- Email: [email protected]
PBX and LAN combined
productsand services prints at 50 cps. A portable computer with the Gavilan O/S, MS/DOS, 112 kbyte memory and five applications, plus MBASIC, recharger and case, is priced at around &3000. The printer will cost about f700. For an international market, there are six version of the keyboard - one US and five European, and five languages. The lirst European OEM has been signed up in Germany, and the machine was simultaneously launched in Paris, Munich and London. (Gavilan Computer Corp., 240 Hacienda Avenue, Campbell, CA 95008, USA. Tel: (408)3798000.) q
Portables and micros at the NCC Several companies, including Sharp, Toshiba, Commodore and Sord announced new portables and micros and personal computers at this year’s National Computer Conference, held in Anaheim, California. These announcements, apart from underlining the growth of personal computing, also indicate the dominance of the IBM pc as industry standard. The portable from Sharp Electronics Corporation, the PCSOOO, uses bubble memory modules and has an eight line by eight character LCD which folds flat over the keyboard. The PC5000 operates from a built in battery or from an ac adaptor. The unit has 128 kbyte of RAM, expandable to 256 kbyte. It can be connected via an optional modem to telephone lines to access a central computer or database. The PC5000 will also run the MS/ DOS operating system and an optional dot matrix thermal impact printer can be fitted to the unit. The basic system will cost $2 500. Toshiba’s new portable com-
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1983
puter is housed in a briefcase and is available with a 40 character by eight line LCD, RAM packs for storage and programs and a modem. With a Centronits port, the TlOO can utilize a wide variety of printers. It also has a built-in port for a tape cassette for storage. Commodore Business Machines introduced the Executive 64 and a dual processing business computer, the BX 25680, at the NCC. The Executive 64 with 6 in colour monitor, 64 kbyte of RAM and a single built-in 170 kbyte disc drive will cost $995. The portable weighs 27.6 lb and is compatible with the software written for the Commodore 64. The BX 256-80 has built-in 6509 and 8088 dual processors and optional Zilog 280 cartridge, enabling the system to run MS/DOS. The BX 256-80 has 256 kbyte of RAM, expandable to 960 kbyte and will be ready for shipping this autumn. Sord Computer of America Inc, exhibited its M68 personal computer at the NCC. The M68 features dual CPUs; the 16 bit Motorola MC68000 and the Z80A. The standard 256 K RAM can be expanded to 1Mbyte by inserting three additional 256 K boards. With the use of 256 K dynamic RAM chips the main memory can be expanded to 4 Mbyte. As an 8 bit computer, the M68 is compatible with Sord’s M23 personal computer. The system has two 5V4 in minifloppy disc drives, each with 1.2 Mbyte capacity. Sord offers high resolution 12 in green phosphor or colour monitor for use with the M68. The Pan Information Processing System (PIPS) is offered with the M68, providing spreadsheets, database management, text editing, graphics, sorting and other business functions. The T300 is Toshiba’s new personal computer. Fitted with
Toshiba’smicroin a briefcase. an 8088 processor, 192 kbyte of RAM (expandable to 512 Kbyte) the T300 is IBM compatible. The T300 also offers high resolution colour graphics. The standard operating system is MS/DOS, with T-BASIC 16 Toshiba will be preparing a list of IBM PC programs that can run without modification on the T300. (Toshiba America Inc, 2441 Michelle Drive, Tustin, CA 92680, USA. Tel: (714) 730 5000. Sord Computer of America, Inc, clo Mitsui (USA) Inc, 200 Park Ave, Nezu York, NY 10166-0130, USA. Tel: (212) 878 4403.) 0
PBXand LANcombined A private network exchange which integrates voice and data communication has been launched by Ztel. This is a fourthgeneration system, claims the company, as it combines PBX and LAN technology in one PNX. According to Ztel, reliability can be improved and features extended from the traditional PBX by using customer LSI circuits, software implementation techniques and a distributed architecture. Most PBXs have star architectures, says the company, with each station connected to a central processor. The processor is likely to run
out of control capacity as more functions or workstations are added. On the other hand, a distributed architecture usually has multiple processors, which can be added or taken away. Modularity of this nature, says Ztel, means that a PNX can be cost effective for small or large installations. Data movement on the system is based on a token ring LAN. William Karavatos, vicepresident of marketing says of the system ‘The PNX has tremendous throughput potential to handle the extremely high data rates that will be required in the near future by automated equipment. Plus, it has the highest level of system reliability, a level that only a ring network can provide’. The PNX system is controlled by Function Processors, including a ring processor, which interfaces up to 512 devices with the PNX. The application processor looks after the management of the system e.g. voice/data processing and electronic mail. As many processors as are necessary can be attached. Ztel sees its PNX as taking advantage of current and expected technologies to provide a single system which carries voice, data and image concurrently. (Ztel Inc., Andover Industrial Center, York Street, Andover, MA 01810, USA. Tel: (617)4702900.) 0
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Portables and micros at the NCC Several companies, including Sharp, Toshiba, Commodore and Sord announced new portables and micros and personal computers at this year’s National Computer Conference, held in Anaheim, California. These announcements, apart from underlining the growth of personal computing, also indicate the dominance of the IBM pc as industry standard. The portable from Sharp Electronics Corporation, the PCSOOO, uses bubble memory modules and has an eight line by eight character LCD which folds flat over the keyboard. The PC5000 operates from a built in battery or from an ac adaptor. The unit has 128 kbyte of RAM, expandable to 256 kbyte. It can be connected via an optional modem to telephone lines to access a central computer or database. The PC5000 will also run the MS/ DOS operating system and an optional dot matrix thermal impact printer can be fitted to the unit. The basic system will cost $2 500. Toshiba’s new portable com-
~0125 no6
julyiaugust
1983
puter is housed in a briefcase and is available with a 40 character by eight line LCD, RAM packs for storage and programs and a modem. With a Centronits port, the TlOO can utilize a wide variety of printers. It also has a built-in port for a tape cassette for storage. Commodore Business Machines introduced the Executive 64 and a dual processing business computer, the BX 25680, at the NCC. The Executive 64 with 6 in colour monitor, 64 kbyte of RAM and a single built-in 170 kbyte disc drive will cost $995. The portable weighs 27.6 lb and is compatible with the software written for the Commodore 64. The BX 256-80 has built-in 6509 and 8088 dual processors and optional Zilog 280 cartridge, enabling the system to run MS/DOS. The BX 256-80 has 256 kbyte of RAM, expandable to 960 kbyte and will be ready for shipping this autumn. Sord Computer of America Inc, exhibited its M68 personal computer at the NCC. The M68 features dual CPUs; the 16 bit Motorola MC68000 and the Z80A. The standard 256 K RAM can be expanded to 1Mbyte by inserting three additional 256 K boards. With the use of 256 K dynamic RAM chips the main memory can be expanded to 4 Mbyte. As an 8 bit computer, the M68 is compatible with Sord’s M23 personal computer. The system has two 5V4 in minifloppy disc drives, each with 1.2 Mbyte capacity. Sord offers high resolution 12 in green phosphor or colour monitor for use with the M68. The Pan Information Processing System (PIPS) is offered with the M68, providing spreadsheets, database management, text editing, graphics, sorting and other business functions. The T300 is Toshiba’s new personal computer. Fitted with
Toshiba’smicroin a briefcase. an 8088 processor, 192 kbyte of RAM (expandable to 512 Kbyte) the T300 is IBM compatible. The T300 also offers high resolution colour graphics. The standard operating system is MS/DOS, with T-BASIC 16 Toshiba will be preparing a list of IBM PC programs that can run without modification on the T300. (Toshiba America Inc, 2441 Michelle Drive, Tustin, CA 92680, USA. Tel: (714) 730 5000. Sord Computer of America, Inc, clo Mitsui (USA) Inc, 200 Park Ave, Nezu York, NY 10166-0130, USA. Tel: (212) 878 4403.) 0
PBXand LANcombined A private network exchange which integrates voice and data communication has been launched by Ztel. This is a fourthgeneration system, claims the company, as it combines PBX and LAN technology in one PNX. According to Ztel, reliability can be improved and features extended from the traditional PBX by using customer LSI circuits, software implementation techniques and a distributed architecture. Most PBXs have star architectures, says the company, with each station connected to a central processor. The processor is likely to run
out of control capacity as more functions or workstations are added. On the other hand, a distributed architecture usually has multiple processors, which can be added or taken away. Modularity of this nature, says Ztel, means that a PNX can be cost effective for small or large installations. Data movement on the system is based on a token ring LAN. William Karavatos, vicepresident of marketing says of the system ‘The PNX has tremendous throughput potential to handle the extremely high data rates that will be required in the near future by automated equipment. Plus, it has the highest level of system reliability, a level that only a ring network can provide’. The PNX system is controlled by Function Processors, including a ring processor, which interfaces up to 512 devices with the PNX. The application processor looks after the management of the system e.g. voice/data processing and electronic mail. As many processors as are necessary can be attached. Ztel sees its PNX as taking advantage of current and expected technologies to provide a single system which carries voice, data and image concurrently. (Ztel Inc., Andover Industrial Center, York Street, Andover, MA 01810, USA. Tel: (617)4702900.) 0
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