--- title: Olivetti M10 categories: - Computers types: - Portable origins: - Italy years: - '1983' cpus: - Intel 80c85 CMOS params: name: M10 image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_2.jpg company: /companies/olivetti company_name: Olivetti specs: - label: NAME value: M10 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Olivetti - label: TYPE value: Portable - label: ORIGIN value: Italy - label: YEAR value: '1983' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Enhanced version of Microsoft BASIC - label: KEYBOARD value: |- Excellent QWERTY/AZERTY full-stroke keyboard\ 4 arrow keys and 8 function keys - label: CPU value: Intel 80c85 CMOS - label: SPEED value: 3 MHz - label: RAM value: |- 8 kb, up to 32 KB\ by incremental 8 kb RAM pack on PCB - label: ROM value: 32 kb (up to 64 kb) - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 x 8 - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 240 x 64 - label: COLORS value: Black & white (LCD screen) - label: SOUND value: Built-in speaker capable of generating different pitches and tones - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 30 x 22 6 cm / 1,8 kg - label: I/O PORTS value: RS232c (19200 bauds max.), Parallel port, Tape-recorder (1500 bauds), Barcode reader, System Bus, Phone - label: POWER SUPPLY value: 6v CC (4 x AA battery cells 1,5v or with an external power supply unit) - label: PERIPHERALS value: 300-baud built-in modem (US versions) - label: PRICE value: 800 (France, 84) tabs: - photos - adverts - hardware forum_thread: 469 photos: - title: M-10 subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_1.jpg - title: FRONT VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_front_1.jpg - title: REAR subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_rear.jpg - title: REAR CONNECTORS subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_rear_1.jpg - title: UNDER subtitle: '' text: We can see here the battery cells compartment, system bus trap and the optional ROM & RAM sockets. image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_under_1.jpg - title: OPTIONAL RAM & ROM SOCKETS subtitle: '' text: ROM can be upgraded to 64k with only one additionnal ROM chip (32k). RAM can be expanded up to 32k with 8k RAM chips. image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_rams_1.jpg - title: SYSTEM BUS (40 PINS) subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_system-bus_1.jpg - title: M-10 MOTHERBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- **The electronic part of the M-10 was made in Japan by Kyocera Cie.** **(1)** System init button (Reset).\ **(2)** Four 1.5v battery cells provide 20 hours of work in running mode, or 80 hours in sleep mode.\ **(3)** Serial RS-232 connector.\ **(4)** Parallel Centronics printer connector. As it is not a standard connector, a special Olivetti cable is needed.\ **(5)** Cassette recorder DIN connector with remote control. Data transfer speed is of 1500 baud (about 190 char./second).\ **(6)** Bar code reader connector.\ **(7)** A 8 Kb. RAM expansion chip can be plugged to each of these three sockets. Originaly, a 8Kb. RAM chip is already mounted on the left one. Thus, a maximum of 32 Kb RAM can be installed.\ **(8)** This socket can receive an additional 32 Kb ROM chip. The original 32 Kb ROM holds the built-in software and the Microsoft Basic interpreter.\ **(9)** 80C85 low power CMOS 8 bits microprocessor, running at 2,457 Mhz.\ **(10)** External power supply unit connector. image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_inside_1.jpg - title: BASED ON THE SAME HARDWARE subtitle: '' text: |- Like Philips which sold in Europe a part of its products under Radiola or Schneider brands name, or even Sharp which sold its pocket computers under Tandy's name with minor design changes; these three computers (<$475$>Olivetti M10, <$334$>NEC 8201, <$233$>Tandy Model 100) are, in fact the same model, manufactured by Kyocera. If the hardware part is basically the same, external design is slightly different. Olivetti offered a tilting display and Nec added arrow keys. The main purpose of this partnership was to reduce research & development and manufacturing costs. The same model, designed and manufactured by a single company could have been 25% more expensive. image: /media/museum/photos/olivetti_m10_samehard.jpg adverts: - title: FRENCH ADVERT subtitle: '' text: '''''The Best''''' image: /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_m10_pub_the-best.jpg - title: FRENCH ADVERT subtitle: '' text: '''''Olivetti M10, the portable professional micro-computer, here comes why."' image: /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_m10_pub_the-best_2.jpg - title: FRENCH ADVERT (JUNE 1985) subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/pubs/olivetti_pub_docile-compatibles_2.jpg hardware: - title: ACOUSTIC COUPLER subtitle: '' text: Acoustic coupler and TELCOM integrated software allow the M10 computer to send or receive information and files through a telephone line. image: /media/museum/hardware/olivetti_m10_coupler_1.jpg oc_id: 475 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230605024227/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=475 date: '2023-06-05' --- The Olivetti M-10 is basically the same computer as the [Tandy 100](/museum/tandy-radio-shack-trs-80-model-100-102/) or the [NEC PC-8201](/museum/nec-pc-8201a/). All these machines were in fact conceived by Kyocera Corporation (Japan). Thus they all have very similar characteristics. Olivetti is well known for computers with special design, and the M-10 is not an exception. Compared to the Tandy 100 or NEC PC-8201, the M-10 is quite beautiful. The main physical difference is the LCD screen which can be tilted for user's comfort. Just like its brothers, the M-10 was used a lot by reporters all around the world. This success was mainly due to its excellent keyboard and large battery autonomy. The M-10 a some built-in software :\ \- An Extended Microsoft Basic\ \- A wordprocessor\ \- A small spreadsheet (adress files)\ \- An Agenda\ \- And a communication program. The M10 had 4 standard RAM/ROM sockets, whereas all other Kyocera machines had specific RAM or ROM sockets. The french model doesn't seem to have the modem built-in as it is the case for the "normal" M-10. This is maybe because any Modem sold in France had to be "agreed" by the French Post Office (!), which was a difficult task...