introduction and some initial questions
starnet!apple!eitech.com!brian (Brian Smithson)
Date: Tue, 7 Sep 93 11:07:20 PDT
From: starnet!apple!eitech.com!brian (Brian Smithson)
Message-id: <9309071107.ZM27372@eitech.com>
X-Mailer: Z-Mail (2.1.4 02apr93)
To: zoomer-list-1993@grot.starconn.com
Subject: introduction and some initial questions
Status: OR
Well, a couple dozen people have signed on to zoomer-list-1993 since it was
set up yesterday, so I thought I'd start things out with an introduction
and then I have a few questions.
I set up this list because I think the Zoomer will be an interesting and
fun product when it finally makes it to the store shelves, I didn't
see any other Zoomer-specific forum being set up on the Internet, and there
doesn't seem to be a lot of information readily available -- especially
from the retail channels through which the Zoomer will be sold. Besides,
I'm kind of a mailing list junkie; some of you might remember when I set
up the PC/GEOS mailing list and established comp.os.msdos.pcgeos.
My interest in portable computers goes back a while. I had several GRiD
Compass laptops, a couple of Convergent Workslates, an NEC UltraLite,
and a Microwriter AgendA. I was tempted by various Psion models and
even the Atari Portfolio. I'm still looking for the "perfect" portable.
The Zoomer probably isn't it, but it's certainly something to play with
while I wait :-).
I was tempted to jump on the Newton bandwagon, but I suspect that even with
a similar "base price", the Newton will be inherently more expensive
than the Zoomer. It seems to me that Casio and Tandy want to make a
quick sale of a reasonably complete unit plus maybe a few accessories,
hoping that you'll come back in a year or two and replace it all with a
newer model, but Apple wants you to buy into a stream of "Newton Technology"
products which probably include desktop products and who knows what else.
Also, Apple's dealer channels probably have a higher overhead and less
competition than those of Casio, if not Tandy, and so I'm hoping that there
will be steeper discounting of Zoomers. Even though you can't order it
yet, Service Merchandise already lists the Zoomer in its 93-94 catalog for
somewhat less than the suggested list price!
Some of the things I'd like to hear about on this list are:
- What software or accessories are (going to be) available for the Zoomer?
- What about that serial interface -- does it come with cables and software
to exchange files with a PC, or does one need to spend more $$$?
- Anyone know about the infrared interface? Are there third-party IR
transceiver products which could talk to the Zoomer? Can the Zoomer
be programmed to interface with dumb IR receivers, like on a VCR?
- What services is America Online planning to offer for the Zoomer, and
how much will the cost?
- Is it just me, or does anyone else hate to use a pen? Has anyone thought
of hooking some kind of chord keyboard (maybe a glove?) to the Zoomer?
- Who is actually taking _orders_ for Zoomers?
--
-Brian Smithson brian@eitech.com
Enterprise Integration Technologies +1 415 617 8009
459 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301 USA FAX +1 415 617 8019