnotebooks,' which weigh 2 to 4 pounds. Companies making such machines include Apple, Zenith Datasystems Inc, Dell Computer Corp, Gateway 2000 Inc, Zeos International Ltd and Lexmark International Inc. Subnotebooks are of two distinct varieties: at the high end are fully functional portable machines that can run Microsoft Windows 3.1 and have backlit VGA screens and internal hard disks; and at the low end are machines that incorporate solid-state storage with no internal hard disk.

Electronic computers, Computer industry, Column, Laptop computers, Notebook computers, Computer Design, Miniaturization, Notebook Computer

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Provocative diskette technologies: customers will have a hard time sorting out the many approaches

Article Abstract:

New high-capacity diskette drives - magnetic floppy disks, optical disks and hybrids called 'floptical drives' - are being developed. Some companies, including IBM, are developing a 3.5-inch diskette drive that can store 2.88 Mbytes of data - twice the capacity of drives that are now in use. Such high-capacity drives were shown at Comdex-Fall, in Nov 1990, but it will probably be a year or two before the devices are widely adopted. Toshiba Corp is said to have a conventional diskette drive that can read and write 16Mbytes per diskette. Two American companies - Brier Technology Inc and Insite Peripherals Inc - showed diskette drives that combine elements of magnetic and optical technologies. The result, which is called a 'floptical' drive, is said to have a capacity of from 20 to 40Mbytes.

Commercial physical research, Computer storage devices, Research, Computers, Technological forecasting, International Business Machines Corp., IBM, Random access memory, RAM (Random access memory), Disk drives, Memory management, Optical equipment, column, Storage Equipment, Optical Memory, Future of Computing, Storage Capacity, Brier Technology Inc., Insite Peripherals Inc.

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