Atari Portfolio
 | |
| Atari Portfolio palmtop computer | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Atari Corporation (designed by DIP Research Ltd.) |
| Type | Palmtop Computer |
| Released | June 1989 |
| Discontinued | 1993 |
| Intro price | US$399.95 |
| CPU | Intel 80C88 @ 4.9152 MHz |
| Memory | 128 KB RAM (expandable to 640 KB), 256 KB ROM |
| Storage | Internal RAM disk (C:), removable memory cards (A:) up to 4 MB |
| Display | 240 × 64 pixel monochrome LCD (no backlight), 40 characters × 8 lines |
| Sound | Piezo speaker (DTMF tones, key clicks, beeps) |
| Dimensions | 20 cm × 10.5 cm × 2.5 cm (7.5" × 4" × 1.25") |
| Weight | 505 g (17.5 oz) |
| OS / Firmware | DIP DOS 2.11 (MS-DOS 2.11 compatible) |
The Atari Portfolio is the world's first IBM PC-compatible palmtop computer, released by Atari Corporation in June 1989. Roughly the size of a VHS cassette tape when folded, the Portfolio brought DOS computing to a truly pocket-sized form factor and became an iconic piece of computing history.
History and Development
[edit | edit source]The Portfolio was designed by DIP Research Ltd., a company based at the Surrey Research Park in Guildford, Surrey, UK. DIP was founded by David Frodsham, Ian Cullimore, and Peter Baldwin — all former employees of Psion. The name DIP officially stood for "Distributed Information Processing."
DIP developed the first MS-DOS compatible palmtop PC, the DIP Pocket PC, and released a prototype in early 1989. Atari Corporation recognised the market opportunity, licensed the electronics and software design from DIP, and applied its own production engineering to create a consumer version with a redesigned case and keyboard.
The product was marketed as the Atari Portfolio in the US and UK. In Germany, Italy, and Spain it was initially sold as the PC Folio due to trademark restrictions. Atari later acquired the Portfolio name in Germany and Spain, though it remained the PC Folio in Italy throughout its life.
DIP continued to evolve the hardware and ROM software throughout the production cycle, supplying updates to Atari. DIP Research also went on to develop the Sharp PC-3000/3100 before being acquired by Phoenix Technologies in 1994.
Technical Specifications
[edit | edit source]| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel 80C88 (CMOS) @ 4.9152 MHz |
| RAM | 128 KB (expandable to 640 KB with Memory Expander+ modules) |
| ROM | 256 KB (contains BIOS, DIP DOS 2.11, and built-in applications) |
| Display | 240 × 64 pixel monochrome supertwist LCD (no backlight) |
| Text Mode | 40 characters × 8 lines |
| Keyboard | 63 keys, QWERTY layout |
| Sound | Piezo speaker with DTMF tone generation |
| Power | 3× AA alkaline batteries (~100 hours life); optional AC adapter |
| Dimensions | 20 cm × 10.5 cm × 2.5 cm (7.5" × 4" × 1.25") |
| Weight | 505 g (17.5 oz) |
| Expansion | Right-side expansion port for peripherals; left-side memory card slot |
| Operating System | DIP DOS 2.11 (MS-DOS 2.11 compatible) |
Memory Architecture
[edit | edit source]The 128 KB of RAM is divided between system memory and a local storage partition (the C: drive), configurable using the FDISK command. 4 KB is reserved as video RAM. The Memory Expander+ (HPC-104) adds 256 KB per unit, with up to two units stackable for a maximum of 640 KB total system RAM. The first Memory Expander+ unit also provides a second memory card slot (B: drive).
Display
[edit | edit source]The supertwist monochrome LCD has no backlight but offers good readability in ambient light. Contrast is adjustable via a small screw accessible beneath the display window bezel, or through keyboard shortcuts (Fn+cursor keys on some ROM versions).
Operating System and Built-in Software
[edit | edit source]The Portfolio runs DIP DOS 2.11, a custom operating system compatible with MS-DOS 2.11 at the BIOS level. Most text-based DOS applications will run on the Portfolio provided they do not access PC-compatible I/O ports directly, as the Portfolio's hardware is not I/O port-compatible with the IBM PC.
Built-in Applications
[edit | edit source]- Text Editor — Simple ASCII text editor for note-taking and document creation
- Spreadsheet — Lotus 1-2-3 compatible spreadsheet application
- Address Book — Contact manager with DTMF dialing (hold a telephone handset against the speaker to speed-dial)
- Diary — Calendar/scheduler with alarm functionality
- Calculator — Standard calculator application
- Setup — System configuration utility
Memory Cards
[edit | edit source]The Portfolio uses Mitsubishi Bee Card format memory cards for removable file storage, inserted into a slot on the left side of the unit. These cards predate the PCMCIA/PC Card standard and are not compatible with it. Cards use the DOS FAT file system and are accessed as drive A:.
Available Memory Cards
[edit | edit source]| Part Number | Description |
|---|---|
| HPC-201 | 32 KB RAM card |
| HPC-202 | 64 KB RAM card |
| HPC-203 | 128 KB RAM card |
| HPC-204 | 512 Kbit OTPROM card |
| HPC-205 | 1 Mbit OTPROM card |
| HPC-701 | ROM card — Utility Pack |
| HPC-702 | ROM card — Finance Manager |
| HPC-703 | ROM card — Science Pack |
| HPC-704 | ROM card — File Manager |
| HPC-705 | ROM card — Power BASIC |
| HPC-709 | ROM card — Instant Spell |
| HPC-750 | ROM card — Chess |
Third-party RAM cards were later available in capacities up to 4 MB. RAM cards are backed by a replaceable coin-cell battery (typically CR2016 or CR2025) which lasts approximately one to two years.
Accessories and Expansion
[edit | edit source]| Part Number | Description |
|---|---|
| HPC-101 | Smart Parallel Interface (for file transfer and printing) |
| HPC-102 | Serial Interface (RS-232C, 110–9600 baud) |
| HPC-104 | Memory Expander+ (256 KB RAM expansion, adds B: drive) |
| HPC-301 | PC Card Drive (ISA card reader for desktop PCs) |
| HPC-401 | AC adapter (120V, US) |
| HPC-402 | AC adapter (230V, international) |
| HPC-406 | Parallel cable |
| HPC-407 | Serial cable |
| HPC-408 | Parallel printer cable |
| HPC-409 | Null modem cable |
| HPC-803 | Portfolio system carrying case |
ROM Versions
[edit | edit source]Four major ROM revisions were released over the Portfolio's production cycle:
| Version | Notes |
|---|---|
| 1.030 | Initial production release (ROMs dated 22 May 1989). English, French, and German only. Limited units shipped. Known software bugs. |
| 1.052 | Second production release. English, French, and German. Some bugs remained. |
| 1.07x | Mainstream production release, generally bug-free. Sub-versions: 1.072 (EN/FR/DE), 1.073 (EN/IT/ES), 1.074 (EN/SV/DA), 1.075 (EN/Swiss FR/Swiss DE). |
| 1.13x | Final production release. Bug fixes for large memory cards. Sub-versions: 1.130 (EN/FR/DE), 1.131 (EN/IT/ES), 1.132 (EN/SV/DA), 1.133 (EN/Swiss FR/Swiss DE). |
Atari/DIP also provided a utility called UPDATE.COM that applied run-time fixes for serious bugs without requiring a ROM replacement.
Keyboard Variants
[edit | edit source]| Part Number | Layout |
|---|---|
| HPC-004 | English (QWERTY) |
| HPC-005 | French (AZERTY) |
| HPC-006 | German (QWERTZ) |
| HPC-007 | Italian |
| HPC-008 | Spanish |
| HPC-009 | Swedish/Danish |
| HPC-010 | Swiss French/Swiss German |
Pop Culture
[edit | edit source]The Atari Portfolio is perhaps best known for its prominent appearance in the 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgment Day, where the character John Connor uses it to crack ATM PINs and bypass a security door. This iconic appearance cemented the Portfolio's status as a cult collectible.
Easter Egg
[edit | edit source]A developer credits easter egg is hidden within the Portfolio. To access it: launch the Setup application, set the language to English, select Help, and from within a help screen press Alt+[ (Alt plus left square bracket).
General Maintenance
[edit | edit source]For detailed maintenance practices including battery care, memory card maintenance, LCD cleaning, and keyboard upkeep, refer to the dedicated Atari Portfolio General Maintenance page.
Troubleshooting
[edit | edit source]For a comprehensive troubleshooting guide covering power issues, display problems, memory card detection, and interface diagnostics, see the Atari Portfolio Troubleshooting Guide.
Capacitor Replacement
[edit | edit source]For detailed capacitor identification and replacement procedures, see the Atari Portfolio Capacitor Replacement Guide.
See Also
[edit | edit source]- HP 95LX — Hewlett-Packard's palmtop PC (released 1991)
- Poqet PC — Another early palmtop competitor
- Sharp PC-3000 — Also designed by DIP Research
External Resources
[edit | edit source]- Atari Portfolio Owner's Manual (Internet Archive)
- Atari Portfolio Technical Reference Guide (Internet Archive)
- Portfolio FAQ by BJ Gleason (1992)
- PoFo Wiki (German-language resource)