Newsgroups: comp.sys.laptops

In comp.sys.laptops, do@acsu.buffalo.edu (Huy T. Do) writes:

>Does anyone own/have experiences with Compudyne 386SL-25mhz notebook that
>they're advertising in Computer Shopper?
>
>I'm looking at the 386SL-25 with cache and power-management machine, w/
>2mb RAM & 80mb HD.
>It seems a good machine for the price with lots of goodie features.
>
>----------

I posted some specs a while back on the unit.  I called CompuDyne and
had them fax me some sheets.  I'd suggest you do the same if you're
looking for details.  Overall I'd agree, the 386SL/25 seems
to be an excellent notebook, with a lot of the features I've been
looking for.  So, I ordered one.  It *should* have been delivered
a week ago, but they're delayed about 10 days; parts supply problem and
more demand for the units than they anticipated.  If CompuDyne's telling
me the truth, I should get it in about 5 more days.  I hate waiting, and
I didn't like it that CompuDyne didn't call me to tell me the unit
was delayed.   I can understand why, but I still didn't like it.  Still,
these notebooks are brand-new, and as with any new product, production
slips sometimes.  Nobody's fault.

In speaking with CompuDyne, the machine seems to have a lot of neat
features, including a built-in trackball, 10" display, 80MB disk, 2MB RAM
(I upgraded memory to 6MB), 64KB cache, just one serial and one parallel
port, no mouse port (boo, but partially made up for by the trackball), 
and a keyboard with inverted "T" cursor keys.  It has an external SVGA 
(800x600) connector, external keyboard connector, and a 3.5" built-in floppy
(I had a Sharp 6220 with an external floppy, and I didn't enjoy carrying the
floppy around, and when I didn't, I always seemed to need it).  It also
has a "Toshiba-compatible" expansion bus.  The video controller chip
allows for simultaneous display between the LCD and external VGA.  The
machine is quite small, and light, and the price is excellent.

They spec a minimum of 3.5 hours battery life, more with power-saving
invoked.  They hawk the unit as "nickel-hydride ready", which means that
when they get nickel-hydride batteries, you can plug them in in place of the
current ni-cads.  I hope, but don't know, that the new ni-hydrides can be
charged while in the unit.  I'd hate to think I'd have to carry around
a separate charger.  Less-is-more.  No specs on expected battery life with
ni-hydride, but if you assume 30% more power, that's about another hour.
Pretty good.  My CompuDyne salesrep tells me this notebook features 15
different power-saving modes; just what all of them are isn't clear, and
I'll have to wait for my unit to understand them all.  That's the appeal
of an SL, as you know: power-saving.

The NB's are made by Twinhead, and I'm *guessing* that the SL-based
unit is specially made for CompuDyne by them; I read that on a notestring,
and PC Week had a blurb on Twinhead's new notebook releases.  They were
identical to CompuDyne's, except there wasn't an SL-based notebook
announced, just the two 486's and the 386SX.  One other nice feature
of CompuDyne; free overnight shipping.  Minimizes the delay, at least.

For me, the main features are a large display (a big screen's important
since *that's* what you'll be staring at all the time), SL chip, big
disk (but they're never big enough), small size, and low cost.  I wish
it had that mouse port, and 6MB is tops for memory; I'd prefer more.  I
wish too that the keys were recessed like Apple's PowerBooks; I had an
old Zenith with a couple inches of "wrist-rest" and it was handy to
rest your palms on, and you could stabilize it on you knees or other
uneven surface by using your wrists.  Portable.

I'm looking forward to getting the NB.   I'll wait a bit more, but if
they don't deliver soon, I'll cancel and wait for another vendor to
produce an equivalent or better unit.  In today's market, it doesn't take
long for someone to come out with a sleeker & faster NB.  But, CompuDyne
is a reputable company, I've heard, and I'm content to wait.  Besides,
I don't see anything else on the market that's in the same ballpark
for near the price, and I've already been waiting long enough for a
good notebook. . .

If you'd like, I'll post something when I get the NB and have played
with it a bit.

Regards,

Dean Cashen
-- Boise

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