Gateway Handbook
Encyclopedia
Subnotebook
A subnotebook is a class of laptop computers that are smaller and lighter than a typical laptop....
originally introduced by Gateway Computers in 1992. It quickly achieved critical acclaim and a cult-like following, especially in Japan.
It was designed by IQV and Tottori Sanyo and manufactured by Tottori Sanyo in Japan. The lead engineer on the product was Howard Fullmer and other significant contributors included Bob Burnett and Rick Murayama.
The product was only 9.7 in (246.4 mm) wide, 5.9 in (149.9 mm) deep, and 1.6 in (40.6 mm) high, and weighed less than 3 lb (1.4 kg). While it used a Chips and Technologies 8680 microprocessor, it was marketed as having 286
Intel 80286
The Intel 80286 , introduced on 1 February 1982, was a 16-bit x86 microprocessor with 134,000 transistors. Like its contemporary simpler cousin, the 80186, it could correctly execute most software written for the earlier Intel 8086 and 8088...
-level performance. The C&T chip set included hardware emulation of the Intel 80186 processor and the Handbook used a special feature of the chip set called SuperSet whereby 80286 instructions were trapped and then emulated in software. This same feature was used to emulate the 8051 keyboard controller, serial port and numerous other I/O functions. Intel worked closely with IQV to include similar capabilities in the SL chip sets which were introduced in the mid-90s.
The Handbook had 640 KiB of RAM, a 20 MB hard drive
Hard disk
A hard disk drive is a non-volatile, random access digital magnetic data storage device. It features rotating rigid platters on a motor-driven spindle within a protective enclosure. Data is magnetically read from and written to the platter by read/write heads that float on a film of air above the...
, and a monochrome blue-white CGA
Color Graphics Adapter
The Color Graphics Adapter , originally also called the Color/Graphics Adapter or IBM Color/Graphics Monitor Adapter, introduced in 1981, was IBM's first color graphics card, and the first color computer display standard for the IBM PC....
-compatible display. The unit could be powered by a rechargeable NiMH battery or six AA batteries in a special battery pack. The rechargeable batteries were unusual in that they are able to be charged without actually being in the laptop. A floppy disk was attached through a proprietary parallel port
Parallel port
A parallel port is a type of interface found on computers for connecting various peripherals. In computing, a parallel port is a parallel communication physical interface. It is also known as a printer port or Centronics port...
connector. A tremendous engineering effort went into the design of the HandBook's keyboard. It featured 17.8 mm center-to center key spacing and 2 mm travel for a firm feel.
After the success of the original Gateway Handbook, Gateway came out with a 486 model. The Handbook 486 (as it was called) was originally available as two models: A 486SX/25
Intel 80486SX
The Intel's i486SX was a modified Intel 486DX microprocessor with its floating-point unit disconnected. All early 486SX chips were actually i486DX chips with a defective FPU...
and a 486DX/40 model. Gateway later on came out with Handbook 486 models utilizing a 486SX/33
Intel 80486SX
The Intel's i486SX was a modified Intel 486DX microprocessor with its floating-point unit disconnected. All early 486SX chips were actually i486DX chips with a defective FPU...
or 486DX/50 processor. All of these handbooks used a grayscale 640x480 VGA
Video Graphics Array
Video Graphics Array refers specifically to the display hardware first introduced with the IBM PS/2 line of computers in 1987, but through its widespread adoption has also come to mean either an analog computer display standard, the 15-pin D-subminiature VGA connector or the 640×480 resolution...
display. Because of the small size of the unit, the display was distorted — what appear as circles on other displays come out as ovals on the Handbook 486.
The built-in hard disk for the Handbook 486 was usually 120 MB in size. The Handbook 486 was produced between 1993 and 1995. The Handbook 486 had 4 MiB
Mebibyte
The mebibyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. The binary prefix mebi means 220, therefore 1 mebibyte is . The unit symbol for the mebibyte is MiB. The unit was established by the International Electrotechnical Commission in 2000 and has been accepted for use by all major...
of built-in RAM, which can be expanded to 20 MiB. As of 2005, it is still possible to buy memory for the Handbook 486, although one should test the memory with memtest since memory for older computers is more likely to be defective.
It is possible to install Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
or OpenBSD
OpenBSD
OpenBSD is a Unix-like computer operating system descended from Berkeley Software Distribution , a Unix derivative developed at the University of California, Berkeley. It was forked from NetBSD by project leader Theo de Raadt in late 1995...
on these computers; the Handbook 486 is probably the earliest Linux-compatible subnotebook released. It is even possible to run the X Window System
X Window System
The X window system is a computer software system and network protocol that provides a basis for graphical user interfaces and rich input device capability for networked computers...
after the memory is expanded. The Handbook 486 has a PCMCIA II
PC card
In computing, PC Card is the form factor of a peripheral interface designed for laptop computers. The PC Card standard was defined and developed by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association which itself was created by a number of computer industry companies in the United States...
interface. While Modern Cardbus cards do not work with this interface, most older PCMCIA II cards (as long as they use no more than 250 mA of power) work fine. The Handbook 486 also has a pointing device similar to the IBM trackpoint
Pointing stick
The pointing stick is an isometric joystick used as a pointing device . It was invented by research scientist Ted Selker...
located on the right hand side of the keyboard just above the enter key.
The Gateway Handbook remains one of the smallest laptops ever produced and was a precursor to Netbook
Netbook
Netbooks are a category of small, lightweight, legacy-free, and inexpensive laptop computers.At their inception in late 2007 as smaller notebooks optimized for low weight and low cost — netbooks omitted certain features , featured smaller screens and keyboards, and offered reduced computing...
s such as the Asus Eee PC
ASUS Eee PC
The Asus Eee PC is a subnotebook/netbook computer line from ASUSTeK Computer Incorporated, and a part of the Asus Eee product family. At the time of its introduction in late 2007, it was noted for its combination of a light weight, Linux operating system, solid-state drive , and relatively low cost...
, the Dell Inspiron Mini Series
Dell Inspiron Mini Series
The Dell Inspiron Mini Series was a line of subnotebook/netbook computers designed by Dell. The series was introduced in September 2008 amidst the growing popularity of low-cost netbook computers introduced by competitors, and now consists of the Inspiron Mini 10; with the numbers representing the...
, and the Acer Aspire One. The Acer Asipire One is about the same size as the Handbook, and exists in a Gateway-banded form as the Gateway LT1004u.
External links
- Linux on a Handbook 486
- Retrofitting a Handbook 486 with modern components
- OpenBSD on a Handbook 486
- 1994 Byte magazine comparison of this laptop with other laptops of the same era
- 1994 Byte magazine comparison of this laptop with other laptops of the same era 2
- Optimizing Graphics for the Handbook 486
- Gateway Handbook 486 modding