SPARC portables from RDI, Sun, and Tadpole make workstation computing more or less mobile
Steve Apiki
For the most part, technical workstations and mobile computers live at opposite ends of the computing universe. Technical workstations have fast and power-hungry processors, enough storage to handle a full Unix installation with room to spare, high-resolution displays, and built-in networking capability. Mobile computers, on the other hand, must be small, light, and generally wimpy by workstation standards.
Bringing these two ends of the computing spectrum together into a mobile Unix workstation is no mean feat. Until Tadpole introduced its first SPARC notebook just over two years ago, practical portable Unix systems didn't exist. Technologies like the MicroSparc processor, color TFT (thin-film trans
istor) displays, and PCMCIA 2.0 have made portable Unix systems more practical. But even with these advances, putting a Unix workstation into a totable box is still a technical challenge that requires significant compromise between power and portability.
In this review, I evaluate three portable SPARC workstations: the RDI PowerLite, Sun SparcStation Voyager, and Tadpole SparcBook 3. All are capable workstations with at least a 50-MHz MicroSparc CPU, 32 MB of RAM, 340 MB of internal SCSI storage, a color TFT display, Solaris 1.1.1 or 2.3, and OpenWindows 3.0 or 3.3. And all include software to handle problems germane to mobile systems, such as rapidly reconfiguring between different network situations.
Ultimately, however, these are still transportable workstations, not portable systems with workstation power. They'll spare you from taking the SparcStation on your desk to a client site, but they won't replace a PowerBook or HP OmniBook for general mobile applications.
SPARC Performance
The PowerLite and SparcBook are more portable than the Voyager--they each fit in a clamshell case, while the Voyager is really a marginally transportable, compact desktop system that can run off a battery. The Voyager, therefore, makes fewer concessions to size and power requirements.
For example, the Voyager has a 60-MHz MicroSparc II processor. With its 8-KB data cache and 16-KB instruction cache, this CPU has a SPECint92 rating of 46.9 and a SPECfp92 rating of 36.9. The 50-MHz MicroSparc used in the other two portables has 2 KB of cache for data and 4 KB for instructions. It provides a SPECint92 rating of 26.4 and a SPECfp92 rating of 21.0. In terms of current SPARC desktops, these CPU ratings make the PowerLite and SparcBook equivalent to a SparcClassic, and the Voyager somewhat slower than a SparcStation 5.
BYTE's Unix benchmark tests, which measure operating-system and disk-subsystem performance as well as raw CPU power, bear out these ratings (see the benchmark graph). On synthetic proce
ssor tests like the Dhrystone 2, the Voyager was more than twice as fast as the other two, whereas on the file copy test (a measurement of disk performance) the three systems were close, with the PowerLite coming out on top. Note that the PowerLite had somewhat more memory than the other two systems (48 MB versus 32 MB) and was running Solaris 1.1.1 (its standard configuration) while the Voyager and SparcBook ran Solaris 2.3. The SparcBook comes with either Solaris 1.1.1 or 2.3 for the same price.
With all caveats in place, the PowerLite and SparcBook come in with roughly equivalent performance, about twice the speed of a SparcStation 1+ (the benchmark baseline). The Voyager is about 50 percent faster than the other two. In day-to-day use, I found the Voyager considerably faster than either the PowerLite or the SparcBook, which after all are no faster than the underpowered SparcClassic. None is as fast as IBM's PowerPC 601-based AIX notebook (a Tadpole design), tested by BYTE in July (see ``PowerPC Hit
s the Road''), which came in around 20 percent faster than the Voyager.
Mobile Networking
One less obvious but critical point of comparison between portable Unix systems is their ability to integrate into different network environments quickly and easily. Each of these machines provides some facility to make mobile networking practical, ranging in sophistication from the PowerLite's fully automated AutoNet facility to a few Solaris configuration hints provided with the Voyager's documentation.
RDI provides two programs, AutoNet and Join, which together can automatically configure the PowerLite for networked operation with a variety of networks or for stand-alone use. Join is hosted on each network and can provide the PowerLite (a Join client) with an IP address for use on that network at configuration time.
AutoNet is a detection and configuration utility that selects a host name, IP address, and set of network configuration files (e.g., a hosts file and a printcap equivalent) based on
the network it detects when it's run (usually at start-up). AutoNet can use Join information to identify the network, or it can gather what information it can from passing network packets. You can use both services on NIS networks or on networks without a name service. With or without Join, AutoNet is a great utility for moving between multiplenetworks.
The Voyager has no automated network configuration utility. Instead, it relies on Solaris 2.x's ability to switch between naming services to let you run satisfactorily either stand-alone or connected to an NIS network. However, if you switch between multiple networks, you will still need to go through quite a bit of configuring each time you connect. Sun does provide Roam, an application for reading and responding to E-mail while disconnected from your home network.
While not as automatic as AutoNet, Tadpole's NCE (Nomadic Computing Environment) supplies some network configuration capability. Through NCE, you can change your IP address on the fl
y or choose which hosts database to use, although again you must do this by hand at each connection. NCE also supports remote mail processing through POP servers.
Screen Considerations
All the systems I tested included an active-matrix color display. The best screen was the SparcStation Voyager's, a gorgeous 12-inch 1024- by 768-pixel panel with excellent contrast and clarity. The difference in size between the 12-inch panel on the Voyager and the next-largest (10.4-inch) display on the RDI PowerLite makes a significant difference in usability (and contributed largely to the Voyager's higher price). The Voyager can also use an external Sun-compatible monitor with 1152- by 900-pixel resolution.
Both the SparcBook and the PowerLite sport 640- by 480-pixel displays with 8-bit color depth. RDI also offers a 1024- by 768-pixel color LCD option ($6000) for the PowerLite. The standard PowerLite display offers greater color range than the SparcBook's, with a 262,000-color palette versus the SparcBook
's 4096 colors. Since 640 by 480 pixels is too small to reasonably support a windowing system, both systems offer a virtual screen display that is greater than the physical size of the screen.
The SparcBook's 2-MB video buffer allows it to support up to 1280- by 1024-pixel displays. With the 640- by 480-pixel LCD panel, you can define a virtual frame buffer of up to 1280 by 1024 pixels in size. You can then pan with the mouse cursor along the display or zoom in and out as needed. It takes some getting used to, but the panning and zooming is fast, and the simulated 1280- by 1024-pixel display is reasonable for getting a quick overview of the desktop. Compared to the PowerLite, the SparcBook exploits its limited display resolution much more capably.
The SparcBook also provides a virtual-desktop utility for switching between workspace screens. The PowerLite, which lacks the other display features of the SparcBook, provides a similar software utility that lets you pan between virtual desktop panels.
Both the PowerLite and the SparcBook support external VGA, SVGA, and Sun displays, and 640- by 480-pixel simultaneous internal and external displays.
RDI PowerLite
The PowerLite is too big and bulky to make a comfortable laptop, but it could make an excellent transportable desktop replacement with the addition of better display support. Unfortunately, the 640- by 480-pixel display just doesn't work in this capacity; if you can afford a $6000 premium, the upgrade to a 1024- by 768-pixel panel is a good idea.
The PowerLite is more self-contained than the SparcBook, with much more room for expansion, a better keyboard, and a nice integrated trackball. With support for two 3 1/2-inch SCSI drives (three if you remove the floppy drive) and space for a PCMCIA Type III device, the PowerLite can handle up to 1 GB of internal storage. RDI also offers an optional expansion unit, called the PXU, that clips onto the bottom of the PowerLite (increasing its height by about 1.5 inches) and supplies two more
drive bays and two SBus slots.
The PowerLite's battery life is the best of the three systems tested (see the battery-life graph), and its battery management software conducts an orderly shutdown as power expires. But at 1.2 hours, the battery life is still too short to do any real work away from an outlet. Also, the machine is too big and heavy to use for any length of time except on a real desk.
AutoNet and built-in 10Base-T and AUI (attachment unit interface) Ethernet interfaces make the PowerLite the easiest to move from network to network, and a built-in modem and dual serial ports make remote communication and connection to printers and other peripherals simple. One minor complaint: Contrary to convention, the system's serial port connectors are female, even though the PowerLite is a DTE (data terminal equipment) device.
Sun SparcStation Voyager
Stretching the definition of portable a bit, the Voyager comes in several pieces; weighs over 15 pounds with power supply, keyboard, and
mouse; and doesn't fold down into a conveniently transportable shape. However, it can run off a battery, and the display and system unit are integrated into a nice, compact package. Sun offers a carrying case for the Voyager, but the unit is still considerably more fragile than the other two systems. The unit I tested was shipped in a hard-shell Zero case, a good idea if you intend to transport the Voyager on a regular basis.
Once you get the Voyager where it's going, it's hands-down the best system among those I tested in terms of performance and usability. It requires little desk space, and the power supply is built into the case so you don't have to hook up an external unit. The external keyboard and mouse are much better than the devices built into the PowerLite and SparcBook, and, as mentioned above, the screen is a capable CRT substitute.
To prolong battery life, Sun provides control over screen and hard drive power time-outs through a Power Manager tool. The Power Manager also displays r
emaining battery life while you're working. Tested battery life for the Voyager, however, was only 35 minutes--hardly worth bothering with.
Besides portability, the Voyager's weakest points are a single internal SCSI device (340 MB standard), requirement for 10Base-T Ethernet, and relatively poor support for moving from network to network.
Tadpole SparcBook 3
The SparcBook 3 is the lightest, smallest, and most easily transported system, weighing in at just 6.5 pounds and featuring a lightweight, compact external power supply. Although screen resolution is only 640 by 480 pixels, the SparcBook makes good use of its virtual screen system to provide a usable display.
Tadpole put a lot of thought into the design of this mobile system, and it has a raft of useful features. The 2 1/2-inch SCSI drive is removable, making the SparcBook shareable among multiple users. An LCD on the front panel shows battery life and other status information. NCE provides access to management and configuration f
eatures, and hot keys simplify save-and-resume and screen controls.
NCE's strongest asset is its save-resume capability. NCE can save the entire contents of memory to a reserved area on disk before shutdown and reload when you next power up the system, saving a great deal of time (and some power). To implement this feature, Tadpole had to make some driver and kernel modifications to the standard SunOS installation, and this can be disconcerting; however, the company says the suspend-resume capability has been in the field for years without problems.
Battery life was under an hour, so a quick resume or save (as opposed to a 3-minute full boot or full shutdown) is doubly important. Tadpole ships the system with a spare battery, which doubles its road life, and offers an optional 4-pound external battery pack that should boost life considerably. (Tadpole claims 5 hours minimum.) Despite poor battery performance, the SparcBook's size made it the only one of these three systems I took traveling.
Like the Voyager, the SparcBook is limited to a single internal SCSI device; however, you can upgrade from the standard 340-MB drive to the tested 520-MB drive, and the Type III PCMCIA slot will support an additional 105-MB drive. The SparcBook 3 lists for $10,950. A monochrome version, the SparcBook 3LC, goes for $7500 with 8-bit audio and no ISDN.
Best and Brightest
Since running on batteries isn't really practical for any of these machines, I'll consider the two applications for which portable workstations are most useful: field support, where a system running a dedicated application (e.g., a network monitor) is carried from site to site; and transportable computing, where a consultant might need to move a system from one client location to another. For the first application, portability is key; for the second, a self-contained, fully functional workstation is the most important consideration.
The SparcBook 3 would be my choice for a truly portable system. Although it makes compromises
in expansion capability and screen size, it's small and lightweight, and its NCE save, resume, and location customization features make it almost a pick-it-up-and-go system.
My overall favorite, however, is the SparcStation Voyager, although I'll admit a bias in that my traveling requirements mostly consist of toting machines from site to site, not using a workstation on the road. For that application, the Voyager's fully functional environment makes it worth the hassle of transporting and reconfiguring at each location.
Editor's note: As we went to press, RDI announced a new base price of $7995 for the PowerLite.
The Facts
RDI Computer Corp.
(PowerLite)
6696 Mesa Ridge Rd.,
Building A
San Diego, CA 92121
(619) 558-6985
fax: (619) 558-7061
Sun Microsystems Computer Corp.
(SparcStation Voyager)
2550 Garcia Ave.
Mountain View, CA 94043
(415) 960-1300
fax: (415) 969-9131
Tadpole Technology, Inc.
(SparcBook 3)
12012 Technology Blvd.
Austin, TX
78727
(512) 219-2200
fax: (512) 219-2222
Unix Notebook Features
The SparcBook 3 and the PowerLite are smaller than the Voyager but somewhat less powerful. The Voyager's 60-MHz MicroSparc II makes it significantly faster than the two 50-MHz MicroSparc portables, and its larger, high-resolution screen makes it a real desktop replacement. However, the two smaller machines, both with a built-in modem and integrated pointing device, make better choices for heavy mobile use.
RDI SUN SPARC- TADPOLE
POWERLITE STATION VOYAGER SPARCBOOK 3
Base price* $9995 $14,995 $10,950
Price as tested $12,785 $16,320 $13,700
Processor MicroSparc MicroSparc II MicroSparc
Clock speed 50 MHz 60 MHz 50 MHz
RAM (as tested, MB) 48 32 32
Maximum RAM
supported (MB) 80 80 64
Internal video 10.4-inch 12-inch 9.4-inch
640-x480-pixel 1024-x768-pixel 640-x480-pixel
color TFT color TFT color TFT
Max. external
resolution (pixels) 1152x900 1152x900 1280x1024
Storage (as tested) Two 340-MB SCSI 340-MB SCSI 520-MB SCSI
hard drives, hard drive, removable
3 1/2-inch 3 1/2-inch hard drive
floppy drive floppy drive (no floppy
drive)
Networking connections 10Base-T 10Base-T AUI Ethernet
Ethernet, Ethernet
AUI Ethernet
Other ports SCSI-2, serial SCSI-2, serial, SCSI-2, serial
(2), parallel,
parallel, (2), parallel,
8-bit audio 16-bit audio, 16-bit audio,
ISDN, ISDN infrared
interface
Other devices Internal 2 Type II PCMCIA 2 Type II
speaker and slots, PCMCIA (or 1
microphone, microphone, Type III),
internal fax mouse internal fax
modem, modem,
integrated integrated
trackball TrackPoint
Licensed software Solaris 1.1.1, Solaris 2.3 Solaris 2.3,
VWA NCE
Dimensions (HxWxL, in.) 2.2x12.75 13x14x5 2.0x11.8x8.5
x11.18
Weight with
battery (
lb.) 8.5 15.8** 6.5
* Base price configuration: 16 MB of RAM, 340-MB SCSI, internal
graphics as noted
** Includes power supply, keyboard, and mouse
Photograph: Three to go on (from left): RDI's PowerLite, Sun's SparcStation Voyager, and Tadpole's SparcBook 3 are SPARC systems that present a variety of trade-offs in packing a Unix workstation into a portable box. The most obvious compromise is size, ranging from the SparcBook's notebook format through the larger, heavier PowerLite and finally to the barely transportable Voyager.
Illustration: Graph: Unix Benchmark Results
As expected, the Voyager's 60-MHz MicroSparc II CPU puts it ahead of the other two portables on BYTE's Unix benchmarks. Benchmarks are indexed against a Sun SparcStation 1+; for each test, the SparcStation 1+ = 1. All these machines are somewhat slower than IBM's 50-MHz PowerPC 601 notebook (reviewed in the July issue). Note that the PowerLite ran Solaris
1.1.1, while the other machines ran Solaris 2.3 (standard configurations); differences in the Execl benchmark are related more to operating-system than hardware performance.
Illustration: Graph: Battery Life
Results are in hours. The PowerLite is the best choice for running without AC power, as its 1.2-hour battery life (measured by BYTE's Thumper) attests. But compared to more common Intel-based notebook PCs, which average 2.5 hours of battery life on this test, all these systems are far behind. Battery life is limited enough, even for the PowerLite, that I wouldn't consider using any of these systems without access to AC power.
Steve Apiki is a BYTE contributing editor. He is senior developer at Appropriate Solutions, Inc., a consulting firm based in Peterborough, New Hampshire, and specializing in cross-platform application development. You can reach him on the Internet or BIX at
apiki@bix.com
.
SPARC Workstations to Go
