--- title: Atari PORTFOLIO categories: - Computers types: - Pocket origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1989' cpus: - Intel 80C88 params: name: PORTFOLIO company: /companies/atari company_name: Atari specs: - label: NAME value: PORTFOLIO - label: MANUFACTURER value: Atari - label: TYPE value: Pocket - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: '1989' - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: Unknown - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: None - label: KEYBOARD value: Calculator-type keyboard, 63 keys - label: CPU value: Intel 80C88 - label: SPEED value: 4.9512 Mhz - label: RAM value: 128 kb (up to 640 kb) - label: ROM value: 256 kb - label: TEXT MODES value: 40 x 8 (Supertwist LCD display) - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: 260 x 64 dots - label: COLORS value: Monochrome - label: SOUND value: Beeper - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 7.8 x 4 .1 x 1.2 inches / 15.87 ounces with batteries - label: I/O PORTS value: 60 pin expansion bus, RAM Card port - label: OS value: DIP-DOS (compatible with MS DOS 2.11) - label: POWER SUPPLY value: 3 AA alkaline batteries or optional AC adaptor - label: PERIPHERALS value: 32 KB and 128 KB RAM or ROM memory cards - label: PRICE value: Unknown tabs: - photos - hardware - links photos: - title: ATARI PORTFOLIO subtitle: '' text: '' image: null hardware: - title: 64 KB RAMCARD subtitle: '' text: 'Several cards were available: 64 KB, 128 KB and 256 KB.' image: null - title: 128 KB RAMCARD subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: MEMORY EXPANDER + subtitle: '' text: |- This Adds 256 KB to the main memory and adds an extra memory card slot.\ A second one could be added (as it features an expansion bus, also for a parallel or serial interface) thus increasing the Portfolio's memory to 640 KB. Thanks to **P. Bakker** image: null - title: HPC-301 RAMCARD READER subtitle: '' text: This card reader was developped by Atari for desktop PC. It was connected to an ISA card and allowed PC to use the Portfolio Memory cards. image: null - title: PARALLEL INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: Allowed the Portfolio to be connected to any Parallel Centronics compatible printer image: null - title: SERIAL RS232 INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: MODEM INTERFACE subtitle: '' text: |- Provides the Portfolio with a modem capability using an acoustic coupler. Thanks to **P. Bakker** image: null links: - title: 1990 Newspaper article about the portfolio url: http://www.nysscpa.org/cpajournal/old/08572662.htm text: '' - title: Atari Portfolio as a Linux terminal ! url: http://www.online-center.com/prog/apt_main.htm text: '' - title: Atari Portfolio FAQ url: http://www.blinkenlights.com/classiccmp/portfolio.txt text: Portfolio Frequently Asked Questions BJ Gleason - title: Atari Portfolio Software Service url: http://www.gabistapler.de/pofosoft/index.htm text: Downloads for the Portfolio - title: Die ultimative Seite für den ATARI Portfolio Handheld url: http://www.palmzip.de/ text: Some useful info here including software download - title: Mario's Atari Portfolio WWW Page url: http://gem.win.co.nz/mario/pofo/ text: '' - title: The Atari PortFolio WebSite url: http://www.atari-portfolio.co.uk/ text: Portfolio info with download section - title: www.pofowiki.de url: http://www.pofowiki.de text: Wiki dedicated to the Atari Portfolio (in german) comments: - author: x86vet (UK) date: Saturday 16th October 2021 text: '"The story behind the creation of the Atari Portfolio" on Amazon may be of interest to some members of this forum.' - author: Paul Finch (United Kingdom) date: Wednesday 11th November 2020 text: |- I own and run the only U.K Portfolio Club and have loads of new and secondhand hardware / software for this brilliant pocket p.c.\ I even have an original Atari testboard for this great machine, loads of magazines, books, etc.\ Just contact me,\ Paul - author: Russ Campbell (Canada) date: Sunday 1st March 2020 text: I have two Atari Portfolio PCs , have just updated Paul Jolly''s files from his site, they will be made available on my BBS, callable with an Atari Portfolio, and a modem as I have a modem and a land line as well as HTML and Telnet. - author: Daneel (Italy) date: Wednesday 23rd April 2014 text: |- In the early 90s I bought an Atari PC Folio for about 500,000 Italian lire, about 250 €.\ I used a lot of its built-in spreadsheet.\ A beautiful piece.\ It s part of my collection, but do not turn it on for many more years. - author: Fawad date: Monday 12th December 2011 text: i have one but i don''t have any idea on how to use it, its a very interesting piece - author: Rolfio (the Netherlands) date: Sunday 11th December 2011 text: I have 2 atari portflio''s and i like them always. very nice computer. - author: Mnem (Canada) date: Friday 16th December 2005 text: I used to have one of these. Picked it up at a pawn shop for $50 CDN in the early 90's. Good little machine although I was never able to get full use of it since I didn't have a cable to connect it to my home computer. Unfortunatly it got stolen a couple of years back when a landlord of mine decided to do a little raiding at my appartment. - author: Andrew (UK) date: Wednesday 11th September 2002 text: Amazing computer then and now. I love these. oc_id: 356 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230601001742/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=356 date: '2023-06-01' --- The Portfolio was one of the first, if not the first MSDOS compatible pocket computer. It was fully compatible with the [IBM PC](/museum/ibm-pc-model-5150/) standard, although it was difficult to use software because of its very small screen. Its card drive can accept :\ \- optional 32K, 64K or 128K memory (RAM) cards,\ \- 64K or 128K programmable (PROM) cards,\ \- 128K masked ROM cards,\ \- and 512K Flash Memory cards. It had several built-in programs :\ \- Worksheet: Lotus 1-2-3 File-compatible spreadsheet,\ \- Text editor with basic word processing funtions,\ \- Calculator with five memories, four number formats and editable "tape" of calculations,\ \- Address book with virtually unlimited name and address storage and automatic phone dialing,\ \- Personal calendar/appointment book with programmable alarms,\ \- File transfer to upload and download files from compatible PC using optional Smart Parallel Interface,\ \- Clipboard to move or copy data within a file or between files or programs,\ \- and an operating system similar to MS-DOS 2.11 A lot of interfaces were developped for this computer including MIDI I/O. **Fun fact**: This computer appeared in Terminator 2. It was used by young John Connor to break into an ATM bank machine. --- **Malcolm Ramage** specifies:\ While you have the machine down as originating from the US, the machine was developed by the UK firm known as DIPP, who developed the machine, but did not have the finance or ability to distribute it. As a result, Atari took on the distribution and manufacture of the device, while DIPP provided the groundwork for the new portable Atari's, STylus (ST Pad) and the ST Book.