Apple Achieves Notebook Parity

Tom Thompson

With the PowerBook 1400 series, Apple catches up with the rest of the notebook-computer industry. The 117-MHz 603e PowerPC processor at its heart isn't news, nor is the integral PC Card slot that supports Type II or Type III cards. But the expansive 11.3-inch display (in either dual-scan passive-matrix or active-matrix) is a major improvement, as is the equipment bay, which can hold a CD-ROM drive module. The PowerBook 1400 series enables you to copy a file from a CD to the hard drive, eject the CD-ROM drive module, pop in the standard-issue floppy drive module, and then copy the file onto a floppy, all without restarting the computer.

The CD-ROM drive, 32-bit-pixel display, and QuickTime make the 1400 an ideal multimedia machine. Although the hardware supports 16-bit CD-qualit y stereo sound, the computer's built-in speaker is only monaural: You have t o plug a pair of external speakers into the audio-output jack to obtain full stereo sound for a presentation.

While the 1400 catches up to other notebook designs with regard to hardware, Apple ((408) 996-1010; http://www.apple.com ) adds some unique design touches that make it stand out. For starters, you can boot from a Type III PC Card, which allows every person in a sales force to put his or her own customized OS, applications, and data on a PC Card that plugs into the Power 1400. Adding memory or an internal expansion card, such as a modem or an Ethernet adapter, is a snap. You slide a panel aside and remove five screws and a plate, and you have ready access to the computer's internal expansion slots. W ith only a Phillips-head screwdriver, in minutes you can add Focus Enhancements' Ethernet adapter or a similar expansion card.

The PowerBook 1400 carries an attractive price tag. A basic system with 12 MB of RAM, a 750-MB hard drive, and a dual-scan display costs $2500. A fully loaded 1400 with 16 MB of RAM, a 1-GB hard drive, an active-matrix display, and a CD-ROM drive module sets you back only $3500.