Byte vol.8 №9 September 1983

Themes
33 Computing on the Run by Stanley J Wszola / Incorporating new design concepts, innovative hardware, and easy-to-use software, portable computers are proof that you can take it with you. This month s theme articles and reviews explore the issues that affect the portable marketplace, the advances in technology, and some of the latest models
34 How to Choose a Portable by Stanley J. Wszola / Ybu’re sure you want one. but which one? With at least 50 models to choose from, deciding on a portable is no easy matter. This article and the accompanying computer comparison table will help you make an informed choice
51 Hfgh-IO Modems by Stephen Durham / The more intelligent the modem, the mon? it can disappear Into the background of your computer system and provide unattended communications capability 66 Developing a Tfruly Portable Vlsicalc by William T. Johnson I Hewlett-Packard’s adapts tion of Visicorp’s popular electronic-spreadsheet program for its HP-75 portable computer doesn’t sacrifice the program s compatibility with other Visicalc products.
80 The Gavllan—A Full-Function Portable Computer by F. John Zepeckl / The machine’s designer details the evolution of this completely selFcontained system with integrated software 94 Inside CMOS Technology by Martin B. Pawloski, Tony Moroyan, and Joe Altnether I An overview of how complementary metal-oxide semiconductor memory chips are manufactured and a look at three of them—Intel’s 80C51. National Semiconductor’s NSC800. and CMOS dynamic RAM
127 The Challenge of Hard-Disk Portability by David A. Sutton / How one harcFdisk-drrve manufacturer worked around the problems of designing a removable hard disk
139 The Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 by Mahion G. Kelly I This powerful portable with its built-in. well-integrated software is just what the author ordered
166 The New Microfloppy Standards by Thomas Jarrett I From the beginning, size has been a bone of contention among microfloppy-disk manufacturers. In today’s marketplace, the 3J6 -inch disk has emerged as the de facto standard.
Reviews
178 The HP-75 Portable Computer by Rowland Archer Jr. I Hewlett-Packard’s entry into rhe mid-priced portable computer fray offers powerful real-time scheduling capabilities
188 The Access Portable Computer by Terry Kepner / This portable comes with a host of software and practically all the hardware you’ll ever need
193 Epson’s HX-20 and Texas Instruments’ CC-40 by David Ramsey / The HX-20 offers an integrated microcassette and pnnter. So far, the CC-40 doesn’t fulfill its potential; « lacks peripherals and software.
208 The Pled Piper Portable Computer by Seth P. flates I Because it does not include a monitor, this low-cost Z80 computer makes lightweight portability possible.
212 The Kaypro II by Roger Fager and John Bohr / A complete system that offers dependable hardware and extensive software, the Kaypro II is a practical solution for many applications 226 The Corona Portable by Rich Malloy I This reasonably priced system with its eye-catching display offers stiff competition to other IBM PC-compatible machines.