Fujitsu Steams Ahead with Enhanced Pen Computer

While some manufacturers continue to search through the market fog for their bearings, Fujitsu Personal Systems appears to be confidently moving forward along its charted course.

Fujitsu Personal Systems, Inc. used the month of January 1994 for a flurry of announcements including the introduction of an enhanced version of their popular 325Point stylus-based computer, a significant price reduction, and a new three-year warranty program.

The New 325Point

The original 325Point was introduced in January 1993, and has become a formidable platform in the 3 pound (1.4 kg) tablet category. The device uses a 25 MHz AMD 386SXLV and features 4 MB of RAM expandable to 12 MB.

What’s new for the 325Point? The answer: a new screen, an enhanced battery pack option, and a larger PCMCIA hard disk option. The original device, which will continue to be available, features a 9.4″ diagonal (23.9 cm) transflective LCD screen that supports 64 gray scales at a resolution of 640 x 480.

The enhanced 325Point is now available with a new transmissive LCD display that is better suited for poorly lit settings that are common in warehouses and inside vehicles. In addition, the new transmissive screen is easier to read in the typical florescent-lit office environment.

Fujitsu is also offering a new extended NiCad battery pack for use with the enhanced 325Point. This battery features more than double the charge capacity of its existing NiCad offering, however at a slightly larger size and weight. The optional Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries continue to be available for both versions of the 325Point.

Fujitsu is also offering a 105 MB PCMCIA hard disk for both devices. This card can be placed in either of the two Type III, version 2.0 PCMCIA slots available on both versions of the 325Point.

New Computer, New Prices

As with all new computing devices that reach a certain stage of maturity, performance gains and the price falls. Fujitsu is following this basic law of computing by reducing the price of both models of the 325Point (transflective and transmissive screen versions).

The new price of the 325Point is $1695, reduced from the original $2295. Fujitsu also announced the pricing of its extended options as follows: $225 for the enhanced NiCad battery pack, and $695 for the 105 MB PCMCIA hard disk card.

The New Small Print

As these mobile devices get deployed in a wide range of scenarios, the warranty of the mobile computer becomes an important concern for companies. Fujitsu recognized this when it also announced a standard three year warranty on all its pen-based devices including the 325Point, PoqetPad Plus, and PadPlus RF.

During this period, Fujitsu promises to repair or replace a defective part of the base system at no charge to the owner. Fujitsu believes that this will lead to lower maintenance costs, thereby encouraging companies to adopt mobile computing solutions.

Fujitsu also announced that it will offer an optional warranty for one of the most vulnerable parts of any mobile computer—the LCD screen. Dubbed the “No-Fault Display Guarantee,” the warranty program is priced at $59.95 per year, or $150 for three years.

The warranty is available for Fujitsu’s range of pen computers and covers the LCD screen and digitizer against any damage, no matter how it occurs. However, both the three year and No-Fault warranties are currently only available in North America.

For more information, please contact Fujitsu at (408) 982-9500, or (408) 496-0575 (fax).