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TANDY100.TXT
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ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN LIMA NEWSLETTER SEPTEMBER 1995
LETTER TO THE EDITOR ABOUT THE
TANDY 100 AND CC40 COMPUTERS
Near the end of the article "The Portable Hexbus Modem" in the
May 1995 issue of Bits Bytes & Pixels you state:
"... I think the hexbus modem/Cc40 combination was the first
totally battery powered telecommunication package ever available to
the public in 1984. The Tandy 100 computer, battery powered with a
built in modem, came later."
I purchased my Model 100 on April 20, 1983 only a few days after
the device was announced and simultaneously available at Radio Shack
stores. As received it was completely usable. for those with a
scientific bent it has fourteen digit base 10 arithmetic as the
default mode and an absolutely superb sine/cosine routine. For those
who can touch type it has a full size standard layout keyboard. I
still use it.
Announcements of the coming availability of the CC40 a//eared in
late 1982. I had a preliminary copy of the manual in March 1983 and
received a 6K engineering model for evaluation on May 3, 1983. The
CC40 became available at retailers in this area in late May of 1983.
The HX1000 printer/plotter became available in mid 1894. I couldn't
make my engineering model work with the printer/plotter and exchanged
i for an 18K production model in November 1984. I also purchased an
HX3000 RS232 interface in November 1984. Shortly thereafter TI
announced that they would stop further development for the CC40. So,
you see that the Model 100 clearly preceded the CC$0 with a battery
operated modem package, unless of course you count announcements
rather than actual availability.
The keyboard of the CC40 is too small to permit real touch
typing; but even worse, a right hand shift key was not provided,
making touch typing of mixed capitals and lower case essentially
impossible. In the same time frame H-P was pushing the HP-75 as a
machine with a typewriter type keyboard, but again it was too cramped
to permit touch typing. In early 1983 I wrote "... the HP-75 and the
CC40 seem to have found exactly the same awkward size, too small for
touch typing and too big for a pocket-- unless you are a Russian
infantryman with your winter overcoat." An article in the February
1983 issue of Portable Computer said it differently. "Adult hands
don't fit baby keys."
Palmer hanson Jr.
2149 14th Ave. SW
Largo Florida 34640
.Pl 1