Re: Trying to set up an portable IIc+

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article shack@onyx.southwind.net (Randy Shackelford) writes...

>Dave Althoff (dalloff@freenet.columbus.oh.us) wrote:
>
>: : Gee seems to me that the easiest and most cost effective way way to get
>: : a portable Apple II would be to get a Powerbook and run an emulator on it.>
>: Given that I paid $0.00 for my ROM $FF //c, $5.00 for the Version $00 ROM
>: upgrade, $8.00 to replace bad RAM, and $21.00 for a portable B/W TV set
>: with a composite video input, I'd say the //c is pretty cost-effective.
>: I'm up to $34.  Of course, I'm not 100% portable just yet, but that is
>: mostly because I haven't had the time to work on that part of the project
>: yet...
>
>But the rub is that it ain't portable. To make it portable you need an LCD
>screen, a battery pack, and hopefully a way to install an internal hard disk.

    I wouldn't quite call that portable, "luggable" still pretty much
applies considering the weight, bulkiness, and all that not adding up
to an all-in-one-piece computer (screen and battery built-in).

>LCDs can be had for a price, but Apple's just perches on top of the //c, so
>using it isn't conducive to portability.

    The C-Vue came with a stand that permanently attaches with double-
sided tape, but it is still too flimsy to carry around without first
removing the screen (it also did not fold over). My C-Vue was missing
the stand when I purchased it, so I've just loosely perched it on top
of my IIc Plus--much like the Apple one (I had to place an object in
back to hold it up of course, in this case an Avery carboard sticker
box ;)

    The other problem is neither the Apple Flat Panel Display or the
C-Vue were back lit (and lacked decent contrast), making it even less
useful as a portable screen since you'd *need* a strong light source.

>Battery packs exist, but are even more rare than the LCD so big bucks
>there.

    I had an oppertunity to buy one around the same time I found my
C-Vue, but passed it up since it would only be useful on my regular
Apple IIc's (mind you, it wouldn't be that difficult to rig up a
battery with an adapter, the IIc could be powered by a car lighter
through its voltage converter).

>Hard disks don't currently exist so no dice.

    Not unless your Tony Diaz, and built your own IIc internal. ;-)

>On the other hand, early Powerbooks go in the $300s nowadays,
>and you could register IIe, a shareware //e emulator, for $30. You'd then
>have in effect a portable Apple II that can also run Netscape and other
>'90s software.

    Or for even less, you could buy a 386 or 486 notebook and run
ApplePC as well as Netscape and other neat stuff. :) Mind you, I'd
be overjoyed to have either a PC _or_ Mac notebook, both would make
fun toys and quite useful nonetheless.

    At present, the closest I have to a portable computer is my Apple
IIc Plus with C-Vue (and as I mentioned above, it doesn't quite make
it as that. Then again, back in January when I lost power/heat for a
week during the ice storms and ended up stuck in a hotel, I was ready
to grab the IIc+, C-Vue and my USR modem to take with me as a dumb-
terminal. Had there not been a hefty charge for out-going calls, I
would have certainly have lugged it along in my IIc carrying case. :-)

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca