TANDY CORP. on Monday introduced a stepped-up version of its best-selling lap computer, the Model 100. The new computer, Model 200, features a bigger screen, more memory and additional built-in software.
The new portable has a 16-line liquid-crystal display screen that tilts up. The bigger screens are the latest ”hot” feature in portable computers. Data General Corp. and Texas Instruments Inc. recently introduced ”full-screen portables” with displays equal to most desktop monitors at 25 lines by 80 (character) columns. While the Model 200 is smaller than these top-of- the- line briefcase-sized portables, it is twice the size of the Model 100, which offers an 8-line display. Both Radio Shack models have 40 characters to a line.
In addition to the word-processing and telecommunications programs built in to the Model 100, the Model 200 also will include a Multiplan spreadsheet program. Both Radio Shack models will use the same accessories.
THE MODEL 200 comes with 24,000 bytes of random access memory; an optional 24,000 bytes can be added.
This is less powerful than other new portables on the market, but at $1,000, the new Radio Shack model is considerably cheaper than others. Data General, Texas Instruments and Hewlett-Packard Co. recently introduced models in the $3,000 area.
Tandy said it is aiming at the low end of the portable market, and is seeking to appeal to the same groups that made the Model 100 a success:
journalists, lawyers and sales people.
Most industry analysts expect International Business Machines Corp. to enter the lap-computer market in the spring.
