IBM Introduces New Personnel Computer

Boca Raton, Fla. -- February 16, 1984 -- PRN -- The IBM Portable Personal Computer -- a lighter, smaller model of the popular IBM Personal Computer -- was announced today.

Also announced were products enabling as many as 64 IBM Personal Computers to be connected in a cluster to share information, programs and messages.

The IBM Portable Personal Computer will be available for demonstration and purchase beginning March 1. Initial supplies will be limited. The IBM Personal Computer Cluster products will be available in May.

The products will be available for more than 1,400 Authorized IBM Personal Computer Retail Dealers and IBM Product Centers in the United States, as well as from IBM National Accounts Division and National Marketing Division sales forces.

The new IBM Portable Personal Computer weighs approximately 30 pounds and measures 20 x 17 x 8 inches. It easily packs into a self-contained unit with a handle that can be taken where it's needed.

Priced at $2,795 at IBM Product Centers, the IBM Portable Personal Computer features:

262,144 characters (256KB) of random access user memory, expandable to 512KB;
A built-in, 9-inch amber monitor that displays graphics and up to 25 lines with 80 characters per line;
A universal power supply for use in different countries with addition of an appropriate power cord;
A 368,640 character (360KB) slimline diskette drive and adapter;
A color/graphics monitor adapter;
Five additional expansion slots in the system unit;
A carrying bag for the system unit; and
A 12-month limited warranty.

An optional second slimline diskette drive can be added to the system unit, doubling diskette storage to 720KB.

The IBM Portable Personal Computer uses the same high-performance, high-speed, 16-bit 8088 microprocessor used in the IBM PC, PC XT, and PCjr. With IBM Disk Operating System (DOS) 2.1, the portable can use most of the software already available for IBM Personal Computers.

"The IBM Portable Personal Computer offers high performance in a portable package that can go where the work is -- in the office, at home or in the dormitory," said Philip D. Estridge, IBM vice president and president, Entry Systems Division.

In an office or at school, for example, an IBM Portable Personal Computer can be carried wherever it's needed -- from desk to desk, office to office, room to room or office to home.

The unit's portability also makes it easy for several people in different locations to share the computer for a variety of applications.

From a function and performance standpoint, the IBM Portable Personal Computer has identical characteristics to an equivalently configured IBM Personal Computer and can use most existing IBM Personal Computer hardware options.

New Products to Establish PC Clusters

The IBM Personal Computer Cluster Program supports the connection of IBM Personal Computers -- PCs, PC XTs, Portable PCs and entry model PCjrs. As many as 64 computers can be connected in a cluster. Performance will vary depending on the combination of the number of systems connected and types of applications.

A Cluster Program license is required for each system. An economical Cluster Program Five-Pack is available with one program diskette, five publications and licenses permitting use of the program on five machines.

Using the program, messages and information can be exchanged and shared between workstations connected by cable. And workstations can share information and storage space on a fixed disk drive at one machine in the cluster.

To support the interconnection of different IBM Personal Computers, IBM also announced a series of options which customers can install:

The IBM Personal Computer Cluster Adapter, required for each IBM PC, PC XT or Portable PC in the cluster. The adapter fits in one of the full-size expansion slots of the system unit.
The IBM PCjr Cluster Attachment, required for each PCjr in a cluster. It attaches to the side of an entry model PCjr system unit. In the future, IBM intends to provide the ability to attach all current PCjr models to the cluster.

As a customer convenience, IBM also announced the IBM Personal Computer Cluster Cable Kit. It provides the cables and connectors needed to connect two IBM Personal Computers to form a cluster. Three or more computers can be interconnected using Multiple Cluster Cable Kits.

Each option is priced separately. A typical cluster might include five computers -- a PC XT and four IBM Personal Computers. The program licenses, adapters and cable kits needed for this configuration would cost $2,540 at an IBM Product Center.

CONTACT -- Rick Scott of IBM Entry Systems Division at 305-241-7614