Toshiba T1000

Toshiba T1000
	Toshiba T1000
Manufacturer	Toshiba Corporation
Type	Personal computer
Release date	1987
Operating system	MS-DOS 2.11
CPU	80C88 @ 4.77 MHz
Memory	512 kB RAM (expandable to 1.2 MB with optional 768 kB LIM-EMS 3.2/HardRAM card) / 256 kB ROM
Storage	1 x 720 kB 3.5" floppy disk drive
Graphics	CGA card (16 kB RAM)
Sound	PC speaker
Power	9 VDC, 1.1A (+ = core; - = barrel)
Dimensions	310 × 280 × 52 mm
Mass	2.9 kg

The Toshiba T1000 was a laptop computer manufactured by the Toshiba Corporation in 1987. It had a similar specification to the IBM PC Convertible, with a 4.77 MHz 80C88 processor, 512 kB of RAM, and a monochrome CGA-compatible LCD. Unlike the Convertible, it includes a standard serial port and parallel port, connectors for an external monitor, and a real-time clock.

Unusually for an IBM compatible PC, the T1000 contained a 256 kB ROM with a copy of MS-DOS 2.11. This acted as a small, read-only hard drive. Alternative operating systems could still be loaded from the floppy drive, or (if present) the ramdisk.

Along with the earlier T1100 and T1200 systems, the Toshiba T1000 was one of the early computers to feature a "laptop" form factor and battery-powered operation.

Reception

PC Magazine in 1988 named the Toshiba T1000 an "Editor's Choice" among 12 tested portable computers. One reviewer called it "the first real DOS laptop" and a plausible replacement for his Tandy 200, while another praised its durability after 60,000 miles of traveling and "incredible bargain" $800 street price.[1] BYTE in 1989 listed the T1000 as among the "Excellence" winners of the BYTE Awards, stating that it "takes portability to the limit ... as self-contained as you can get and still have a real computer that can handle real-world workloads". Noting that it was available for as little as $850, the magazine reported that "Many of us are in love with this one".[2] In the same issue, Jerry Pournelle praised it as a "little gem". While acknowledging that it cost more than the TRS-80 Model 100 and NEC PC-8201, he believed that "you get quite a lot for the added weight and price", and reported that "Many writers swear by the T1000. David Drake loves his".[3]

Specification

Battery	Rechargeable NiCd pack (1300 mAh)
Mouse	None
Keyboard	Selectable between PC or AT (101)

Software Compatibility

Compatible with software written for the IBM PC/XT using a color graphics adapter (CGA) display

Interfaces

RGB (CGA) color video port
Composite b&w monochrome video port
RS-232-C serial port
Parallel printer port
Numeric keypad port
External diskette drive port
Toshiba proprietary memory slot
Toshiba proprietary modem slot - "B" form factor

Notes

The laptop's battery pack must be charged and working for the laptop to power on.

References

Dickinson, John; Seymour, Jim (1988-03-29). "Toshiba T1000 / The Quest for the "Least" Computer". PC Magazine. pp. 132, 134.
"The BYTE Awards". BYTE. January 1989. p. 327.
Pournelle, Jerry (January 1989). "To the Stars". BYTE. p. 109.

"T-series T1000 Product Specifications". Toshiba. Retrieved June 16, 2007.
"Upgrading Toshiba T1000 laptop to MS-DOS 5.0 and later". Microsoft. Archived from the original on April 1, 2007. Retrieved June 16, 2007.
Toshiba Corporation, T1000 Portable Personal Computer User's Manual, 1987
"Detailed specs for T-Series T1000". Toshiba. Retrieved February 2, 2016.

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[pc19880329-1] Dickinson, John; Seymour, Jim (1988-03-29). "Toshiba T1000 / The Quest for the "Least" Computer". PC Magazine. pp. 132, 134.

[byte198901-2] "The BYTE Awards". BYTE. January 1989. p. 327.

[pournelle198901-3] Pournelle, Jerry (January 1989). "To the Stars". BYTE. p. 109.