Atari 800 Laptop #2

[+MrFish]

Here's Round #2 from Ben Heck:

Atari 800 Laptop #2

Edited July 29, 2007 by MrFish

[Forrest]

Looks better except for that lousy keyboard! What was he thinking - if I wanted an Atari 400 keyboard I wouldn't have bought an 800/XL or 130 XE in the first place.

[+MrFish]

Looks better except for that lousy keyboard! What was he thinking - if I wanted an Atari 400 keyboard I wouldn't have bought an 800/XL or 130 XE in the first place.

 

Although it looks like a membrane keyboard, if you read the construction article you'll find that's where the similarity ends.

 

I don't think anyone who custom designs something like this is gonna say "yes, that's what it needs, a keyboard made for children".

 

It does look a little different with the round, flush keys, though. Hard to say how it types. Although, our finger-tips are roundish.

Edited July 30, 2007 by MrFish

[Forrest]

Yeah - looks like I spoke to soon. But it still doesn't appear to be a good keyboard for touch typing. I like Beetle's Atari laptop a lot more

 

Beetle's laptop

Edited July 29, 2007 by Forrest

[+MrFish]

Yeah - looks like I spoke to soon. But it still doesn't appear to be a good keyboard for touch typing. I like Beetle's Atari laptop a lot more

 

Beetle's laptop

 

Yes, beetle still gets my vote too.

[Beetle]

Thank you

 

It got a 512k Memory upgrade (one of Mega-Hz's famous battery backed SRAM type) integrated now.

The final internal powersupply PCB (including chargeing curcuit for the 3.300mAh NiMH batteries) is built in and working, too.

 

I'll make some more pics as soon i find my camera :-/

[Pengwin]

I like Ben Heck's laptops, but Beetle's gets my vote. It looks like an Atari made product

[krupkaj]

Yes, Beetle's one looks like Atari more. But I like arrow keys on Ben's book. I think it is possible to add such keys to Beetle's book, just take 4 keys from defunct XL keyboard and connect them to appropriate signals (I know that works with XE)

[Beetle]

The arrow keys on Ben's XE Laptop are connected as Joysticks.

He has a cursor knob, thats really cool! you can push it in the

desired direction and the cursor in BASIC moves!

[krupkaj]

yes, that is what I like. I saw lot of XEs equiped with such keys (F1-F4 as seen on Atari 1200). I was even thinking about modification of mine.

[FastRobPlus]

I still like Beetle's best too. But I really want to see a laptop (or luggable) with a built in 5.25" disk drive, so I can play real Atari media right out of the box!

[Xebec's Demise]

I'm amazed by the time and dedication both of them must have put into their Atari projects.

 

Ben's is more modern and compact looking, whereas Beetle's is more of a retro laptop, one that Atari might have made.

 

Both of them deserve recognition.

[elan]

You got nice laptops both - boys!!! (Beetle and Benheck...)

 

 

Now is time for XE Laptop...

 

 

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[yorgle]

I agree that Beetle's version makes more sense. If you're going to use modern components for everything else, why limit yourself to a retro system. Most folks would probably prefer a vintage look with modern internals over modern look running antiquated internals. Still, I bow to Ben's ingenuity and skill building it. He definitely deserves praise for that. BTW, I think his variations of 2600 handhelds are fantastic.

[doctorclu]

As shoddily as it was assembled, I vote for Ben's first laptop. I like how it is the size of a Macintosh 12" computer, the metal casing, and the way it opens to a woodgrain look. To me the computer's appearance is perfect. But that is just my preference. And I believe Docrot set that up with compact flash and all. So Ben's first attempt gets my vote.