Mac Musings

Now That's Different!

Daniel Knight - April 20, 2000 -

Have you heard about the new one pound PC? I heard about it on Slashdot on Wednesday. It's an impressive example of thinking different, something Apple certainly doesn't have a monopoly on.

The Pocket EPC System is small. At 5.9" long, 4.2" wide, and 1.25" thick, it's about the size of a stack of 4x6 file cards. In the photo, the computer itself is the smaller piece next to the CD-ROM/floppy drive docking module - it may be the first computer smaller than a Diskman.

Starting at $899 with the dock, the base system includes a 466 MHz Celeron processor, Windows 98, 64 MB of memory, a 6 GB hard drive, a speaker, PS/2 keyboard and mouse ports, microphone and earphone ports, two USB ports, a VGA port, and S-video out. It also has a touch pad built right into the computer.

As if to stress the Pocket EPC's portability, it even comes with a carrying case. Just set it down, connect it to a monitor and keyboard, plug it into the electrical outlet, and you're ready to compute.

This one pound wonder is smaller than most external drive cases - much smaller. I've been inside the iMac, which has one of Apple's smallest system boards ever, but don't think you could pack it into a case this small, although I would love to see Apple produce a computer like this.

Picture it. Instead of toting a hard drive or Zip disk with files between home and work, you could toss the whole computer in your brief case or large purse. You could work anywhere that has a keyboard and monitor.

The only thing missing from this machine seems to be ethernet. (Do you think the Wintel world will ever get the idea that 10/100 ethernet networking - not some cheaper, slower alternative - should be a standard feature on every computer?)

I'd love something like this. Here are some starter specs, Apple. Why not see what you can do:

• 400 MHz G3 with faster options
• 64 MB memory, expandable
• 6 GB hard drive with larger options
• two USB ports
• two FireWire ports
• 10/100 ethernet
• 16 MB ATI or 3dfx video
• VGA and S-video out ports
• PS/2 mouse and keyboard ports (in case you get stuck in a Windows office)
• integrated touch pad, speaker, microphone
• analog microphone and earphone ports

And to keep it from being perceived as a "me too" product, some things to make it distinctively Apple:

• AirPort ready, possibly via dock
• rechargeable battery supporting sleep
• ruggedized design (like the iBook)

This could share a lot of iBook and PowerBook parts, but eliminating the need to run off battery power and the expensive flat panel display.

We're looking at something about the same size as a 500 page mass market paperback (which I just measured at 4.1" wide, 7" tall, and about 1-1/4" thick). Wow!

I'll even suggest a name: the MacBook.