| People have called the Compaq Concerto the most innovative
laptop ever and who am I to disagree? Innovation is the heart and soul
of the Concerto. It's a clever combination laptop and pen computer in one.
The lightweight detachable keyboard pivots down to reveal a super sharp
64 shade grayscale screen (even these tiny pictures I've taken show how
crisp the display is). Not only that, but there is a hidden extension cable
that lets you set the display on your desk (or an airline traytable) and
type away with the keyboard in your lap. If that's not enough, you can
completely disconnect the keyboard and use Concerto totally as a pen computer.
It also features a built in floppy drive and has no need for a port
replicator bar since it comes with a full compliment of ports (see table
below), but if it's expansion you want, the FlexConnect docking station
(with ethernet and SCSI) is often available on eBay for $10-15. |
 |
|
Concerto Specs
|
| Processor |
Intel 486SL |
Megahertz (speed) |
33Mhz |
| Memory (RAM) |
12MB |
Hard Drive |
250MB uncompressed |
| Display |
9.5" 64 shade grayscale |
Pen |
Powered electromagnetic |
| Operating System |
Comes with a full install
of Windows 95 with Pen extensions (no manuals, or certificates) |
| Ports |
1 PS/2 Mouse, 1 15-pin
Monitor, 1 9-pin Serial, 1 Standard Parallel Port, Docking Station Adapter |
| Slots |
2 PCMCIA (2 type II or
1 type III) |
|
I've seen a few of these now
on eBay, but this is the first time I've seen one offered that was fully
set up with Windows 95. This includes Pen Services 2.0 and full PCMCIA
Plug-n-play support. It's like a ThinkPad 730T with a fully detatchable
keyboard!! If you're used to the 730T's monochrome 16 screen, just wait
til you see the difference that a full 64 shades of gray can give you.
Another excellent feature of this amazing computer is its "hibernate" mode.
When you hit the suspend button, or select suspend from the start Menu,
the bios writes the contents of memory to a file on the hard drive. Then
the computer shuts down completely! It draws no power in this mode,
and when you wake it up, it picks up exactly where you left off. So, if
you've don't have time to finish that Freecell game right now, just suspend
and pick it up later! |
The Concerto uses an intelligent powered electromagnetic
pen which fits neatly into a compartment above to the screen. The Compaq's
screen sports a textured glass writing surface which gives it a real "paper"
feel. Data entry is accomplished via a floating keyboard, handwriting recognition,
or plug in the keyboard and type away. The bale on the back nestles out
of the way when in tablet mode, but can flip out to support the display
in an upright position (below) or by adjusting two plastic slides, it can
either function as a handle, or support the computer at an angle for writing
on the screen. The keyboard features a flip up "well" to rest the pen when
you're typing. The Concerto has 4MB of ram on the motherboard - I've expanded
that with an 8MB module for a total of 12MB. The internal HD is a quarter
of a gig and has the full install of Windows 95 and a "hidden" partition
that holds the computer diagnostic and setup programs. |
Handwriting Recognition
|
|
Data entry is accomplished
via a floating keyboard or by using handwriting recognition
|
|
 |
Cosmetically this computer is in good -but
not mint- condition. The door for the PCMCIA slots is missing and the power
switch on the back needs a little fiddling.
The wireless PCMCIA network card pictured in the Concerto's
type II slot (above) is NOT included, but the drivers for it are installed.
It may be the height of Geekiness, but I love getting on the net, sitting
with the family watching TV.
This laptop comes with an AC adapter AND a spare battery.
The battery appears to hold a charge very well. Your mileage may vary,
but I've used it for an hour or two on a full charge. This comes with a
working (integrated) 1.44MB floppy drive.
While this computer is currently in good working condition,
it is not new equipment so I must offer it as-is.
Click
here for a the Unofficial Compaq Concerto Web Page |
Winning bidder pays
$18.00 for shipping via USPS Priority Mail.
- NO RESERVE
-
I accept Visa/MC (via PayPal), Cashiers
Check, Money Order, Personal Check or Company Check. Personal or Company
Checks will hold til cleared. Your payment should be sent within 5 days
of the auction close. No COD's. Thank you and good luck bidding.
To learn more about PayPal or to
pay at end of auction, click here... 
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