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1995-04-22
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Portfolio Frequently Asked Questions, PORT.FAQ
by BJ Gleason, Copyright (c) 1992 by BJ Gleason
Send Updates, Comments and Suggestions to the author at:
75300,2517 Compuserve
bjgleas@auvm.american.edu
Edition: February 26, 1992
________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
PORTFOLIO_____________________________________________
1. What is the Atari Portfolio?
2. How large should I set Drive C: to with the FDISK
command?
3. Why does the screen flash when the computer is
off?
RAMCARDS_______________________________________________
4. What size RAM cards are available?
5. Can I interface the RAMcards to other machines?
6. Can memory cards for the HP work on the Portfolio?
7. How often should the battery in the RAMcard be
replaced?
8. How do I replace the batteries in the RAMcard with
out losing the information?
BATTERIES______________________________________________
9. Can I use Nicads in the Portfolio?
10. Will the Parallel port and/or Serial port drain
the batteries faster?
COMPATIBILITY / BUGS____________________________________
11. Will the Portfolio run IBM files?
12. What is the UPDATE program?
13. What are some of the Bugs in the Portfolio?
14. What are some of the Hardware Incompatibilities?
15. How do I reboot the Portfolio?
INTERNAL APPLICATIONS__________________________________
16. What ROM versions are available?
17. Can the ROM be upgraded?
18. Can I run MS/DOS 3.0 or later on the Portfolio?
19. How can I get a list of filenames when I want to
load a
20. How can I find the developers names in the
Portfolio?
21. Can Portfolio Applications run on a PC or a MAC?
PROGRAMMING____________________________________________
22. How can I make my programs smaller?
23. Is a Technical Manual Available for the Portfolio?
24. What languages are available for the Portfolio?
25. What PC Compilers can I use to develop programs?
26. Can Turbo Pascal 3.01A run on the Portfolio?
PBASIC_________________________________________________
27. How do I run a PBASIC program?
28. What is ALTR.COM?
29. Can I use PBASIC on the PC?
30. What are the differences between PowerBASIC and
PBASIC?
FILE TYPES_____________________________________________
31. What do .ZIP and .ARC mean?
32. What is .PGC?
33. What is .PGX?
34. What is a .HOO file?
35. What is a .RUN file?
DISK STORAGE___________________________________________
36. Will the PDD1 or PDD2 from Radio Shack work on the
37. Can I attach a Hard Disk to the Portfolio?
38. When using the Flashdrive, the MD command lock up
the
39. Can I hook an MS/DOS Compatible Disk Drive to the
Port?
40. Did Xoterix release their hard disk unit for the
Portfolio?
FILE TRANSFERS_________________________________________
41. How do I transfer files to and from the PC?
42. How do I transfer files to and from other
machines?
SOFTWARE SOURCES_______________________________________
43. Where can I get programs for the Portfolio?
44. How do I get an account on Compuserve?
45. What is the Atari Portfolio Forum on Compuserve?
46. What is in the Atari Portfolio Libraries on
Compuserve?
EXPANDING MEMORY_______________________________________
47. Can I increase the internal memory size of the
Portfolio?
APPLICATIONS___________________________________________
48. Will WordPerfect Run on the Portfolio?
49. Is there a version of Tetris for the Portfolio?
50. What is a PREAD file?
51. Is there a program to capture the Portfolio
Screen?
52. Can I do Animation on the Portfolio?
SERIAL COMMUNICATIONS__________________________________
53. How do I hook up a modem?
MISCELLANEOUS__________________________________________
54. What is the APB?
55. What is the Address of Atari?
56. Was that a Portfolio used in Terminator 2?
57. What is DIP?
58. What is the Address of DIP?
59. Is a keyboard cover available for the Portfolio?
60. What magazines/newsletters cover the Portfolio?
61. Who is Don Thomas?
62. What should I do if travelling Overseas with the
Portfolio?
63. Can I put the Portfolio Through an X-RAY machine?
64. What do I do when the Portfolio dies?
________________________________________________________________
PORTFOLIO_____________________________________________
1. What is the Atari Portfolio?
The Portfolio is a "palmtop" personal computer that is very
(but not completely) compatible with the IBM PC computer
systems. The base unit, when folded, is about the size of a
VHS tape. It unfolds to reveal a 40 characters by 8 lines
screen and a 63 key keyboard. It comes with 128k of RAM,
which is divided between memory and a RAMdisk. The Liquid
Crystal Display screen is very easy to read, even in poor
lighting, and has contrast adjustment built into the
keyboard. The keyboard is arranged in the standard QWERTY
fashion (like a typewriter), making it very easy to find the
keys, but the spacing of the keys is a bit tight. The unit
is powered by three AA batteries, which last about 100
hours. With the addition of the parallel interface you can
upload and download files to another PC that has a parallel
port. A serial port is also available.
Aside from DOS 2.11, the Portfolio also has a simple ASCII
text editor, a calculator, a diary with alarms, and an
address book that can dial numbers on touch tone phones.
Perhaps the most impressive built in application is a
spreadsheet program that is compatible with Lotus 1-2-3.
2. How large should I set Drive C: to with the FDISK command?
If the computer should ever crash, all the files on drive C
are lost. Many users keep all their files on the RAMcard,
and set the C drive to about 8k with the FDISK command.
This will leave you about 100k of free memory for your
applications.
3. Why does the screen flash when the computer is off?
New users will occasionally notice the screen flash when the
unit is turned off. The computer will turn itself on about
every two minutes to check the alarms in the diary.
RAMCARDS_______________________________________________
4. What size RAM cards are available?
In the United States:
32k, 64k, 128k
Outside the US, there are Memory Modules. The are RAMcards
with "boxes" on the ends. They stick out of the unit by
about an inch.
256k, 512k, and 1Meg Memory Modules are available for the
Portfolio from DIP systems in England. They work just like
RAMCards, and measure 20*50*70mm. Contact DIP, 32 Frederick
Sanger Road, Surrey Research Park, Guildford, United
Kingdom, GU2 5XN. (0483) 301555. The prices are (in
pounds) 256k 182.56, 512k 252.13, and 1Meg 373.87 and do not
include shipping.
5. Can I interface the RAMcards to other machines?
Circuit Cellar INK Magazine, Issue 18, January 1991, has an
article entitled "An Interface for Portable Battery-Backed
RAM". The article shows construction of an interface to
read and write information from a Mitsubishi's Credit Card
Memory. This is the same card that is used on the
Portfolio.
6. Can memory cards for the HP work on the Portfolio?
No. They are completely different, and not compatible. The
same goes for the Poqet, PC-3000, and just about every other
machine on the market.
7. How often should the battery in the RA