GRiD Will Ship First Internal 9600 bps V.32 Data/Fax Modem for Pen and Laptop Computers
FREMONT, Calif. — October 4, 1991 — GRiD Systems Corp. announced Friday it will ship in December the industry's first internal high-speed 9,600 bits per second (bps) V.32 data/fax modem for laptop and pen computers.
The GRiD 9600 bps Data/Fax Modem, priced at $1,195, provides the fastest data communications speed available in any portable computer. It will be available for the GRiDPAD pen computer line and GRiDCASE laptop line including the 1550sx. The modem will be demonstrated at the COMDEX computer show in Las Vegas Oct. 21 to 25.
GRiD President D. Bruce Walter said the new internal modem ''is the most comprehensive communications option available for portable computer users and significantly enhances the effectiveness of laptop and pen computers.''
Walter said the new modem's main advantages are that it is internal and that the fast 9,600 bps data transmission reduces modem telephone charges by up to 75 percent over 2,400 bps modems.
''With that kind of savings in time and money, productivity improves dramatically, and there is a quick return on investment,'' Walter said. ''Now both pen and laptop computer users can get no hassle, error-free, rapid communication with ready access to the world via their fax and computer.''
The modem is fully CCITT V.32 compliant so users can transfer data at 9,600 bps. CCITT is the Consultative Committee for International Telegraphy and Telephone and is responsible for setting standards for international telecommunications. The V.32 standard describes how modems communicate at 9,600 bps.
The GRiD modem also has the V.42bis (4:1) data compression feature that provides an exceptional speed of 38,400 bps during file transfer. MNP levels 2-4 are fully implemented for error free communications even with poor line conditions.
Data compression techniques for modems are important for sending large amounts of data because they reduce communications costs. Error correction is another significant feature. (MNP is Microcom Networking Protocol, a compression standard developed by Microcom Inc.).
Battery life can be extended by powering down the modem when not in use.
The modem also can act as a sending and receiving 9,600 bps Group III fax system. GRiD's FaxTalk Plus software (optional) allows documents to be faxed directly from an application. This eliminates the need to print the document first and fax it from a stand-alone fax machine.
Additionally, Alien Computing's FaxIt for Windows software, available from GRiD, allows sending and receiving faxes from within the Microsoft Windows 3.0 environment.
The new modem also supports the Hayes AutoSync feature which enables portable computers to communicate with synchronous mainframe computers.
Phone charge savings from the higher transmission speed will pay for the modem over time and later provide additional dollar savings.
Analysts have estimated that users, for example, who transfer a 2MB file over long distance telephone lines once a week would save $1,100 a year by using a 9,600 bps modem rather than a 2,400 bps unit.
GRiD designs, manufactures, markets and services laptop, pen, desktop and multimedia computers, pen-based software development tools, electronic mail and networking systems. GRiD, which has an extensive direct sales and support organization, demonstrates products at 45 GRiD Systems Centers and sells products through value added resellers and federal systems integrators.
GRiD is located at 47211 Lakeview Blvd., Fremont, CA 94537. GRiD also has offices in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Spain, Sweden, France, Belgium and Denmark.
GRiD is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tandy Corp., Fort Worth, Texas. Tandy is a leading manufacturer and distributor of consumer electronics and computers. A New York Stock Exchange company, Tandy has sales in excess of $4.5 billion annually.
Note to Editors: GRiDPAD and GRiDCASE are registered trademarks of GRiD Systems Corp. FaxIt is a trademark of Alien Computing. FaxTalk Plus is a trademark of Thought Communications Inc. Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corp.
CONTACT:
GRiD Systems Corp., Fremont
Mike McGuire or Bob Goligoski, 510/656-4700