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 PCradio running its bespoke task management software; its thermal printer sits above the keyboard. | |
| Manufacturer | International Business Machines |
|---|---|
| Type | Notebook |
| Release date | August 13, 1991; 34 years ago (1991-08-13) |
| Availability | December 1991 |
| Lifespan | 1991–1993 |
| Introductory price | Starting at $5,500[1] |
| Discontinued | August 13, 1993; 32 years ago (1993-08-13) |
| Units sold | Fewer than 10,000 |
| Operating system | PC DOS |
| CPU | Intel 80C186 at 5–10 MHz |
| Memory | 640 KB |
| Storage | SRAM modules (up to 2 MB) |
| Display | MonochromeLCD |
| Graphics | CGA |
| Dimensions | 10.5 in × 8.4 in × 2.5 in (26.7 cm × 21.3 cm × 6.4 cm)[2] |
| Weight | 6.4 pounds (2.9 kg)[3] |
ThePCradio is a discontinuednotebook computer released byInternational Business Machines (IBM) in 1991. Designed primarily for mobile workers such as service technicians, salespersons and public safety workers, the PCradio features aruggedized build with no internalhard disk drive and was optioned with either acellular orARDISRF modem, in addition to a standardlandline modem.[4][5]
The internals of the PCradio were encased in a slate-gray,[6] hardened plastic case, which IBM said was resistant to heat, moisture, impact and certain chemicals. Its port doors, connectors, and keyboard were designed to be water-resistant through the use of gaskets, seals, andO-rings.[4] It featured a monochromeLCD capable of rendering graphics inCGA mode and text at 80 columns by 25 lines. The laptop was powered by either anickel–cadmium battery or a wall or car power adapter.[4][7]
To keep the PCradio ruggedized, IBM offeredSRAM modules of various capacities up to 2 MB for file storage, in lieu of a mechanicalhard disk drive.[2][3] Special versions of Siega System's One-Button Mail, ane-mail client,[6] Traveling Software's Battery Watch, a battery management application, andLapLink, a file transfer program, were developed with drivers to support the PCradio's special hardware.[8] The latter, renamed to Notebook Manager, came bundled with the PCradio as aROM module.[2] Owing to its ruggedized nature, the PCradio could operate between 32 degrees and 132 degrees Fahrenheit.[3] Athermal printer which accepted paper 3-1/8 inches in diameter was optional.[7]
The cellular model was capable of sending and receivingfaxes,[9] at a rate of 9.6 KB per second—twice that of its cellular data speed of 4.8 KB per second.[3] Meanwhile the landline model was capable of sending but not receiving faxes, and the ARDIS model could not receive faxes whatsoever.[9] The cellular model could also be used for voice communications with the optionalhandset.[3]
The PCradio project was helmed by Robert A. Lundy, a director and general manager in charge of the wireless business unit of IBM's Industry Products Group facilityBoca Raton, Florida.[10] The project commenced in 1989 and comprised a team of 25 people in Boca Raton, including Lundy.[11] They hiredVadem, anoriginal design manufacturer fromSan Jose, California, as a consultant on the project.[12] IBM reportedly spent $50 million in development costs.[1] The PCradio was ultimately manufactured at IBM'sNorth Carolina andScotland facilities, with the cellular modem made by Novatel Communications at theirLethbridge, Alberta, factory and IBM'sDon Mills, Toronto, facility.[13] TheARDIS modem, meanwhile, was manufactured byMotorola and designed at theirRichmond, British Columbia, facility. This ARDIS modem was designed to consume less power than conventional data radios, enabling the PCradio's battery to last longer on a charge.[14]
IBM unveiled the PCradio on August 13, 1991,[11] and began shipping it to the general public in the third week of December 1991,[2] following approval by theFCC earlier in the month.[15] Prior to this approval,McCaw Cellular forged a relationship with IBM to become the firstcarrier of the cellular model of PCradio.[16] Coverage eventually expanded to other carriers operated by theRegional Bell Operating Companies,[17] includingBellSouth.[18]
One analyst saw a large market for the PCradio and other digital wireless devices,[9] which IBM hoped to dominate similar to how they captured the personal computer market with theIBM PC in the early 1980s.[6] According to Robert R. Daly, a product manager of the Boca Raton facility, the company expected to sell up to 100,000 units in two years.[11] However, only slightly fewer than 10,000 units of the PCradio were sold by August 1994.[1] Among the few and first to use it wasSears, whose service technicians in California used the PCradio to receive timely updates to parts availability and prices from 1992 until 1994, when they replaced it with a more powerful unit produced by Itronix.[19] Several police departments and emergency services in the United States also used the PCradio,[1] including theBaltimore Police Department, who purchased a fleet of PCradios for their officers anddispatchers, where it was used to call up vehicle information and map directions and send and receive incident reports. The Department also used it for making discreet reports ofdrug dealings, instead of having to use the vocalpolice radio channels to which dealers often hadscanners tuned—fleeing the scene if an officer made a description of their likeness.[20]
IBM discontinued the PCradio on August 13, 1993.[21] In August 1994, they sold their remaining stock, parts and tooling to Aspen Marine Group ofWest Palm Beach, Florida, where they rebadged the unsold PCradios under their Aptek sub-brand and sold an equivalent model targeting the same market.[1] The same month, IBM released theSimon, a BellSouth-powered cellularPDA that could place phone calls and access theInternet.[22]
| IBMP/N | Processor | Clock speed | RAM | Communications method | Communications speed | Fax capability and speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9075-001 | Intel 80C186 | 5–10 MHz | 640 KB | Landline | 2.4 KB/sec | Yes (sending only),[9] 2.4 KB/sec |
| 9075-002 | ARDIS | 4.8 KB/sec | No | |||
| 9075-003 | Cellular | 4.8 KB/sec | Yes (sending and receiving),[9] 9.6 KB/sec |
| Feature | IBMP/N |
|---|---|
| 0.5 MB SRAM storage | 04G1470 |
| 0.5 MB ROM | 04G1472 |
| 2.0 MB ROM | 04G1473 |
| Combination 0.5 MB SRAM storage/0.5 MB ROM | 04G1474 |
| Combination 1.0MB SRAM storage/0.5 MB ROM | 04G1475 |
| 40-column thermal printer | 92F1132 |
| Breakout box | 92F1131 |
| Model 001 to 002 conversion kit | 92F1148 |
| Model 001 to 003 conversion kit | 92F1149 |
| Ni-Cd battery pack | 92F1135 |
| AC adapter | 92F1145 |
| Telephone cable, 6-ft | 92F1138 |
| DC car charger | 92F1146 |
| Carrying case | 92F1140 |
| Cellular telephone handset | 92F1134 |
| Carrying strap | 92F1142 |
| Timeline of the IBM Personal Computer |
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| Asterisk (*) denotes a model released in Japan only |