↑ arvau

Wikipedia / Zenith MinisPort

The Zenith minisPORT is a subnotebook based on an 80C88 CMOS CPU running at two software selectable speeds: 4.77MHz or 8MHz. It was released in 1989 by Zenith Data Systems (ZDS).

It had 1 (model ZL-1) or 2MB (model ZL-2) of RAM, ran MS-DOS 3.3 Plus from ROM, had a 640×200 LCD and CGA and composite monochrome outputs. The MinisPort was one of the first actual subnotebooks, apart from a contemporary NEC model.

Features

  • Internal 2-inch "LT" floppy disk drive (793KB formatted, double-sided, double-density, 80tracks, 245tpi, media: Fujifilm LT-1). The floppy disks typically cost $80 for ten of them. The disks were not compatible with two-inch "VF" video floppy diskettes.

  • An external standard 3.5-inch 720KB double-density floppy drive was available as well.

  • Built-in FastLynx transfer software that could install itself on any other DOS computer over a serial cable without the need for any pre-existing software on the remote system. It relied on the user typing in a DOS mode command on the other computer, which transferred control of that computer's command line to the Zenith over the serial line. The software then copied itself across, and the user could then move files. This to some extent compensated for the fact that no other computer ever used the 2-inch floppy disks, thus rendering floppy transfers impractical.

  • The ability to set aside some of its upper memory (typically the 384KB area between 640KB and 1MB) as a battery-backed RAM disk; this was relatively unique in DOS-based laptops (others, like the Toshiba T1000 also supported RAM disks). The RAM disk appeared as in DOS and enabled the computer to run with no spinning disks, extending battery life and increasing reliability. Contents were preserved with the power off, though using a minuscule amount of current from the main battery.

  • Later versions included an integral 20MB hard disk. This was enough to run WordPerfect and associated programs, including spell-checkers and diagnostic programs.

Dimensions

The MinisPort is 12.5-inch wide × 9.8-inch deep × 1.29-inch tall (318mm × 249mm × 33mm), (lid closed), 7.75-inch (197mm) tall (lid open). It weighs 5.9lb (2.7kg) with the battery.

References