Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops

This is probably too new for responses yet, but I wanted to ask.

The latest PC Mag (Aug '92) has a Zeos add for their new notebook.
It's called the "ZEOS Freestyle/SL," and it sounds like a nice unit
(I had one of ZEOS's original notebooks, and the unit was quite well
made, and the company impressed me in the way they handled my order).

The specs (and some selected quotes) from the ad:

- 386SL/25
- 64KB CPU Cache
- 2 MB RAM (upgrades to 20MB)
- 60 MB disk (upgrades to 180MB)
- 3.5" 1.44MB floppy (mounted on the right -- boo)
- 10" VGA screen
- Simultaneous display (LCD and external VGA)
- 81 key keyboard
- External VGA (no specs), (1) serial, and (1) parallel port
- Some compliment of suspend/resume (not specific, but likely similar
  to "standard" SL-based s/r.  The ad claims the user can "easily"
  go into and out of the various modes)
- Flash BIOS
- An "real 3-4 hours" of operation.
- 8.5" x 11.3" (they don't list height, but the photos suggest at least 2")
- 5.6 lbs
- $1895

The ad stresses some ease-of-use features, such as:

- Tilt/Swivel screen (no kidding, the LCD seems to sit on some "neck"
  so you can move it around.  That may be a dandy idea)
- "Electronic" contrast and brightness controls (buttons instead of dials)
- Sliding door over the ports (nice, no doors to snap off and lose)
- Battery packs "easily snap in and out" and can be "quick-charged" (1 hr)
- Built-in keymouse (has anyone used one of these?)
- "Super-small AC adapter -- it can fit in a shirt pocket and weighs only 
  ounces."  These are quotes, no more info, no photos.
- They stress durability of the unit (previous ZEOS notebooks won a
  PC Mag field-stress test)
- The keyboard is claimed to be redesigned from scratch to meet users
  needs.  Sculpted, full-size keys, inverted T cursor keys, etc.

There seems to be no PS/2 mouse port, and they keyboard is pushed right
up to the front like all the other PC notebooks.  Darn (I like the Apple
PowerBook keyboard layout, you should know).  There's no mention of an
external keyboard port.  Surprising.

The unit struck my interest because of the 386SL/25 chip (I'm big on
a "real" suspend/resume), the display (it looks like a full 10"), the
keyboard (which *looks* nice, but of course I haven't tried it), the
max RAM and disk capacities, the keymouse, and their overall attention
to usability (sliding covers over the ports, sculpted keys, small
(claimed) AC adapter, and so forth).  The price seems good, but
2MB is slight, as is 60MB disk.  Upgrade costs will certainly push
the price over $2000, and likely to $2200-$2400.  They offer a 30-day
guarantee, and since I've used it (on that previous Zeos), I can
attest that it's "no-hassle".  I'm not sure if the "floating" screen
is a gimick or a virtue, but it's worth some consideration.  Battery claims
of 3-4 hours are good, and Zeos has always come across as an honest
company (they don't spec 5 lbs and deliver 5.5, for instance), so I would
expect the claims to be realistic.   Zeos has impressed me before as
a mail-order company, and I wouldn't mind dealing with them again.
Several options are available, including a 14,400 modem w/9600 s/r fax.
They also say the machine's designed and built by them.

Anyone out there know anything more about this machine?  Anyone HAVE
one?  I'd like to hear about it.

Regards,

Dean Cashen
-- Boise

--------<disclaimer>----------
HP and I share some views, but
the ones above are all mine...
Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops