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1995-06-25
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Acorn Ö Vision for the Future
-----------------------------
Acorn Computers have always been known as a company working at the
leading edge of computer technology. They have maintained this
reputation by their strategy of parallel development of chip design and
computer design. Instead of designing computers based on öthe latest
chip technologyò, they design the chips themselves and, at the same
time, they develop the computers that are going to use the new chips
once they are ready for production.
Acorn produced the first commercially available RISC-based computer, the
A310, in 1987 and, five years later, the rest of the computing world is
waking up to the importance of RISC technology. Links have been formed
between Apple and Acorn (in the form of ARM Ltd) and between IBM and
Apple to develop RISC processors and RISC-based computer solutions.
New computers
Those of us who have been following Acorn Computers over the years have
got used to the idea that they release a couple of new computers every
year or two. It is quite obvious with the latest announcements that they
are stepping up several gears in their aggressive approach to the
computer market.
Eleven months after the launch of the A5000 and a couple of months after
the launch of the A4 Notebook computer comes the announcement of the
A3010, the A3020, the A4000 and the Acorn Pocket Book.
These four computers come in various configurations and with various
bundles of software aimed at both the consumer market and Acornæs
traditional target Ö education. The Acorn Pocket Book uses Psion
computer technology but the other three computers use Acornæs new ARM250
processor which is half as fast again as the ARM2 processor used in the
A3000.
The other part of the latest announcement is that the A5000s have been
enhanced with larger drives (and lower prices). This again strengthens
Acornæs market reputation for producing low cost, high power RISC
systems.
New software
With so many new and improved computers being launched, it would be easy
to miss out on two other products being released at the same time.
RISC-OS 3 is now available for all Acorn RISC-based computers. This is
actually version 3.10 as used on the new A4 Notebook computers.
The other important announcement is the Acorn Universal Networking (AUN)
version of their Level 4 Fileserver software. This allows Econet and
Ethernet networks to be used and inter-linked making the user interface
much simpler.
More new computers?
Listening carefully to the official (and unofficial!) statements from
Acorn, it doesnæt take much intelligence to work out that a new range of
computers will be appearing at the top of the Acorn range, above the
A5000s and, presumably, replacing the A540. Our guess is that it is
unlikely that these will be released until some time in æ93. This is
partly based on the way the RISC chips are developing Ö see the comments
about the ARM250 on page 6.
Archive readers have been asking for some time for a top-end Époweræ
machine. Should we be disappointed that Acorn have chosen to start with
the consumer market? No, I donæt think so. Acorn can see that if they
start with the mass purchase machines Ö the consumer market and the
schools Ö then, on the back of that, they will be able to launch the top
end machine (or machines?) with VIDC2 and an ARM6xxx or whatever they
end up calling it.
What about existing computers?
With all these wonderful new (and relatively cheap) computers coming
available, what about the existing Acorn computers? Well, Acorn have not
announced that they are stopping production of either the Master 128 or
the A3000 but the current stock level of these two computers at both
Hugh Symons, the sole distributors, and at Acornæs warehouse is zero but
öwe are expecting some more in due courseò was the Acorn Sales
Department comment. Also, the price of the Master 128 has been reduced
from ú399 to ú349 +VAT (ú410) and the A3000 from ú599 to ú525 +VAT
(ú617).
Another Acorn communication said that more supplies of Master 128s would
be coming into stock at the end of September and there are definitely
some more A3000s being made because not all the schools who took part in
the Tesco promotion have received their computers yet.
However, in a price and features comparison with the A3010 or the A3020,
the A3000 doesnæt come out too well, despite the drop in price, so I
cannot see that it will have a very long life.
The A540 is also looking a bit dated, though it will look a little
better when we can put RISC-OS 3 into it. There are, however, no
immediate plans to scrap it because it is the only Acorn machine with a
recognised upgrade to 16M of RAM.ááA
The New Products
----------------
The first two products are based on the A3010 computer and are aimed
clearly at the home user. (By the way, itæs the öA-three thousand and
tenò, to emphasise its link with the öA-three thousandò. Itæs not the
öA-thirty-twentyò!)
A3010 Family Solution
The A3010 Family Solution at ú499 inc VAT gives you a 32-bit RISC-based
computer that will connect to either a TV or a monitor. It has two
joystick interfaces (Atari switched-type), 1M of RAM (upgradable to 2M)
and will take one internal mini-podule, as used on the A3000, which will
allow connection to peripherals such as video cameras, scanners or MIDI
instruments, etc.
The actual pack consists of the A3010 computer, a three button mouse,
Quest for Gold game, EasiWord wordprocessor (see page 15 for more
details) and an audio training tape.
A3010 Learning Curve
The A3010 Learning Curve pack uses exactly the same computer as the
Family Solution but is already upgraded to 2M of RAM. It comes complete
with an Acorn colour monitor (AKF30 standard resolution Ö see page 5)
and is bundled with more software. For ú799 inc VAT, in addition to
EasiWord and Quest for Gold, you get a set of Genesis applications and
PCSoft (which is Acornæs new name for the PC Emulator) which comes with
DR-DOS 6.
The A3020 is aimed mainly at education and comes as two different
models, the first being upgradable to the specification of the second.
A3020 FD
The first difference from the A3010 is that the A3020 FD has 2M of RAM
upgradable to 4M. Secondly, with education in mind, there is the
internal facility for fitting either an Econet interface or an Ethernet
interface Ö this does not interfere with the internal mini-podule which
can still be used for some other interface circuits. The basic 2M A3020
comes with an AKF40 standard resolution monitor for ú749 +VAT (ú880) or
with an AKF18 multisync monitor for ú799 +VAT (ú939). The education
prices are ú649 +VAT and ú699 +VAT, respectively.
A3020 HD60
This is a version of the A3020 which comes complete with a 60M internal
IDE drive. Again, this does not take up the mini-podule slot. (The space
for this and the Econet/Ethernet interfaces was used on the A3010 for
the TV modulator and the joystick circuits.) The A3020 HD60 costs ú899
+VAT (ú1056) with the AKF40 or ú949 +VAT (ú1115) with the AKF18
multisync. The education prices are ú799 +VAT and ú849 +VAT,
respectively.
A4000 HD80
The A4000 (pictured overleaf) uses basically the same circuit board as
the A3020 but it is housed in a metal case providing a Éthree box
solutionæ like the A5000 Ö monitor, computer and separate keyboard on a
flexible cable. Because the A4000 only takes one internal mini-podule
and has space for only one single 2M floppy drive, it ends up looking
very much like a Éslim-lineæ A5000. The A4000 also has 2M of RAM
upgradable to 4M but it has a slightly larger hard drive Ö 80M instead
of 60M. With an AKF40 standard resolution monitor, it costs ú949 +VAT
(ú1115) or with an AKF18 multisync, it costs ú999 +VAT (ú1174). The
education prices are ú849 +VAT and ú899 +VAT respectively.
A4000 Home Office
This package is aimed at the serious home user and consists of an A4000
system, an advanced wordprocessor (EasiWriter II from Icon Technology)
and Desktop Database from Iota Software. With an AKF40 monitor, it costs
ú999 +VAT (ú1174) or with an AKF18 multisync, it costs ú1049 +VAT
(ú1233).
The full package consists of A4000, 2M of RAM, 80M hard drive, Acorn
colour monitor (standard or multiscan), a three button mouse, Quest for
Gold game, Desktop Database, EasiWriter II wordprocessor and an audio
training tape.
The A5000 Ö five versions
-------------------------
We wonæt go into great detail here about the A5000 as it has been
covered in other Archive publications but it is worth explaining the
five new configurations in which the A5000 now comes. All the A5000
computers are supplied with the AKF18 multisync monitor although some
dealers (including N.C.S.) may be persuaded to trade in an AKF18 against
a more expensive multisync monitor.
A5000 ES
The A5000 ES is a 2M system (expandable to 4M) aimed at education. It
comes without a hard drive but includes an Econet interface. It is
possible to add an internal IDE hard drive, if you wish. The price
including an AKF18 multisync monitor is ú1299 +VAT (ú1526). The
education price is ú1149 +VAT (ú1350).
A5000 NS
The A5000 NS is an Ethernet version of the A5000 ES. The price including
an AKF18 multisync monitor is ú1399 +VAT (ú1644). The education prices
is ú1249 +VAT (ú1468).
A5000 HD80
The A5000 HD80 has the same specification as the original A5000 except
that it has an 80M hard drive instead of 40M. The cost is ú1399 +VAT
(ú1644) including the AKF18 monitor.
A5000 HD120
The A5000 HD120 has the same specification as the A5000 HD80 except that
it has a 120M hard drive and 4M of RAM as standard. The cost is ú1599
+VAT (ú1879) including the AKF18 monitor.
A5000 Learning Curve
The A5000 Learning Curve is based on the A5000 2M/HD80 and costs ú1699
inc VAT. The actual pack consists of the A5000 computer, 2M of RAM,
AKF18 multisync monitor, three button mouse, Quest for Gold game,
Pacmania, Acorn PC Soft, First Word Plus wordprocessor, Genesis, an
audio training tape and a parentæs guide to the National Curriculum.
Acorn Pocket Book
-----------------
Acornæs new pocket-sized computer has been developed in co-operation
with Psion and is basically a Psion Series 3 computer with 256k RAM. The
software has been partly re-written to assist its compatibility with the
Acorn 32-bit computers. The Acorn Pocket Book will have an Archimedes
link with software that will make the Pocket Bookæs RAM appear as a
filing system on the host computer. The cost is ú249.95 inc VAT.
AKF30 & AKF40 monitors
----------------------
Acorn have also launched two new monitors aimed particularly at the
A3010 and A3020 computers. They are functionally similar to the AKF17
standard resolution monitors with stereo sound but they have a tilt and
swivel stand. It is possible to use a monitor on a tilt and swivel stand
with the new A3000 series computers because they are not as deep as the
old A3000, so the monitor can be self-standing, on the table-top, behind
the computer.
The only difference between the two monitors is the colour of the case.
The AKF30 is grey to match the A3010 and the AKF40 is cream which
matches the remainder of Acornæs 32-bit computers.
AUN Level 4 Fileserver
----------------------
This important new version of Acornæs Fileserver incorporates the Acorn
Universal Networking software (AUN). The price is ú399 +VAT including an
AUN site licence. AUN allows Econet and Ethernet networks to be used and
inter-linked making the user interface much simpler.
The major significance of this is that Econet is beginning to look a
little dated, especially with the larger amounts of data that have to
fly around the network as the memory size of computers increases.
However, schools have a lot of money invested in Econet and it is not
practical just to scrap the Econet networks and replace them with
Ethernet.
AUN enables Econet networks to be linked into other networks via
Ethernet. Any station that has both Econet and Ethernet interfaces can
be used, with AUN, to act as a bridge between the networks. From the
useræs point of view, he is unaware of the nature of the interface, be
it Econet or Ethernet; he just knows that he can access various
fileservers via öthe networkò.
By adding Acornæs TCP/IP Protocol Suite (an existing Acorn product) it
is possible to talk to Unix machines, PCs, Apples, etc over AUN. This is
of particular importance in higher education where TCP/IP and Ethernet
are commonplace.
RISC-OS 3.10
------------
RISC-OS 3 which first saw the light of day on the A5000 and more
recently as version 3.10 on the A4 Notebook is now available for all
Acorn Risc-based computers. The full upgrade will cost ú89 inc VAT but,
until mid-1993, it will be available at the special price of ú49 inc VAT
(ú50 through Archive including postage because the manuals are so very
heavy). For this, you get a set of ROMs, fitting instructions, new
Applications Discs and the full RISC-OS 3 documentation (the manual is
about an inch think) and RISC-OS 3.10 Release Notes.
Owners of A305, A310 and A440 (not A440/1) will need to have larger ROM
sockets fitted. Some A305s and A310s will have the larger ROM sockets
already as this was an option on some of the 2M and 4M memory upgrades
that have been fitted over the last three or four years.
If you donæt already have these larger ROM sockets, they are available
as an official Acorn dealer upgrade for ú30 inc VAT. This price includes
fitting Ö but not carriage, so it would probably be better to get your
local dealer to do the fitting for you rather than send your computer to
us.
Schools (or anyone else for that matter!) wanting large numbers of
RISC-OS 3 upgrades can buy a 10-station set for ú399 inc VAT. This
includes one set of discs, one set of documentation and ten sets of
ROMs.
A5000 owners can get an upgrade from RISC-OS 3.00 to 3.10, the latest
release, for ú19 inc VAT. This includes the ROMs and the 3.10 Release
Notes Ö a 40 page document giving the extra features of RISC-OS 3.10.ááA
The New Processor Ö ARM250
--------------------------
The technology at the heart of Acornæs new range of computers, A3010,
A3020 and A4000, is the ARM250 processor. This has been specially
developed by ARM Ltd in collaboration with Acorn. It is basically an
ARM2 processor combined, on the same chip, with MEMC, VIDC, IOC and
IOEB. (The IOEB is the I/O circuitry needed to link the processor to the
Chips interface chip which is used for interfacing to IDE, floppy drive
and parallel and serial interfaces.)
Combining the functions of all five chips onto a single chip is no mean
feat. The circuits didnæt need to be redesigned but the whole thing
certainly needed relaying. By using 1 micron technology, ARM Ltd have
managed to fit the circuits onto a piece of silicon about the same size
as the one for the original ARM 2. The flat pack in which it is housed
is bigger than the ARM 2 chip but that is only because it needs to have
160 connections to the outside world.
Squashing the contents of five chips into one has brought with it quite
a number of benefits, the most obvious of which is a considerable
reduction in the size of pcb needed to build a complete computer. This
is the reason that the new A3000s are so much smaller than the original
BBC A3000.
If you look at the circuit board on one of the current Archimedes
computers, you will soon be able to see how such a substantial reduction
in pcb area can take place. The actual piece of silicon at the centre of
each of the flat packs is only a few square millimetres. Look at the
area of the pcb taken up by the conducting tracks surrounding each of
the four components, ARM, MEMC, VIDC and IOC. If you put the four bits
of silicon together into one, the reduction in area is tremendous.
To see how this has affected things, compare the size of pcbs. The
circuit board for the A3010 (excluding the part taken up by the power
supply) is only about three quarters of the size of the A3000 pcb and
remember that the A3010 pcb has joystick support and TV modulator.
The cost of the four-layer pcbs represent quite a significant proportion
of the overall cost of fabricating a computer, so reducing the pcb area
reduces the overall cost. Also, five chips are going to be more
expensive than one, so there is a saving there, too.
Two other important effects of combining more circuits into one chip are
that the overall power consumption is reduced and the speed can be
increased. The new A3000s run at 12 MHz, instead of the 8 MHz of the
earlier Archimedes computers.
Reduced size and reduced power dissipation in turn mean that the
physical size of the computers you can build with them is reduced, as is
the size of the batteries needed for any kind of portable.
Why doesnæt the ARM250 have an on-board RAM cache to make it as fast as
the ARM3? Basically, the problem is size. There isnæt enough space, even
with 1 micron technology, to put the extra ram on board as well as all
the other control circuitry.
However, ARM Ltd can already fabricate silicon chip circuits at less
than the ARM250æs 1 micron component size so it shouldnæt be too long
before we can have cached RAM on board as well. Then, because of the
smaller size and lower power consumption, they will be able to get even
higher processing speed Ö and hopefully we will have MEMCæs handling
more memory Ö and even VIDC2! Now that will be some processor Ö when it
is developed!ááA
The New Computers
-----------------
There are many similarities between the A3010 and the A3020, so the
description of the A3010 will be done in more detail and the A3020 will
be described on a Écompare and contrastæ basis.
The A3010
In looking at the functionality of A3010, I shall mainly emphasise the
differences between this and its predecessor, the A3000.
Look and feel
The photograph on page 2 and the schematic diagram overleaf give a good
idea of the shape and layout of the A3010. As you can see, it has a
somewhat smaller Éfootprintæ than the A3000. This is mainly due to the
reduced size of the pcb, as explained in the section about the ARM250
processor.
The other thing which immediately strikes you is the colour Ö grey with
green function keys Ö and... ...the transfers! The system shown in the
photograph is a pre-production machine but the ones on sale to the
general public will have, as well as the Acorn logo, a whole series of
transfers across the top of the computer designed to illustrate what an
exciting and up-to-date computer you are just about to buy(!)
The keyboard looks and feels like the A3000 keyboard Ö certainly, it is
the same type of non-intelligent keyboard Ö just a matrix of connections
and a couple of ribbon cables going down into connectors on the pcb.
The mouse is the new Ésculpturedæ type as supplied with the A4. This
will be the standard Acorn mouse in future. Thankfully, it is a Logitech
mouse, so we can expect good reliability.
Functionality
Working around the sides of the computer from the righthand side, the
first thing we see is the floppy drive. This is a 2M drive which is the
standard now on all new 32-bit Acorn machines. This means that you can
use Acornæs own 1.6M format as well as PC formats up to 1.44M.
The parallel printer port can certainly be used to drive a whole range
of printers that have parallel Centronics type interfaces. However, it
is actually a bi-directional parallel interface which can transfer data
at up to about 200 kbytes/s. This means that it can be used to interface
to a growing range of peripherals. The only ones we know of so far are
an Ethernet interface and RemoteFS which is a way of linking two
computers so that they can use each otheræs hard drives Ö but I am sure
that others are under development and will be forthcoming as the market
expands.
The serial port is a standard RS232 interface running at up to 19,200
baud.
There are two joystick connectors taking the standard Atari
switched-type joysticks on a 9-pin D-type connector.
Mouse (9-pin mini-DIN), sound (3.5mm stereo jack) and video are as the
A3000 except that the latter uses a 15-pin D-type connector which is now
the standard for all new Acorn machines.
The TV modulator has been carefully selected so that you can actually
get a reasonable picture as long as you have got a good colour TV.
Behind the power switch and incoming power lead is the power supply
which actually forms part of the main pcb. This has been carefully
engineered for safety and has a thick aluminium screen between it and
the TV modulator.
In fact, the whole pcb is shielded in metal. The lid hinges up and
underneath it is a metal shield which meshes in with a metal box around
the pcb. This has been done to keep the radio frequency interference
down to a minimum. This should make it more acceptable in those
countries which have stringent RFI restrictions.
Above all the connectors is a blanking plate which can be taken out in
order to fit in a single mini podule. The range of mini podules
available is smaller than for full-sized podules but if the A3010 takes
off in the way we think it will, suppliers will obviously be encouraged
to extend their range somewhat.
Coming round to the lefthand side of the computer, with nothing else
near it, is the reset switch. This is hidden inside a recessed hole so
that it cannot be pressed accidentally.
The hidden bits
By looking only at the externals, it is easy to forget the hidden bits
inside that are so important. We have already mentioned the power of the
ARM250 processor but itæs worth noting that it gives approximately 1.4
times the performance of a 33MHz 386DX.
Itæs also easy to forget the built-in program suite held in the RISC-OS
ROMs. How many computers have, built-in, a quite sophisticated drawing
package, a painting program, a text editor, configuration program,
interactive help and a calculator as well as the outline font system
with three complete typefaces totalling 12 fonts?
The pcb itself is shown opposite (below). The ARM250 at the heart of the
computer is in a 160-pin package, surface mounted to the pcb. The
operating system, RISC-OS 3.10, is held in two 2M ROMs. The memory is in
two banks of 1M each, one with surface mounted chips and the other in
low-profile turned pin sockets. The memory chips are in the now familiar
ZIF format.
Each bank totals 1M of RAM but it looks as if link settings are provided
so that, when 4M chips become available at a reasonable price, they
could be put in place of the socketed set and the links changed so that
the 1M resident RAM is disabled and the machine can access the full 4M
set.
The A3020
The A3020 uses exactly the same case as the A3010 but it is in the, now
familiar, Acorn cream colour and doesnæt have the extra transfers
adorning the top of the case. The function keys are back to the usual
red colour.
The only real changes to the outside of the case are the disappearance
of the TV modulator output and the two joystick ports which are replaced
by the single 9-pin D-type connector for the AUN (Acorn Universal
Networking) interface. This allows for connection to either Econet or
Ethernet through the same socket. The actual Econet or Ethernet card
plugs into sockets on the pcb that take up the space occupied on the
A3010 by the joystick circuits. These circuits have a low enough profile
to sit underneath the minipodule.
The memory of the A3020 is 2M expandable to 4M, so the only change that
Acorn have to make to the pcb for that is to solder on different chips
and change a link.
The other internal change on the A3020 is the addition of the hardware
for the IDE hard drive. The hard drive connector is alongside the RAM
memory at the righthand edge of the pcb and the drive is fitted over the
RAM sockets just in front of the floppy drive. The A3020 doesnæt have a
cooling fan but as the hard drive is the same low-power 2╜ö unit that is
packed quite successfully into the A4 Notebook, that shouldnæt cause any
problems.
A4000
The A4000 looks very similar to the A5000 but is only about half the
height. The floppy drive (a 2M mechanism again) and the power switch are
positioned in the same places on the front of the box as on the A5000
though there is no space underneath the drive for a second one.
It uses almost the same pcb as the A3020, so the positioning and type of
the sockets on the rear of the case is also the same. There are two
differences that I am aware of. The first is that because the A4000 uses
a separate free-standing keyboard, the connectors for the internal
keyboard are omitted and what was a mouse socket on the A3020 is
replaced by the external keyboard connector.
Actually, the keyboard is different from the currently available ones.
Acorn have gone to a new supplier and these new keyboards will, in due
course, be released for use on other Acorn computers. The layout of the
keys is, thankfully, the same as before, the only difference being that
the LEDs for Caps Lock, Scroll Lock and Num Lock are all above the
numeric keypad.
The other physical changes with this new keyboard are that the keytops,
all together, form a concave surface. This is to improve the ergonomics
of the keyboard. The feel of the keys seems to me to be about the same
as the existing keyboards Ö but Iæm not a touch-typist!
The other change that I am aware of is that the A4000 has a separate
power supply, fully encased as on the A5000, but it does not have a fan
because the power consumption is so much less than the A5000 which could
have four podules added to its backplane.ááA
The Acorn Pocket Book
---------------------
For those of you who have seen the Psion Series 3, the Acorn Pocket Book
will be a familiar sight. For those of you who havenæt, I think you will
be impressed. The Pocket Book is a joint venture between Psion and Acorn
and is basically a re-badged Psion Series 3 with different software in
place of the normal Psion applications. It is neither a notebook nor a
laptop but a hand-held Éhighly portableæ pocket computer.
Acorn are aiming at the Éconcerned-parentæ market with this product. The
Pocket Book is directed fairly and squarely towards the educational
market. The idea is that the student can do some computer work while on
the way to or from school, or out on a field trip Ö or in the classroom
when a full-sized computer is simply not available. The studentæs work
can then be downloaded to an Acorn machine for further work or analysis
or for printing it out.
Whether this is the purpose for which it will actually be used remains
to be seen. It is really meant as a productivity tool to be used in
conjunction with existing Acorn products. There is already a range of
add-ons for the Psion 3 such as a serial communications link and a
parallel interface Ö these will all work on the Pocket Book. However,
the existing additions are tailored towards the PC and Macintosh markets
and so Acorn have produced a link specifically for Archimedes owners.
The ÉA-Linkæ, as it is called, includes the relevant software to allow
the Pocket Book to be accessed through a filer window on the Archimedes.
The prices are not fixed yet Ö Acorn say that they wonæt be the same as
Psionæs prices but we donæt yet know whether this means that they will
be higher or lower!
Hardware
The attractive mottled grey clam-shell case measures just 6.5 by 3.3
inches (165 ╫ 84mm) and is less than an inch thick (23mm). It will
therefore fit easily into a small pocket. The Pocket Book has an
ingenious hinge mechanism with the two AA-sized batteries contained
within the hinge itself. Because of the clever hinging mechanism, each
half of the computer only needs to be just over half the diameter of an
AA-sized battery.
The Pocket Book is an excellent example of precision moulding. When the
case is closed, all you can see is a very flat, very smooth case. When
you open the lid and watch the hinges unfold, it seems unbelievable that
the case could have been so smooth.
It is the same underneath with the two memory slots. Each has a small
hinge with an indentation for your thumb. The little doors are so well
moulded that they donæt need any kind of locking mechanism Ö they fit so
accurately, they just push into place and stay there.
The size of this clever piece of technology also belies its power: 256k
of RAM, 384k of ROM containing a multi-tasking operating system and
several impressive applications, expandable memory up to 4M and an
interface port to link the Pocket Book to the outside world.
Opening the case reveals a (very) flat 58-key QWERTY keyboard, a row of
eight touch-sensitive buttons and an LCD screen. The keyboard itself
does leave a little to be desired. As with all hand-held computers, it
is difficult to present a balanced opinion on the keyboard Ö after all,
they are hardly meant for long-term typing excursions!
There is very little tactile feedback because the keys are very flat and
very low and I found that it was far too easy to press more than one key
at once, accidentally. However, a facility is included which allows an
artificial key click to be sounded using the internal loudspeaker and
this certainly helps.
The loudspeaker, by the way, is amazingly loud for such a small machine.
The main use of the speaker is to allow multi-frequency (DTMF) telephone
dialling Ö a facility which is available in ROM on the Psion 3. This is
available for the Acorn Pocket Book as a software add-on.
The screen is a retardation film LCD which can display 240 ╫ 80 pixels.
This allows a character definition of about 40 across by 8 lines. The
screen is of a very high quality and it is easily the most readable
display I have seen on a hand-held computer. Contrast is set using the
É<æ and É>æ keys while holding down Acornæs (and Psionæs) equivalent of
the <Alt> key.
Inside the machine is a 16-bit 8086 compatible processor. This is a very
powerful chip for a hand-held computer Ö and it shows. Peak speed is
3.84 MHz, although some clever operating system software causes the chip
to slow right down whenever it is not being used. This is much the same
as the technology used in Acornæs other recent release, the A4 Notebook.
The idea behind the use of AA-sized batteries is their availability. It
was decided that rather than using the expensive (and difficult to get
hold of) lithium cells which are used in most hand-helds, the AA
batteries would provide a far better solution. It is surprising how
light the Pocket Book is, even with the batteries fitted. Normal life
expectancy is quoted as 2Ö4 months in typical operation, although I know
from experience with a Psion that this is a rather conservative
estimate.
To make sure that important data is not lost when changing the
batteries, there is a standard Lithium cell to act as a memory backup.
This should not run down for several years, as it is only used for this
purpose. An optional adaptor is available to connect the Pocket Book to
the mains and save battery power. The adaptor can also be used as a
recharger if you choose to use rechargeable batteries.
Expansion
Turning the computer over reveals two hinged slots. These give access to
two memory slots, each capable of holding a Solid State Disk (SSD) of up
to 2 Mbyte capacity. These are available in various sizes starting at
128k. There are two types: Flash and RAM. The Flash SSDs are the cheaper
of the two but have the disadvantage that you can only erase the whole
thing in one go by Éformattingæ them. Data can be flagged as deleted but
it still takes up space until reformatting takes place. The slightly
more expensive RAM SSDs have a lithium battery backup and the advantage
that information can be erased piecemeal (as with normal memory).
Software for using these SSDs is already available for the Pocket Book
(see below).
The expansion port is a fast 1.54 Mbit/s (192 kbytes/s) serial port
which allows connection through an adaptor to a standard bidirectional
parallel Centronics port and to the Acorn-specific serial communications
link: A-Link. This link is very impressive and allows the Pocket Book to
be used with all Acorn 32-bit computers. It causes the Pocket Book to
appear as a filing system in a window on the Archimedes screen, thereby
allowing it to be used with all of the normal filing system utilities
which are already available. It also allows file conversion to and from
the core applications of wordprocessor, spreadsheet and database. The
serial port is also capable of using Psionæs existing interfaces to the
PC and Macintosh Ö this makes the Pocket Book a far better option than
the Psion 3 for anyone considering which of the two to buy.
The Psion Series 3 has two models available: a 128k version and a 256k
version but Acorn has no plans to market anything other than the 256k
version of the Pocket Book.
Applications
The major difference between the Pocket Book and the Psion 3 is in the
software. The DTMF dialler and the agenda functions have both gone,
although they are both available on SSD. There are five applications
built into the ROM which cover the major applications in the computing
business: Abacus, Cards, Write, Calc and Time.
Abacus is a spreadsheet program which is extremely fast, considering the
size of the machine on which it is being run.
Cards is an intelligent database system, including a detailed search
routine and the ability to print records in a variety of ways.
Write is a surprisingly comprehensive wordprocessor. This can be made
compatible with Acorn wordprocessors which import and export text. Also
included is a comprehensive (and quick) spelling checker on SSD.
Calc provides a sophisticated multi-function calculator with various
scientific facilities and the ability to link to OPL (Psionæs own
programming language).
Time contains a clock with the ability to display and store the time for
over 400 cities in 150 countries. Included with this application is a
fully functional 4-way alarm which can be set daily, weekly, workday
only and so on.
The desktop is based on a full multi-tasking windowed graphical user
interface with the screen showing the five applications which are
available (all selectable from either the cursor keys or the
touch-sensitive keys). Pressing the Émenuæ button from this screen gives
a set of filer menus, allowing the user to carry out normal filing
operations and functions such as checking the amount of memory left,
checking the battery status and so on. The menu bar fits across the top
of the screen (Macintosh-style) but only appears when you actually press
the menu button.
Similarly, each of the applications has its own menu to carry out the
various application-specific options. Once again, the menu bar only
appears when the menu button is pressed. This is useful because it gives
an extra line of text on the screen Ö useful when you only have eight
lines to use!
The available software currently consists of four Acorn products: Chess,
Agenda (a diary planner), World (world DTMF dialling and time zones) and
an OPL Editor plus, of course, all of the existing Psion 3 software. OPL
is Psionæs own programming language (much like Basic) and is available
on the Pocket Book only as a run-time module, i.e. programs written in
OPL will run but you canæt write your own programs without an editor.
This editor is available as a separate product and includes a compiler.
Users
Who is the Pocket Book really for? As mentioned above, Acorn are aiming
it at the educational side of the computing market. As the pre-release
marketing information states:
The Pocket Book meets the need for a portable that performs a basic set
of computer functions, while being low enough cost for parents to buy it
for their school children.
Acorn also make the point that (as with the Psion 3) it is a much an
adultæs product as a childæs and can serve both perfectly well. It is
priced to make it affordable for parents to buy for their children to
use at school. It is especially useful for existing Acorn 32-bit
computer owners who can use it as a remote productivity tool.
Conclusion
What does all of this mean for existing Psion 3 owners? As yet, Acorn
have not stated whether the Archimedes link will be usable with the
existing Psion 3 or not. In view of the fact that the Psion 3 has sold
fairly well, it would seem a good idea not to tailor the interface
towards the Pocket Book specifically. This would hardly jeopardise
Acornæs hold on the hand-held market because existing Archimedes owners
are more likely to buy the Pocket Book if Acorn provide
Archimedes-specific backup for it.
At ú250, the Pocket Book is extremely good value Ö you are getting a
machine that fits on the palm of your hand and yet has the power of a PC
and the benefits of linking to an Archimedes. It scores over portables
and other hand-helds by being so neat and compact.
The advantages of A-Link added to the advantages of the existing
software and hardware for the Psion 3, make the Pocket Book a better buy
than Psionæs own product. It now means that you can effectively have a
Psion 3 (with an Acorn badge!) with the capability of connecting to a
PC, Macintosh or (most importantly!) an Archimedes. There is also
special software to cater for all of the conversions and housekeeping
that is necessary.
All in all, the Acorn Pocket Book is an excellent all-round solution to
portable computing. ááA
Specifications
--------------
Acorn Pocket Book
-----------------
Price: ú249.95
Processor: 3.84 MHz NEC V30H
RAM: 256k
ROM: 384k containing operating system and applications
Mass Storage 2 slots for solid-state disks: Flash (up to 2M) and RAM
(up to 1M)
Keyboard: 58-key QWERTY & 8 touch-sensitive keys
Display: 240╫80 pixel Retardation Film graphics LCD (40 chars ╫ 8
lines)
Interfaces: 1.563Mbit/sec serial port link to Centronics, RS232 and
A-Link interfaces
Size: 165 ╫ 84 ╫ 23mm
Weight: 265g including batteries
Applications: free-text database, wordprocessor, alarm clock, world
time, scientific calculator, spreadsheet
Operating System: Psion OS and GUI
Power: Two AA-size batteries for main system, one Lithium backup cell
used when changing batteries. Alternatively, mains
adaptor (optional).
Battery life: approx. 2Ö4 months typical usage
The New Software
----------------
AUN Fileserver
Acorn Computers has announced the first new products to be launched
under its open networking strategy Ö Acorn Universal Networking (AUN).
AUN provides a framework for the introduction of, and access to, new
networking technologies in new or existing Acorn sites. By incorporating
the relevant technologies, industry standards such as TCP/IP and the
concepts of Open Systems, AUN enables different computer types to be
interconnected.
AUN supports different cabling systems and a key feature of AUN is that
users can connect different networks in the site together via RISC-OS
computers running an AUN software application. This allows every
computer on site to see every other computer, even when they are not
connected to the same physical network.
An Acorn Universal Network can consist of a number of Econet and
Ethernet networks linked together via a backbone Ethernet network using
RISC-OS computers as Gateway stations. These computers can act at the
same time as local fileservers. In this way AUN gives users the benefit
of being able to take a site-wide approach to networking and, by
extension, their IT resources.
A new release of Acornæs Level 4 Fileserver networking applications has
been optimised for Ethernet support. This new product gives users the
benefits of significant increased speed performance and an industry
standard cabling system, albeit that existing networks can be left
intact with faster cabling systems added to form a single integrated
network.
For example, users of Acornæs proprietary Econet network may now extend
their system by adding new cabling technologies such as Ethernet, while
ensuring that users can still use established Econet methods of
accessing network resources.
A parallel Acorn software product called TCP/IP Protocol Suite enables a
RISC-OS computer to talk to a UNIX computer over AUN. This is likely to
be of particular benefit to higher education where TCP/IP and Ethernet
networks are commonplace.
Acornæs comment is that öAUN protects existing user investments due to
its compatibility with existing networks and its future proofing for
tomorrow. All of this adds up to a cost effective and efficient network
offering which is ideal for schools, universities and businesses.
öWith the new AUN package, users can now expand their networks in
planned stages according to their resources and requirements.ò
The Acorn Universal Networking product pack, which contains site
software and a new release of Level 4 FileServer, costs ú399 +VAT.
In addition, AUN software is available for third parties to allow them
to incorporate further networking products into the AUN strategy.
EasiWord
Acorn have chosen EasiWord (from Minerva Systems) as the standard
wordprocessor for its A3010 machines, i.e. the Family Solution and the
Learning Curve. Not surprisingly, EasiWord is fully compatible with
First Word Plus which is its predecessor.
Those of you who are already familiar with EasiWord, may be surprised to
read this as the first release of EasiWord was a clone of Computer
Conceptsæ Wordwise which was originally produced for Acornæs BBC model B
machines.
The essential difference between EasiWord and First Word Plus is that
EasiWord prints using the RISC-OS printer drivers rather than the
special ÉFirst Word Plus styleæ printer drivers. This makes the process
of connecting a printer and printing much simpler.
EasiWord also prints using the Éfancy textæ facility of the RISC-OS
printer drivers which, in turn, uses the printeræs own fonts, and so is
just as fast as First Word Plus (as compared with a DTP package such as
Ovation which will print out using the graphics mode of the printer
drivers and is consequently much slower).
For those of you who are unfamiliar with First Word Plus, a summary of
the facilities of EasiWord is given below:
Spelling checker with a dictionary of over 50,000 words;
Check-as-you-type spell checking facility; WYSIWYG display; Uses printer
fonts for ultra-fast output; RISC-OS compliant; Simple user interface is
quick to learn yet very powerful; On-line help guides you as you learn;
First Word Plus compatible; Multiple document views; Edit several
documents at once; Uses RISC-OS printer drivers; Different layouts
within one document; Instant, accurate word count available at any time;
Text can be exported to other programs; Import text from other sources;
Clipboard with cut-and-paste facilities; Clipboard to move text between
different documents; Rulers and page breaks always visible on screen;
Font effects include bold, italic, underline, super- and sub-script;
Text effects including automatic titling; Sophisticated search and
replace with case matching; Tabs available include left, right, centre
and numeric formatting; Complete support for extended character set;
Instant reformatting of text as you edit, including justified text;
Changes to tabs and rulers instantly affect text format; Keyboard
shortcuts for advanced users; Standard document templates may be
created.
EasiWriter II
EasiWriter, produced by Icon Technology, is rapidly becoming one of the
most acclaimed wordprocessors of the Archimedes. Perhaps this is why
Acorn chose to supply it with their A4000 ÉHome Officeæ package.
At first glance, EasiWriter looks and behaves just like a traditional
wordprocessor. However, a closer inspection will soon reveal that Icon
Technology have managed to include a host of sophisticated facilities
more in keeping with the new generation of Édocument processorsæ (a
cross between a word processor and a desktop publishing package). Whatæs
more, they seem to have managed to do this without sacrificing the
programæs ease-of-use.
EasiWriter II, as opposed to EasiWriter (!), contains a few minor
modifications requested by Acorn and existing customers. The main
difference being a new mail-merging facility, which presumably links in
with the Desktop Database package also supplied with the A4000 Home
Office package.
This small section is not sufficient to give this package the full
consideration that it deserves. However, a brief summary of its key
facilities is given below:
WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get); Multiple documents can be open
at once; Multiple columns (up to nine) can be specified for the document
or sections; Columns can be nested; Optional vertical and horizontal
page rulers; Measurements can be specified in inches (tenths and
twelves), centimetres & millimetres, picas & points, corps & ciceros;
Documents can be scaled from 10% to 999%; On line help; Word and
character count; Keyboard shortcuts and menu commands; Powerful new
stylesheet capability for formatting whole structures Ö chapters,
sections, lists, tables, pictures and figures; Left/right pages with
automatic page numbering. Left/right multi-line/column headers & footers
can also include pictures; Multi-lingual hyphenation built in, with user
defined exceptions dictionary; Powerful multi-lingual spell checking
(British dictionary supplied) US English, Danish, Dutch, French, German,
Italian, Norwegian, Spanish and Swedish available (German needs hard
disc); Spell check Ö the entire document, a selection or as you type.
Learn command lets you add words to the user dictionary; Cut, copy and
paste text & graphics within a document or from one document to another;
Intelligent cut, copy and paste automatically removes and inserts
spaces; Powerful Undo/Redo command to correct editing and formatting
mistakes; Search & replace and find selection; Borders can be applied to
the left, right, above or below paragraphs, sections, lists, pictures,
tables or the document itself in a variety of line styles; Left, right,
centre and user definable decimal tabs with user defined fill pattern;
Insert date and time with user definable formats; Automatic bulleted
lists; Pictures can be inserted into a line of text or into frames and
can be scaled and cropped; Powerful Table editor for automatic
formatting of tables; User definable emphasis styles to control text
appearance and language; Text can be coloured, underlined, emphasised
and struck out; Import text files and First Word Plus documents; CSV
(comma separated value) files automatically converted into tables; Save
document, selection and save as text; Stationery pad (store commonly
used formats for later use); Automatic upper & lower case and initial
caps style; Revert command to revert to last version saved; Fully
RISC-OS compliant; Supports RISC-OS printer drivers.
Desktop Database
Along with EasiWriter II, Acorn have also included Iota Softwareæs
Desktop Database with their A4000 öHome Officeò package. Surprisingly,
this is the first dedicated database that Acorn have included with their
RISC computers.
Desktop Database is based on Iotaæs öJunior Databaseò package which has
been successfully used by in schools Éup and down the countryæ. As a
result, the package is designed specifically to be easy-to-use. It even
comes with some example Étemplatesæ such as an address book, a club
membership record, stock book, etc.
As you would expect, the database can import and export in a variety of
formats such as ViewStore, comma separated variable (CSV), tab separated
variable (TSV), etc. It can even export each record in Text format (to a
wordprocessor, etc) or Draw format.
Unlike some small database programs, Desktop Database is not limited to
the number of records it can store. Neither do you have to specify the
number of cards you are likely to use Ö it grows as your data grows!
Unfortunately, in the short time available to write this supplement, a
full specification or review copy was not available. However, Desktop
Database along with the other new applications supplied by Acorn will be
reviewed in detail in following issues of Archive.ááA
The New Operating System Ö RISC-OS 3.10
---------------------------------------
We havenæt been able to look at RISC-OS 3.10 in any great detail but the
improvements from RISC-OS 2 to RISC-OS 3 are so significant that listing
those will give a feel for how much better these new computers are than
their predecessors.
Here is a list of the additions and improvements to RISC-OS 2, in no
particular order:
Å Extension modules Ö All the RISC-OS 2 extension modules are included
in RISC-OS 3 Ö Floating Point Emulator, ColourTrans, Outline Font
Manager and Shared C library.
Å Tasks Ö RISC-OS 3 can have up to 128 tasks running together, as
compared to 32.
Å Compression routines Ö There are compression routines specifically
for Basic VI and also for other types of files.
Å Broadcast loading Ö RISC-OS 3 contains support for broadcast loading
on a network.
Å Named hard drives Ö Instead of just ö:4ò, ö:5ò, etc on the iconbar,
you see the discname displayed.
Å High resolution icons Ö If you are working in a higher resolution,
you can change over to a set of icons that make better use of the hi-res
modes.
Å Interactive help Ö Facilities are provided within RISC-OS 3 for
interactive help.
Å Hot keys Ö Some new hot keys have been provided for opening a task
window (which no longer has to be done through Edit), moving the iconbar
to the front and initiating shutdown.
Å Screen blanker Ö This will shut down the screen display after a
specified length of time and restore it as soon as a key is pressed or
the mouse is moved.
Å Multi-tasking filer Ö Copying, moving and deleting files now takes
place in the background. The same is true of format, verify and backup
commands.
Å Multi-format filer Ö RISC-OS 3 allows MS-DOS files to be written to,
read from and even formatted. You can even access any MS-DOS partition,
as if it were a normal RISC-OS directory, and manipulate the files.
Å Multitasking free space display Ö The amount of free space available
on the floppy or hard drives can now be displayed continuously, being
updated as file operations take place.
Å Extra filer operations Ö You can search for a file, set a filetype,
or datestamp a file from the filer menu.
Å Windows facilities Ö There is no limit to the number of windows that
can be open at one time and you can have windows which move off the edge
of the screen.
Å Font facilities Ö The new font manager allows fonts to be rotated and
transformed without having to be replaced by bit maps first; it can
cache single characters rather than blocks of characters; it supports
right-to-left scripts; it can cope with multiple font directories and it
supports different character set encodings.
Å Fonts Ö There are 12 fonts i.e. Times, Homerton and Corpus, each in
medium, italic, bold and bold italic.
Å Desktop saving Ö An option on the Task Manager provides the facility
for saving the state of the desktop. This includes applications that are
running, open directory viewers, any logged-on fileservers, any icons on
the desktop background and the backdrop picture.
Å Shutdown Ö The Task Manager also provides a shutdown facility to
ensure that no applications have unsaved data, all network links are
disconnected and all hard drives are shut down.
Å Printer support Ö There is now a full printer queue facility; you can
drag several files to a printer icon and you can suspend the printing
and/or remove items from the queue; it indicates what proportion of a
file has been printed so far; you can have more than one printer active
at one time; it is much easier to create new printer types; printer
drivers can be named, so you can call them, say, öMyLaserò or
öYourEpsonò; they support font-downloading which is useful for
PostScript printers.
ROM based applications
There are eight ROM based applications. The fact that they are in ROM
means that they are always available on the iconbar and it also means
that they use less memory. !Edit, for example, needs at least 160k to
run from disc but only 64k from ROM.
Most of the applications have also been improved in various ways.
Å !Paint Ö You can now replace a colour with transparent and
transparent with a colour. It offers scale x, scale y and shear. It has
a timed screen snapshot facility so that, after the snapshot has been
requested, you have time to get out the menus you want to be recorded as
a sprite. It allows you to use circle, triangle and square as a brush.
Å !Edit Ö This now provides column tab, overwrite and word-wrap modes.
It has support for wildcarded expressions in find operations as well as
the original magic characters. It works with an unlimited number of
fonts. It has support for editing Basic programs.
Å !Draw Ö This looks to have been substantially improved. There are now
many keyboard short-cuts; colour interpolation is provided to create
smooth colour grading from one path to another; automatic scrolling of
the window as the mouse approaches the edge with <select> or <adjust>
held down; operations can now be undone; text can be edited in situ;
sprites can also be rotated.
Å !Alarm Ö This has improved support for setting and resetting alarms,
a listing of alarms available in text format, repeating alarms to be set
within a working week, more control over repeating alarms, automatic
changing between summer and winter time and the facility to start up a
task when an alarm time is reached.
Å !Calc Ö At last, it uses the keyboard keys for input!
Å !Chars Ö Little obvious change here.
Å !Configure Ö This allows easy control over the configuration options
including the number of hard drives (plus some control over SCSI drives)
and floppy drives, various aspects of the network including those
relating to the broadcast loader, mouse sensitivity, keyboard
auto-repeat, memory allocation, sound, thresholds for fonts and the
window manager (including whether windows can move off-screen).
Å !Help Ö This now provides help on menu items as well as about icons
and windows.
Disc based applications
There are now sixteen or more disc based applications
Å !Pinboard Ö Files, directories and applications can be öattachedò to
the desktop. Simply drag the file/directory onto the desktop. Windows,
including active ones, can be öiconisedò to enable best use to be made
of the available desktop space. Clicking on a iconised window restores
it to normal. Backdrops can also be created from sprites in various
patterns.
Å !Printeredit Ö This allows you to create printer drivers and to
öcommon controlò your printer. You can now have more than one printer
driver relating to the same printer on the iconbar at the same time
though, obviously, not more than one can be active at the same time.
Printer drivers are provided for Apple LaserWriter, PostScript, HP
LaserJet, Canon & Integrex 132 colour, Dot matrix Epson compatible and
Canon BJC800.
Å !FontPrint Ö This allows RISC-OS fonts to be printed on a PostScript
printer. It will translate and/or download fonts as necessary.
Å !Scicalc Ö scientific calculator
Å !Puzzle Ö sliding block puzzle
Å !65host Ö 6502 emulator
Å !65tube Ö 6502 second processor emulator
Å !Clock Ö analogue face and hands
Å !Mailman Ö manager to send and receive electronic mail
Å !Maestro Ö includes some new tunes and a score printing facility
Å !Patience Ö card game
Å !Tinydirs Ö This application, which allows directories to be kept on
the iconbar, is made virtually redundant by !Pinboardæs ability to
iconise windows. The only advantage is that it can be run from a boot
file whereas iconisation is only available as an immediate operation.
Å !Lander Ö Remember this one on RISC-OS 2?
Å !Madness Ö and this one?
Å !Magnifier Ö You do not need to run this application each time you
need it. When you run it, it installs itself on the iconbar and can be
picked up from there when needed.
Å !Usage Ö Shows the usage of the processor.
Å !Squash Ö Simply drag a file onto the squash icon on the iconbar and
the file is compacted. The file icon is replaced by squashæs own icon.
If you double click on the compacted file, it is restored to its full
size (assuming there is room on the filing system) and the original
filetype icon is restored. If you drag a directory onto the squash icon,
the individual files within the directory are compacted but the
structure of the directory remains intact and instantly accessible.
Conclusion
All-in-all, RISC-OS 3 offers many extra facilities that will make life
much easier both for the programmer and also for the end user. The only
disadvantage is that some files created on RISC-OS 3 will not be usable
on RISC-OS 2. For that reason, I hope that the majority of users move
over to RISC-OS 3 as soon as possible.ááA
