Re: Is there an equal for the 760ED?

[dewar@gnat.com (Robert Dewar)]

My comparison is between a 760 CD which I have used for a while and the
Tecra 720CDT. Let me summarize + and - points.

+  sound/modem/display much easier to handle at system level (manual gives
   complete list of scan frequencies for display, sorely missing on TP).
   games work without a hitch.

+  resolution of screen is a real plus over the 600 x 800, I now find
   going back to the 760CD unpleasant from this point of view.

+  pointing device and buttons seem nicer than IBM) but this is something
   you have to decide for yourself.

+  keyboard feel is nicer (again personal), but keyboard is more solid
   because it does not sit in the air like the IBM one (my IBM keyboard
   became completely unusable, I had it replaced, so maybe that was an
   anonomoly).

+  battery life is longer (battery is quite a bit heavier, more cells, which
   accounts for the extra weight. Since I carry extra batteries anyway, there
   is no weight issue.

+  external diskette can be plugged in and out while machine is on and
   running

+  much easier to replace battery (this is a real weakness of the IBM design,
   having to remove the CD ROM to change the battery is a real nuisance).

now minuses

-  no hvexp feature, games play in a 640 x 480 window on the screen

-  can only have one hard disk (I used multiple hard disks for backups on
   760CD, and now I guess I have to buy a PCMCIA disk for that purpose)

-  can only have one battery (I found being able to charge two batteries
   at night on the 760CD really useful, I will probably end up shelling
   out for the extra charger, which is one more thing to carry around).

-  power adapter uses non-standard power cable. I liked being able to use
   any standard cable with the IBM adapter

-  so far, 64meg and 128meg cards are not available for Tecra, but 2 x 32meg
   is available for 760CD (though expensive).

-  keyboard on Tecra is more crowded, I don't like keys to the right of
   shift enter etc, and tab key is small. Ctrl key placement is particularly
   unfortunate (reversed with function), but this is relevatiebly minor and
   I am quickly getting used to it.

-  No OS/2 drivers in sight, no mention of OS/2 in the manual (the manual
   for the Tecra is pretty miserable, lots of beginners stuff ["what software
   you should buy"] that is totally useless, and lots of missing information
   ["absolutely NO mention in the manual of how to remove the hard drive,
   solved finally by the picture in the Tecra demo on the hard disk! For
   those who run into this problem, the secret is to slide the panel at
   the right, with the lights, to the right and then it comes off, revealing
   the disk behind.

Some more plusses

+  runs cooler than the 760CD (remember this is the CD I am comparing against
   not the ED).

+  has feet! so heat load on table etc. is VERY much reduced (I actually
   cracked a wood table using my 760CD!)

+  has extra auxiliary batter that maintains 8 hours of suspend time when
   main battery runs out.

Remember again that I am comparing the 760CD, not the ED, still as far as
I can tell the CD and ED are very similar except for speed.

Oh, one more +

+  can run at 16-bit color in max resolution mode

I have not considered video stuff (video in, video out etc, since I don't
use that anyway). My bottom line is that I prefer the Tecra, and am quite
happy that I made this choice. My choice was NOT forced by availability.
As I have mentioned before, I would have got the 760ED a week earlier
(around June 13th) if I had decided on that.