 First generation Walkabout | |
| Developer | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Data General |
| Type |
|
| Released | December 1989; 36 years ago (1989-12) |
| Lifespan | 1989–1993 |
| Discontinued | 1993; 33 years ago (1993) |
TheWalkabout is a family ofnotebook-sizedlaptops introduced byData General in 1989 and discontinued in 1993. The first entry in the line, simply named theWalkabout, was a battery-poweredportable terminal capable of emulating multiple protocols; as well, it contains a rudimentary word processor, anautodialer utility for placing phone calls, and areal-time clock display and timer application for setting reminders. The successor to the first model, theWalkabout/SX, released in 1990, was an architectural redesign allowing the laptop to be used as a general-purposeIBM PC compatible. The penultimate entry, theWalkabout/320, increased its predecessor'si386SX processorclock speed from 16 MHz to 20 MHz, while the last entry in the line, theWalkabout/386SL, replaced the processor withIntel's portable-centrici386SL processor clocked at 25 MHz.
Development of the Walkabout began in the mid-1980s, withVernon Weiss leading the design team asData General's portable product manager.[1] Weiss was also responsible for leading the team behind theData General/One, one of the firstIBM PC–compatiblelaptops on the market.[2] Weiss and the design team conceived of the original Walkabout as a portable email client: a device which would allow users to check theiremails remotely viamodem. Therefore, the computer was made aportable terminal instead of a general-purpose personal computer.[1][3]
Introduced in December 1989,[4] the original Walkabout has a built-in modem capable of communicating at speeds of either 1,200 baud or 2,400 baud, depending on the model ordered.[5] It is capable of emulating Data General's ownDasher D216 protocol, as well asDEC'sVT100 protocol andLear Siegler'sADM-3A protocol. Aside from its terminal emulation functionality, the original Walkabout contains inROM a rudimentaryword processor application, capable of composing and storing up to 16 KB of text. Anautodialer utility allows users to store contact information in a virtualphone book and automatically dial out one's phone number over thepublic switched telephone network via its modem. The laptop also includes areal-time clock application that displays the time in the corner of the screen, as well as a timer function allowing users to set timed reminders over the course of using the machine.[4]
The original Walkabout, with its non-backlit monochromeLCD, measures 12 by 10.6 by 1.9 inches (30.5 by 26.9 by 4.8 cm) and weighs 5 pounds (2.3 kg).[5][4] The Walkabout takes fiveAA batteries to operate; alternatively, users could have bought a rechargeableNi–Cd battery pack to power the system.[4]
The Walkabout/SX, introduced in March 1990, was a radical departure from its predecessor, measuring larger and heavier than the original Walkabout while giving it trueIBM PC compatibility through the adoption ofIntel'si386SX processor, a 3.5-inch, high-densityfloppy disk drive, aVGA display, and a standard IBM PC–compatiblechipset andBIOS. A 40-MBhard disk drive came standard, as didMicrosoft'sMS-DOS 4.1 andGW-BASIC on floppy disk.[6][7]: 135 Sony andConner Peripherals respectively manufactured the floppy and hard drives (the latter a CP3044 model hard drive), whileChips and Technologies,Cirrus Logic, andPhoenix Technologies respectively supplied thechipset, theGPU andBIOS ROM. A slot on the motherboard allows an80387 math coprocessor to be installed by the user.[7]: 135 The i386SX processor operates at its fullest 16-MHz clock speed only when connected to wall power; when powered off the battery, the clock speed is cut in half. This was a power conservation feature on the part of Data General.[8]: 148, 151
The laptop comes with 1 MB ofRAM stock, expandable to up to 8 MB with the use ofSIMM slots on the motherboard, in increments of 1 MB or 2 MB.[6] Two proprietaryexpansion slots on the side take Data General's proprietary expansion cards for the machine. One slot is reserved for 8-bit cards, while the other is for 16-bit cards. Available in 1990 were a 2400-baudmodem card, aStarLANEthernet networking card, and abarcode reader card; in 1991, the company released an expansion chassis card, allowingISA cards to be used with the Walkabout/SX.[8]: 148, 151 Data General also included twoRS-232 serial ports and oneparallel port on the back of the Walkabout/SX allowing common peripherals like mice and printers to be used with the laptop.[9]
The Walkabout/SX's backlit VGA display measures 8.25 inches wide by 5.25 inches high, making for a somewhat irregularaspect ratio of 1.70:1, and can only display monochrome images, with 32 shades of grey. However, users can hook up an external monitor to obtain color display in a truer 1.33:1 aspect ratio.[8]: 151
The Walkabout/SX measures 15.7 by 14.2 by 3.2 inches (39.9 by 36.1 by 8.1 cm) and weighs, depending on the configuration, between 16 pounds (7.3 kg) and 22 pounds (10.0 kg).[10] The computer's stock Ni–Cd battery lasts between three and five hours on a single charge. Power conservation features include the aforementioned underclocking on battery power, as well as automatic screen blanking and automatic hard drive shutoffTSR programs included on one of seven application floppy disks.[8]: 148, 151 [11]
The Walkabout/320, introduced in July 1991, was another radical redesign, reducing its weight to just under 6 pounds (2.7 kg) and measuring smaller across all dimensions, measuring 11 by 5 by 1.8 inches (27.9 by 12.7 by 4.6 cm), making for Data General's firstnotebook computer.[12] The clock speed of the computer's i386SX was bumped up to 20 MHz, while the stock RAM was increased to 2 MB (although the memory ceiling was decreased to 6 MB). Data General offered the Walkabout/320 with a 60-MB Conner hard drive, as well as the same 40-MB Conner drive of its predecessor as a lower-cost alternative.[13] Most other features were carried over from its predecessor.[14]
The Walkabout/386SL, introduced in September 1992, was a slight revision over its predecessor, replacing the i386SX with the portable-oriented, power-savingi386SL processor—now clocked at 25 MHz.[15] The 2 MB stock RAM and 6 MB RAM ceiling was retained, while the stock hard drive was increased to 60 MB.[16] The new model also added aPC Card slot for improved expandability.[17] The Walkabout/386SL, as well as the entire Walkabout line, was phased out in mid-to-late 1993.[18]
The original Walkabout sold slowly, according to Weiss, who wrote that, as a thin email client in the late 1980s, "[i]t was a great idea that was ahead of the hardware curve". In retrospect, Weiss deemed Data General's original asking price too expensive.[1] Despite its lack of success in the marketplace, the Walkabout proved to be the conceptual prototype for mobilethin clients of the 2000s, such asPalm's cancelledFoleo andHewlett-Packard'sHP Compaq 6720t.[3]
In July 1990, Data General won a $3.6 million order fromRockwell International'sAllen-Bradley (AB) division to rebrand the Walkabout/SX as the Allen-Bradley T47. This incarnation of the laptop was remarketed by Allen-Bradley as a terminal for its line ofprogrammable logic controllers (PLCs) for use in factory automation. Data General manufactured for AB a custom board slotting into one of the proprietary expansion slots a communications board, allowing it to interface with Allen-Bradley's 1784-KL PLC. As well, the T47 came preinstalled with AB's 6200 Series software.[19]
Robert D. Athey Jr., reviewing the Walkabout/SX inDG Review, found the computer overall comfortable to use and its processor speedier than advertised. He also gave the built-in LCD high marks for readability and graphical reproduction. Athey called the built-in floppy disk quite slow and found the keyboard occasionally intermittent, however.[11] Van Van Horn, also writing about the Walkabout/SX in the same publication, deemed the computer heavier than most laptops on the market at the time (at 22 lb for his configuration) but found it nonetheless roadworthy and sturdy. Horn rated the laptop's PC compatibility well and found parallel communications with other computers speedy. Unlike Athey, Horn found the LCD mediocre in most reading environments except broad daylight.[20]PC Magazine's Bruce Brown, reviewing the Walkabout/SX, concluded that while the average user would not want to transport the machine "back and forth every day or use it as a constant computing companion" due to its heft, the machine overall was "a viable portable candidate for those who want a full-featured machine".[8]: 151
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