803:
793:
24:
347:
drive is powered by an auxiliary battery inside the unit which needs to be recharged every week or so in order to keep the contents of the ram drive. The credit-card sized, battery-powered RAM cards come with capacity sizes of 256 kb or 512 Kb. Both RAM cards and ROM cards use a proprietary NEC interface because this laptop came out at a time when there were no standard portable computing interfaces. The
33:
325:
class. The main downside to the
Ultralite (which weighed only 4 pounds) was its price. It sold for between 4 and 5 thousand dollars which was significantly higher than other, albeit heavier, less innovative, computers of the time. Given its use of the ram drive boot times were actually faster than
308:
in
October 1988 at a gala event in New York City. It was applauded by the media, who were dying to find a small lightweight computing platform that could be used for note-taking and article writing. Unfortunately the publicity surrounding the UltraLite did not reflect itself in consumer demand.
346:
Data storage can be done by an optional external 720 kb (in fact it supported "Japanese" 1.2 Mb format but did not support more common 1.44 Mb) 3.5-inch floppy drive, by the internal non-volatile RAM drive (silicon hard drive), or by proprietary RAM and ROM cards. The internal ram
329:
So although the UltraLite ushered in a new era in portable computing, its original design as a telecommunications maintenance terminal proved to be its commercial downfall. Commercial success in that product category was not achieved until
297:
was trying to create products to update their best selling MultiSpeed, the NEC engineering team in charge of developing personal computers showed the UltraLite to a product management team from NEC Home
Electronics USA.
301:
Tom Martin, the Vice
President in charge of the group, asked, "Can you make this thing run MS-DOS"? When an affirmative response was received, the NEC team knew they had a hit product on their hands.
459:
289:
The product was originally developed by an NEC Japan telecommunications engineering team that was trying to make an inexpensive lightweight terminal for programming
832:
351:
standard did not exist until 1990. The RAM cards were powered by a replaceable 3 volt lithium coin battery and had a write-protect switch.
317:
which prevented storage of one's work (for more than a week or so without charging the internal RAM drive) and the use of a relatively slow
467:
396:
There are other models in the NEC Ultralite series—for example, the
Ultralite SX/20, which was released in 1991. The Ultralite SX/20 had a
592:
508:
219:
featured the UltraLite on its cover in
November 1988 and shortly thereafter journalists began referring to any
585:
223:-sized computer as "notebooks", to distinguish them from the larger and heavier laptops of the time.
187:
in 1988. The original model was released in
October 1988, alongside the heavier and more-capable
110:
806:
796:
578:
753:
621:
196:
827:
177:
57:
8:
416:
504:
192:
648:
208:
97:
774:
530:
498:
385:
653:
643:
638:
633:
544:
482:
821:
565:
310:
663:
445:
421:
188:
374:
215:
748:
628:
616:
335:
318:
314:
678:
404:
363:
769:
743:
738:
733:
728:
723:
718:
713:
708:
703:
426:
403:
Others in the series include the NEC Ultralite 286F, 286V, and the
380:
220:
359:
Software can be bought running from ROM cards. Examples include:
200:
115:
570:
232:
Storage: battery-backed storage memory (non-volatile RAM drive)
32:
23:
695:
348:
331:
305:
269:
204:
180:
102:
53:
191:. The UltraLite was the first notebook computer on the market
668:
658:
397:
322:
460:"Personal Computers: Slim Laptop Is Appealing at 4.4 Pounds"
290:
134:
Supertwist electroluminescent backlit 8.25x4.25 LCD screen
601:
493:(11). Reed Business Information: 60 – via ProQuest.
294:
184:
43:
321:-compatible processor when the market was moving to the
526:
524:
522:
520:
517:
819:
266:internal software in 456 Kb integrated ROM
531:Front Cover:NEC's Incredible 4-Pound DOS Laptop
586:
533:, 1988-11-15, Volume 7 Number 19, PC Magazine
246:ROM/RAM card slot (NEC proprietary interface)
439:
593:
579:
31:
22:
451:
400:processor and runs Microsoft Windows 3.0
304:The product was launched shortly before
483:"Notebook Computers Grow Up in a Hurry"
833:Computer-related introductions in 1988
820:
536:
480:
255:SRAM cards using proprietary interface
203:microprocessor; the computer includes
199:. The original model was based on the
142:CGA compatible, 320x200x4 or 640x200x2
574:
542:
500:State, Market and Organizational Form
496:
470:on May 25, 2015 – via ProQuest.
457:
258:ROM cards using proprietary interface
252:external 3.5 inch floppy drive reader
309:This was due to the UltraLite's two
543:Lewis, Peter H. (August 21, 1990).
458:Lewis, Peter H. (October 4, 1988).
13:
118:at 4.92 MHz and 8.14 MHz
14:
844:
600:
559:
474:
278:Microsoft DOS Manager Version 2.0
226:
802:
801:
792:
791:
391:
341:
566:NEC Ultralite: Last of a Breed
338:brand nearly 12 months later.
150:built-in 2400 bit/s modem
1:
481:Parker, John (June 3, 1991).
466:. p. C12. Archived from
432:
446:NEC Ultralite specifications
354:
7:
503:. De Gruyter. p. 235.
410:
261:parallel port adapter cable
70:; 35 years ago
10:
849:
551:: C7 – via ProQuest.
284:
787:
762:
694:
687:
609:
513:– via Google Books.
497:Bugra, Ayse, ed. (2011).
166:4.4 lb (2.0 kg)
162:
154:
146:
138:
130:
122:
109:
96:
82:
64:
49:
39:
30:
21:
326:80386 class computers.
797:NEC personal computers
293:systems. In 1988, as
249:optional accessories:
545:"Notable Notebooks"
487:Electronic Business
405:NEC UltraLite Versa
371:Lotus Metro/Express
18:
807:NEC supercomputers
610:Personal computers
549:The New York Times
464:The New York Times
417:History of laptops
313:... the lack of a
183:first released by
83:Introductory price
16:
815:
814:
783:
782:
763:SX-related topics
754:SX-Aurora TSUBASA
238:PC-17-02 had 2 MB
235:PC-17-01 had 1 MB
170:
169:
68:October 1988
840:
805:
804:
795:
794:
692:
691:
595:
588:
581:
572:
571:
553:
552:
540:
534:
528:
515:
514:
494:
478:
472:
471:
455:
449:
443:
98:Operating system
92:
88:
78:
76:
71:
35:
26:
19:
15:
848:
847:
843:
842:
841:
839:
838:
837:
818:
817:
816:
811:
779:
775:Earth Simulator
758:
683:
605:
599:
562:
557:
556:
541:
537:
529:
518:
511:
479:
475:
456:
452:
448:, NEC FastFacts
444:
440:
435:
413:
394:
386:Microsoft Works
357:
344:
287:
229:
207:3.3 built into
90:
86:
74:
72:
69:
12:
11:
5:
846:
836:
835:
830:
813:
812:
810:
809:
799:
788:
785:
784:
781:
780:
778:
777:
772:
766:
764:
760:
759:
757:
756:
751:
746:
741:
736:
731:
726:
721:
716:
711:
706:
700:
698:
689:
688:Supercomputers
685:
684:
682:
681:
676:
671:
666:
661:
656:
654:PC-8800 series
651:
646:
644:PC-8000 series
641:
639:PC-6600 series
636:
634:PC-6000 series
631:
626:
625:
624:
613:
611:
607:
606:
598:
597:
590:
583:
575:
569:
568:
561:
560:External links
558:
555:
554:
535:
516:
509:
473:
450:
437:
436:
434:
431:
430:
429:
424:
419:
412:
409:
393:
390:
389:
388:
383:
378:
372:
369:
366:
356:
353:
343:
340:
311:Achilles heels
286:
283:
282:
281:
280:
279:
276:
273:
264:
263:
262:
259:
256:
253:
247:
244:
241:
240:
239:
236:
228:
227:Specifications
225:
178:notebook-sized
168:
167:
164:
160:
159:
156:
152:
151:
148:
144:
143:
140:
136:
135:
132:
128:
127:
124:
120:
119:
113:
107:
106:
100:
94:
93:
84:
80:
79:
66:
62:
61:
51:
47:
46:
41:
37:
36:
28:
27:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
845:
834:
831:
829:
826:
825:
823:
808:
800:
798:
790:
789:
786:
776:
773:
771:
768:
767:
765:
761:
755:
752:
750:
747:
745:
742:
740:
737:
735:
732:
730:
727:
725:
722:
720:
717:
715:
712:
710:
707:
705:
702:
701:
699:
697:
693:
690:
686:
680:
677:
675:
672:
670:
667:
665:
662:
660:
657:
655:
652:
650:
647:
645:
642:
640:
637:
635:
632:
630:
627:
623:
622:character set
620:
619:
618:
615:
614:
612:
608:
603:
596:
591:
589:
584:
582:
577:
576:
573:
567:
564:
563:
550:
546:
539:
532:
527:
525:
523:
521:
512:
510:9783110800739
506:
502:
501:
492:
488:
484:
477:
469:
465:
461:
454:
447:
442:
438:
428:
425:
423:
420:
418:
415:
414:
408:
406:
401:
399:
387:
384:
382:
379:
376:
373:
370:
367:
365:
362:
361:
360:
352:
350:
339:
337:
334:launched its
333:
327:
324:
320:
316:
312:
307:
302:
299:
296:
292:
277:
274:
271:
268:
267:
265:
260:
257:
254:
251:
250:
248:
245:
242:
237:
234:
233:
231:
230:
224:
222:
218:
217:
212:
210:
206:
202:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
179:
176:is a line of
175:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
145:
141:
137:
133:
129:
125:
121:
117:
114:
112:
108:
104:
101:
99:
95:
85:
81:
67:
63:
59:
55:
52:
48:
45:
42:
38:
34:
29:
25:
20:
17:NEC UltraLite
673:
548:
538:
499:
490:
486:
476:
468:the original
463:
453:
441:
422:Grid Compass
402:
395:
392:Other models
368:Lotus Agenda
358:
345:
342:Data storage
328:
303:
300:
288:
243:RS-232C port
214:
213:
173:
171:
147:Connectivity
65:Release date
828:NEC laptops
375:Wordperfect
216:PC Magazine
822:Categories
495:Quoted in
433:References
315:hard drive
193:compatible
696:SX series
674:UltraLite
604:computers
364:Lotus 123
355:ROM cards
275:Laplink 2
195:with the
174:UltraLite
91:US$ 5,000
87:US$ 4,000
40:Developer
770:SUPER-UX
664:ProSpeed
427:HP 200LX
411:See also
407:models.
381:Wordstar
189:ProSpeed
139:Graphics
126:640k RAM
58:notebook
649:PC-8201
285:History
201:NEC V30
181:laptops
131:Display
116:NEC V30
75:1988-10
73: (
749:SX-ACE
629:PC-100
507:
349:PCMCIA
332:Compaq
306:COMDEX
270:MS-DOS
205:MS-DOS
197:IBM PC
123:Memory
103:MS-DOS
54:Laptop
679:Versa
669:TK-80
659:PC-98
398:80386
323:80286
155:Power
744:SX-9
739:SX-8
734:SX-7
729:SX-6
724:SX-5
719:SX-4
714:SX-3
709:SX-2
704:SX-1
505:ISBN
319:8086
291:PABX
172:The
163:Mass
50:Type
617:APC
602:NEC
377:5.0
336:LTE
295:NEC
272:3.3
209:ROM
185:NEC
158:12V
111:CPU
105:3.3
89:to
44:NEC
824::
547:.
519:^
491:17
489:.
485:.
462:.
221:A4
211:.
594:e
587:t
580:v
77:)
60:)
56:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
