Zenith Data Systems Announces Pen-Based Z-NOTE

June 8, 1993 —  Zenith Data Systems, a Bull company, announced today the Z-NOTEPAD 425Ln, a pentop version of the award-winning Z-NOTE.

“The Z-NOTEPAD is the perfect hybrid. It’s both a good notebook computer and a good pen tablet,” said David O’Connor, executive vice president of the ZDS Product Group.

“You can use the Z-NOTEPAD with a pen only, a keyboard only, or as a pen and keyboard combination,” O’Connor said.

The Z-NOTEPAD is based on the Z-NOTE 425Ln Model 120. This notebook features a 25MHz Intel486 SL microprocessor, 4MB of RAM, a 120MB hard drive and built-in Ethernet-compatible hardware. The i486 SL microprocessor is Intel’s newest high-performance processor designed specifically for portable notebook computers. It offers all the power conservation features developed for the original SL microprocessor, as well as the true desktop performance users expect from an i486 DX-based system.

The Z-NOTEPAD replaces the standard monochrome screen with a nine- inch monochrome electromagnetic digitizer. The screen/digitizer, on a 24-inch cable, can detach from the keyboard portion of the Z-NOTE. “This permits the user to have a lightweight tablet-type device with unlimited writing angles,” O’Connor said.

The Z-NOTEPAD uses Microsoft’s Windows for Pen Computing pre-installed on Microsoft Windows 3.1 and MS-DOS 6.0. Applications running in this environment can take advantage of input from both the keyboard and the pen.

The Z-NOTEPAD is part of the Z series of ZDS products built around the four guiding principles of the company’s long-term product strategy: Investment Protection, Ease of Use, Integrated Connectivity, and Design & Ergonomics.

O’Connor explained how the four principles apply to the Z-NOTEPAD:

— Investment Protection: The Z-NOTEPAD provides full functionality as a notebook, a pen notebook or a tethered tab-let-like pen input device. “This allows you to adapt the Z-NOTEPAD to various computing environments with a single device,” said O’Connor.

The Z-NOTEPAD features upgradeable hard disk drives, floppy disk drives and FLASH-BIOS. Any Z-NOTE can be upgraded to a Z-NOTEPAD for $1,199 through approved service centers. This cost covers the installation of a pen-capable monochrome LCD and the loading of Microsoft’s Windows for Pen Computing operating system on the hard drive.

— Integrated Connectivity: The Z-NOTE series is the first notebook PC with built-in Ethernet-compatible hardware and software. “This makes the Z-NOTEPAD ideal for pen-based applications because it streamlines what can be a frustrating process: taking data from the field and transferring it to a primary system elsewhere,” said O’Connor.

— Ease of Use: Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing is pre-installed and optimized on the Z-NOTEPAD. Microsoft Windows for Pen Computing is a popular and familiar graphical operating environment for people who use both pen-input devices and keyboards. The system also supports a wide variety of existing applications that are not pen-centric or completely dependent on pen input.

— Design & Ergonomics: The pen-capable display remains attached to the Z-NOTEPAD through a cable — but the dis-play itself can be detached from the computer and used flat on a table or in the user’s lap.

“Unlike most pen-tops, the display can be used in almost any position. It’s a very ‘human’ approach to pen-based computing,” O’Connor said.

The Z-NOTEPAD 425Ln Model 120, with a 25MHz i486 SL microprocessor, 4MB of RAM and 120MB hard drive, has a ZDS price of $2,999 and is available immediately.

Zenith Data Systems products are available directly from ZDS through its field sales force or through its Z-DIRECT catalog. The company also has a network of more than 200 North American authorized resellers. The company has distribution arrangements with seven major distributors (DataGo, Gates/FA, Ingram Micro, Merisel, Microage, ROBEC and Tech Data).

Resellers and distributors determine their own prices, which may be higher or lower than ZDS’ direct price.

Zenith Data Systems, a Bull company, is a leading supplier of notebook and desktop PCs, servers, monitors and related peripherals. With headquarters in Buffalo Grove, the company has engineering facilities in St. Joseph, Mich., Santa Clara, Calif., and Billerica, Mass.; manufacturing facilities in St. Joseph, Mich., and Villeneuve d’Ascq, France; and sales locations in more than 30 countries.

CONTACT:
John Bace or Matt Mirapaul of Zenith Data Systems, 708-808-4848