Re: Saw a wierd II clone... is it worth the effort to get it?

[supertimer@aol.com (Supertimer)]

sheercon@earthlink.net wrote:

>Alan Tuttle wrote:
>> 
>> I don't know what this particular clone came from. There's many
>> different clones of the Apple II+/IIe out there in La-La land. Some of
>> them are collectable, some aren't. It depends solely on you.
>> 
>> For me, something like a Japple (from Japan), Krapple (from Korea), and
>> other foreign clones don't interest me that much. What would really
>> interest me is the major clones, such as the Basis 108 or the Franklin
>> Ace line (I currently own a Franklin Ace 1200). I'm also interested in
>> the Laser clones, but not as much as the other two.
>
>I just recently picked up a Laser 128 but don't know much very about it.

The Laser 128 series were the only legal Apple II clones
save the Franklin 2200 series.  They were also the best.

The plain Laser 128 was a IIc clone but had an expansion
slot on the side.

The Laser 128EX/2 was undeniably the best _8-bit_
Apple II unit ever made.  It had a clock, a MIDI interface,
a parallel port (as all Laser 128 series units), both analog
and digital RGB interfaces as well as LCD capability,
an easy on the eyes higher resolution character set for
RGB displays, 3.6Mhz motherboard, 3.5" internal floppy
(on most units), BRAM control panel for remembering
perferences and a universal disk controller for using IIGS
and Macintosh external drives.

The Laser 128 series was made by Video Technology
of Hong Kong.  You know, V-Tech, the people who make
900Mhz cordless phones these days.

You can even hack a Laser 128 series unit to take an
internal hard disk drive.  There's enough room inside and
an expansion slot to take the needed signals.  Can't
do that with a IIc or IIc Plus.  ;-)