Beyond Microsoft at Spring Comdex

As much as Microsoft would like you to believe that pen computing was confined to the Windows for Pen Computing booth, other stylus systems did make it to Chicago. Among the other pen-based Comdex exhibitors were Dauphin, IBM, DFM, and Grid.

Dauphin Technology (Lombard, IL), for instance, was showing its Dauphin 5000 pen-based unit. The 16 MHz, 386SL-based system is a fully functional notebook computer with the ability to run pen-specific applications. The user can flip down the SuperVGA (800×600) display screen to use the 5000 as a pen-tablet, or flip up the display and attach a keyboard to use the system as a standard notebook computer. The Dauphin 5000 utilizes 8 Mbytes of RAM and a 120 Mbyte hard disk and standard I/O capabilities. Company spokesmen told us the system would be available in the fourth quarter of this year. Demo units at the show were running Windows for Pens. (In a further note, we reported in our Fall Comdex ’91 wrapup that Dauphin would be marketing a Eden-designed 386SX-based system. However, a Dauphin spokesman told us at Spring Comdex that the deal is off because Dauphin feels they can develop a better design at a lower cost than that provided by the Eden Group.)

IBM was again showing its prototype pen system running the PenPoint operating system. This system officially moved from the prototype stage to real product a week after Comdex; see the related article in this issue.

MicroSlate (Brossard, Quebec) announced the Datellite 400, 486SX-based touch-screen system that uses the Cyrix Cx486SL CPU. The touchscreen notebook computer includes a backlit supertwist LCD, 360 Mbytes of mass storage, 16 Mbytes of RAM, and a math coprocessor. It uses the company’s OmniSuspend power management system and VeriFlo ink digitizer. The 400 system was demonstrated running PenWindows.

DFM Systems (West Des Moines, IA) was again showing its TraveLite system, a “multimodal” machine that can operate as a pen-based, touchscreen, or keyboard system. The 286-based, 16 MHz unit comes with up to 8Mbytes of RAM, 20/40/60 Mbyte hard disk, and 2400 baud modem.

Grid had a presence in both the Microsoft Windows World booth and in its own booth on the Comdex floor. The aisles were crowded around the exhibit as passers-by stopped to look at the PalmPad (described elsewhere in this issue), and the recently introduced 386-based GridPad-SL and the GridPad-RF for wireless communications.

Conference sessions devoted to pen computing included the usual speakers. “Changing Business through Technology — Pen Computing” was chaired by Portia Isaacson and had as panel members GO’s Jerry Kaplan, NCR’s Alok Mohan, Microsoft’s Pradeep Singh, IBM’s Kathy Vieth, and Grid’s Bruce Walter. Over in Windows World, a relevant session included “Is Pen-computing in Your Future?” Related panels included “Changing Business through Technology — Mobile Systems,” “Redefining the Desktop,” “Portables/Laptops/Palmtops.” Audio tapes of these sessions are available from the Interface Group, 300 First Ave., Needham, MA 02194 (617-449-8938).